Maravi

Step down, Teta asks Katele

Step down, Teta asks Katele
Written by Patson Chilemba
Sunday, April 26, 2009 3:05:46 PM

MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba has asked party national secretary Katele Kalumba to step aside after being found with a case to answer on corruption charges. In an interview, Tetamashimba asked Kalumba to step down from his position until his corruption charges were disposed of.

Tetamashimba said the MMD would not allow a person who had been put on his defence in the courts of law to continue administering the party and later on contest the party presidency.

"You know when you are put on your defence by the court, it means the court had been convinced by the prosecution that there is merit that you did some wrong things.

So you are put on your defence. They are now telling you that the onus is on you to prove otherwise. As at now the court is saying they [accused] are guilty until they prove otherwise and Katele is one of them. He should have stepped aside," Tetamashimba said.

He said Kalumba and former finance minister Ng'andu Magande were inconsequential to the MMD because President Rupiah Banda lost elections in their constituencies.

Tetamashimba maintained that despite arguments from other party members, President Banda was the only best and credible candidate and that the MMD would lose elections in 2011 in the event that they failed to adopt him.

"Katele was not being frank by that statement that there were other candidates because he told me when I was campaigning for Rupiah Banda that 'I will be standing'. We are not going to allow a person who has been put on his defence to be president of the party," he said.

Tetamashimba said in an event that Katele or any other person won the presidency at the MMD convention, there was no guarantee that that person would be adopted to contest the Republican presidency because the MMD national executive committee (NEC) would have the final say.

He said President Banda enjoyed overwhelming support among ministers and NEC officials.

Tetamashimba said opposition leaders like Patriotic Front president Michael Sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema would capitalise on the Eastern Province vote should the MMD not adopt President Banda in 2011. He said he would fight to ensure that President Banda re-contested the presidency.

"President Banda is not like Katele and others who have not been categorical [to the public over their presidential intention]. He has said the first thing is to work and if he works well and the party feels that he should go ahead, then he will," said Tetamashimba.

Recently, Lusaka High Court deputy director of court operations Edward Musona, sitting as magistrate, said he was satisfied that the prosecution had laid a prima facie case against Kalumba and six other accused persons requiring them to be put on their defence in a matter where they are facing charges of corrupt practices and theft.

Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, KATELE KALUMBA

posted by MrK @ 2:07 PM