Maravi

‘Kahenya wanted to challenge Hichilema for the presidency’

‘Kahenya wanted to challenge Hichilema for the presidency’
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Lambwe Kachali
Sunday, December 07, 2008 6:42:00 PM

UPND sources yesterday revealed that former secretary general Tiens Kahenya was expelled from the party primarily because he had ambitions to challenge party president Hakainde Hichilema for the presidency.

And Kahenya revealed that he had heard from some party members that Hichilema was accusing them of campaigning for him to become party president.

But Hichilema said any reasons away from what was given by party vice-president Richard Kapita on the expulsion of Kahenya were manufactured.

In an interview, the sources said Hichilema suspected Kahenya of harbouring ambitions to contest for the party presidency when the convention is held.

The sources said during the UPND national executive committee (NEC) meeting last Thursday at the party secretariat in Lusaka, Hichilema played an audio recording, in which Kahenya was allegedly accusing him [Hichilema] of being part of the death conspiracy of late party president Anderson Mazoka.

"The meeting lasted from 10:00 hours to about 14:30 hours on Thursday December 4, 2008 then a press briefing. NEC members from Copperbelt Province were present but some targeted NEC members from Lusaka, including Mr Kahenya, were deliberately not informed. Some NEC members from Lusaka were just tipped-off by staff at the secretariat that there was going to be a meeting at 10:00 hours," the sources said. "The procedure to call for a NEC meeting is that in consultation with the president, the secretary general as chief executive officer of the party calls NEC."

The sources wondered as to who called the meeting on Thursday because Kahenya, as then party secretary general, was sidelined.

"What normally happens is that we would then table all issues. In a usual manner, the interested parties, if any, would then be excused from the proceedings until a decision is reached. But in this matter Kahenya was not aware of NEC meeting and then Hichilema who was the complainant chaired the proceedings. Kahenya was not offered even a hearing and he was crucified without trial," the sources said. "Hichilema had us listen to three audio recordings for two hours. In the [audio] tape, Kahenya accused Hichilema of being part of Mazoka death conspiracy."

The sources wondered why Hichilema was using a recording to crucify Kahenya, when in fact it was difficult to even prove that the voice on tape was Kahenya's.

"It is an offence to record someone without their consent and Hichilema cannot adduce that tape as evidence in court. What if Kahenya claims that that is not his voice? This method is only used in covet operations for information gathering purposes only. He is ill-advised and overexcited to deal with Kahenya," the sources said. "Now if he [Hichilema] feels personally injured by the content of these recordings, he should seek redress in courts of law not to use politics to eliminate opponents."

The sources further revealed that, according to a voice purported to be Kahenya's on the audio recording, Kahenya was heard talking of having back-dated a UPND card for Hichilema to enable him qualify for election as party president in 2006 since he [Hichilema] had no membership card at that time.

"Kahenya worked in-conjunction with the UNZA branch led by Antonio Mwanza to get this act done. They also gave similar cards to some UNZA students to qualify them for voting at the convention," the sources said. "And the same voice of Kahenya on tape continues to connect Hichilema to Xavier Chungu and FJT Chiluba as a courier of the plundered state resources. The tape also reveals that Sakwiba Sikota and Kahenya have since the last UPND party convention become distant because between the two of them they had prior knowledge of Anderson Mazoka's party presidency succession plan and preferred successor."

The sources said it was now difficult to understand why Kahenya and Hichilema had fallen out of favour and why Hichilema had resolved to selective use of certain parts of the recordings to sort out his colleague.

"The plan to sort out Kahenya includes among others to remove Kahenya from the party, then the Zambia Centre for Inter Party Dialogue (ZCID) board, the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) cancel his account signatory status at all the commercial banks, de-linking him from all international affiliate organisations with UPND such as the Liberal International and UK Liberal democrats," the sources said. "We are now learning that during the last election, Kahenya as the official presidential candidate agent, Hichilema, never met each other since the first briefing at the ECZ [Electoral Commission of Zambia] until after the announcement of the final presidential results. No wonder we are seeing these cracks.

"Now that Hichilema is suspecting Kahenya of habouring party presidential ambitions, he is panicking and ensuring that he stifles internal competition by technically eliminating would-be challengers."

The sources explained that Kapita, who is Hichilema's close ally, was tasked to announce the expulsion of Kahenya.

