Maravi

Rupiah queries HH for ‘courting’ Shakas

Rupiah queries HH for ‘courting’ Shakas
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:39:52 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda during his meeting with Hakainde Hichilema queried the opposition leader over his offer to Jonas Shakafuswa to re-contest his Katuba parliamentary seat on the UPND ticket.

According to sources, just before their consultative meeting started, President Banda told Hichilema that although the UPND leader wanted them to work together, he [President Banda] was aware that Hichilema a week ago visited Shakafuswa and asked him to re-contest his seat under the opposition political party’s ticket.

“It’s like Rupiah ambushed Hichilema because as the meeting was starting, he said if you want us to work together why did you visit Shakafuswa and asked him to stand as your parliamentary candidate. Hichilema did not say anything because he was ambushed. The meeting went ahead well but there was that suspicion from both camps,” the sources said. “Hichilema had visited Shakafuswa at his residence just after Rupiah Banda fired him as deputy minister of science and technology and warned that he would take him to the MMD NEC so that he could be expelled from the party. So when it was clear that Shakafuswa would be expelled from the MMD and there would be a by-election in Katuba, Hichilema went to visit Shakafuswa to ask him to come back to the UPND and stand on UPND ticket if the by-election was held.”

The sources said Hichilema and Shakafuswa’s discussions were fruitful but they agreed that the former should first consult his colleagues in the party leadership before they could welcome the latter to rejoin the party.

When contacted for a comment on Monday, Shakafuswa confirmed meeting Hichilema but could neither deny nor confirm that the UPND leader offered him to re-contest his seat on the UPND ticket.

He said whatever he discussed with Hichilema was confidential but if the political party would want to disclose what they discussed, it would be okay with him.

“Hichilema came to console me just as much as I have been consoled by the PF. The PF came to console me,” he said.

Asked if Hichilema had offered him to re-contest his seat under the UPND ticket, Shakafuswa responded: “a lot of people have offered…they came to comfort me but at the end of the day they are family members. You see politics shouldn’t be that of conflict. Politics should be like you belong to one family.”

Further asked on what he discussed with Hichilema, Shakafuswa said: “You ask Hichilema. He will be able to give you what we discussed. To me the discussions I have had with everyone are confidential and being confidential I am not going to talk about them. If they want, political parties will make statements.”

President Banda a fortnight ago fired Shakafuswa as deputy minister of science and technology and subsequently expelled him from the MMD. However, Shakafuswa has filed for an injunction in the court against his expulsion.

Shakafuswa was a UPND member of parliament for Katuba constituency between 2001 and 2006 before defecting to the MMD.

And the sources said President Banda wondered why Hichilema was suggesting on how the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) should handle the 50 per cent plus one requirement for a Republican president’s election when in fact, the UPND was part of the NCC and could deliberate on those issues inside the NCC.

“When Hichilema raised the issue of the NCC, the President asked him why he wanted them to settle issues relating to the constitution-making process outside the NCC when UPND members were part of the NCC and would be in a better position to make those suggestions in the NCC and not outside,” the sources said.

“The President said you are not like the PF who are not part of the NCC, you are part of the NCC and should channel your suggestions through your members who are part of the NCC.”

President Banda and Hichilema held a consultative meeting on Thursday at State House.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, JONAS SHAKAFUSWA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:39 PM