Maravi

Sondashi is throwing mud at Rupiah, charges Kaande

Sondashi is throwing mud at Rupiah, charges Kaande
Written by Lambwe Kachali and Patson Chilemba
Thursday, January 29, 2009 9:37:45 AM

MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande yesterday charged that Dr Ludwig Sondashi is throwing mud at President Rupiah Banda because he is living in a world of fantasy. And Kaande disclosed that the MMD convention will be held next year.

Reacting to Dr Sondashi who charged that President Banda should not be allowed to hijack the party because he is more Unipist than MMD, Kaande said Dr Sondashi was actually more Unipist.

Kaande reminded Dr Sondashi that he came from UNIP, where he served as minister and member of the central committee for many years.

“So, it does not do him any good by throwing mud at his friend. Membership of the party has no age; it is what you contribute to the party that values. Why did [late president Levy] Mwanawasa pick President Rupiah Banda to be his vice-president? It’s because he saw leadership qualities that he has,” Kaande said. “Leadership comes from God. You can want to be what you want but if God has not chosen you, you will never lead. So, God led Mwanawasa to Rupiah Banda.”

He said it was unacceptable for Dr Sondashi at his old age to continue peddling lies that President Banda allegedly corrupted MMD national executive committee (NEC) members to adopt him as presidential candidate during last year’s election.

Kaande said it was also a naked lie that people who decided that President Banda should become acting party president received kick-backs and job offers.

“...That is the cheapest lie Mr Sondashi can ever peddle. He is an old man; let him keep respect by telling the truth. We have no confidence in Sondashi, but we have more confidence in President Banda,” he said. “[The] K30 million that Sondashi says some NEC members received is a lot of money. If that was true, most of them [NEC members] would be driving by now, but we see our NEC members even ladies coming here on foot.”

He said he would not take disciplinary action against Dr Sondashi for bringing the party into ridicule because he had no political future.

“Why should we set fire to an already burning wood? Is it necessary? We don’t want to kill Mr Sondashi, he is an old man, if we start suspending him now, he will just start having high blood pressure. So, let him continue to live in his own world of fantasy. I have got no ink to write a disciplinary letter to Mr Sondashi,” he said.

And Kaande confirmed that the MMD convention would be held in 2010, but declined to give further details.

He said the date would be announced when all logistics had been put in place.

“So if Mr Sondashi still thinks he can lead MMD, let him start doing his work now so that he can beat his fellow contestants at the convention,” said Kaande.

Meanwhile, MMD trustee William Banda said Dr Sondashi’s statement was full of misinformation.

Banda said MMD would not allow people like Dr Sondashi to become party president through the back door or by issuing unwarranted statements directed at discrediting others.

On Tuesday, Dr Sondashi advised MMD members not to allow President Banda to hijack the party, saying he was more Unipist than MMD.

Dr Sondashi’s comment came in the wake of some NEC members’ decision to nominate President Banda as interim party president until the convention.

The position of MMD presidency had remained vacant since the death of the late president Mwanawasa last year, while that of the vice-president has been vacant since 2005.

Labels: JEFF KANDE, LUDWIG SONDASHI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 9:37 AM