"Hichilema used Kapita who was not present in the last NEC meeting on November 26, 2008 and NMC meeting on November 27, 2008. He leaves Kapita to do the dirty work," the sources observed.

They observed that since the time The Post published a story indicating that some members of UPND National Management Committee (NMC) had challenged Hichilema to call for a convention before 2011, the party leader had been restless, trying to find a way to hound out all his opponents from the party.

"In the last NMC meeting on 27/11/2008, Hichilema claimed that the party has no money for a convention. But the process of expelling the secretary general or vice-president, chairman and president - according to the constitution - we require to hold an extra-ordinary convention. Does the party have the money for a convention now?" the sources asked. "[During the same NMC meeting] Hichilema said he has a five-year tenure and that the constitution is clear. But according to the same party constitution [article 60] any vacancy at NMC level is to be filled within 90 days but because he knows that Kahenya is next in line as second vice-president, Hichilema has been dilly-dallying. You know we have system of two vice-presidents. Kapita and Patrick Chisanga were vice-presidents but it's two years since Chisanga left the party and according to the hierarchy Kahenya was supposed to take over from Chisanga but that hasn't happened. So what constitution is he talking about?"

The sources further revealed that during the last NEC meeting Hichilema and Kahenya had agreed to have a 'name and shame meeting' because of numerous rumours in the party which the latter said were being perpetuated by Hichilema.

"...But on the day of the meeting, Hichilema chickened out and called it off," the sources disclosed.

The sources said in the last NMC meeting on November 27, 2008 Hichilema was challenged to be more democratic if he felt that he was popular.

"He was told that even a coach of a football team is subject to removal if the team continuously under performs. Hichilema has lost national presidential elections twice and has never won a single parliamentary by-election," the sources said.

The sources revealed that during an NMC meeting on October 1, 2008, before the presidential election, party chairman for elections Ackson Sejani and Kalomo Central member of parliament Request Muntanga reported that the party had sourced US $2 million from donors outside the country for campaigns and the funds were just being cleared at the banks.

"It's erroneous to allude that it is Kahenya who is talking about donor money when this issue is in minutes," the sources said. "All the matters Kahenya is accused of about funds from donors and cattle were already discussed and resolved in the last NEC meeting. The only new issue was the recordings."

The sources disclosed that most provincial NMC officials from Southern, Central, Western and North Western provinces were rallying behind Hichilema while Lusaka, Northern and Eastern provinces support Kahenya.

"The Hichilema camp is uneasy with the secret ballot voting in the NMC meeting and they are seeking ways of forcing a division instead. But this is against articles 69 and 70 which state that a secret ballot in decision making and not a division or consensus," the sources said.

According to article 69 of the UPND constitution states: "The following are the possible sanctions that can be meted out against erring party members: (a) oral warning; (b) written reprimand; (c) suspension; and (d) expulsion which can only be effected by the National Management Committee."

Article 70 states: "The deputy presidents, national chairman, secretary general and treasurers general may be disciplined by a two-thirds secret ballot vote of no confidence passed by the National Management Committee who may decide on whatever sanction to impose against the erring official as per UPND disciplinary code of conduct on recommendation from the NEC."

And Kahenya said although he had heard some party members complaining of being accused by Hichilema that they were campaigning for him to be the next party president, he [Kahenya] had never had such ambitions.

"But personally I have never expressed any ambition to contest for presidency. If he is scared about that, he is just running away from his own shadow. Those allegations are untrue and unfounded. I have just heard of course, some people that they are unhappy with the president's leadership and also that he was calling and telling them that they are campaigning for TK," Kahenya said.

He also said currently he was still consulting people including his lawyers on his next political step.

"Obviously, when I am expelled I have to sit down, consult widely over my next move. But up now I have not received any letter of expulsion," said Kahenya.

But Hichilema said people should not manufacture false reasons to justify their positions.

Hichilema said Kapita as vice-president of the party could not be used to expel Kahenya.

He said Kahenya's expulsion was reached by NEC, bearing in mind the constitutional provisions and offences levelled against him.

"If you want details, talk to Mr Kapita. Those statements against me have been manufactured... are mere speculations and peddled out of hatred," said Hichilema.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, TIENS KAHENYA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 6:42 PM