(TIMES) Rupiah needs support of all Zambians — Mabenga

Rupiah needs support of all Zambians — Mabenga
By Times Reporter

ACTING MMD president, Michael Mabenga has called on party members and all Zambians to support President Rupiah Banda for him to concentrate on developing the country.
And the national executive committee (NEC) will soon meet to decide on several disciplinary cases, including the one involving party spokesperson, Benny Tetamashimba and Deputy Minister, Jonas Shakafuswa.

At a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mabenga said that Mr Banda needed the support of all Zambians so that he could serve to the expectations of all.

Mr Mabenga, who was flanked by party chairperson for commerce, Sebastian Kopulande and deputy national secretary, Jeff Kaande, said the party believed that Mr Banda was capable of developing Zambia.

He said, however, that President Banda could only be able to deliver with the support of all party members and the citizens.

“We were and still are convinced as a party that Mr Banda can deliver,” he said.
He paid tribute to other party officials who stood against Mr Banda during the identification of the MMD presidential candidate and lost but continued supporting the party and the Republican President.

Mr Mabenga said that the party was mindful that Zambia was in a hurry to develop and, therefore, it would give maximum support to the president who was steering development in the country.

On the disciplinary cases, Mr Mabenga said the national secretariat had been tasked to investigate further the squabbles in the media between Mr Tetamashimba and Mr Shakafuswa and referred further queries to Mr Kaande.

Mr Mabenga was responding to a question on the continued Press statements on party policies even after he had banned the practice.

Mr Kaande said the NEC would soon meet to look at the case and several others, including those which happened before late president Levy Mwanawasa’s illness.
He said the secretariat had administratively looked at all the cases and made relevant recommendations to the NEC.

“No case will be swept under the carpet. Even those which took place before the death of the president will be looked at and sentences will be passed by the NEC,” he said.