Katele threatens to take action against Magande over presidency

Katele threatens to take action against Magande over presidency
Written by Patson Chilemba
Sunday, July 12, 2009 8:41:24 PM

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba yesterday warned that he will take action against party members including Ng’andu Magande who wish to make a mockery of the party and his directives.

Reacting to MMD presidential aspirant Ng’andu Magande’s defiance to his [Kalumba’s] order for party members to stop talking about presidential campaign politics, Kalumba said he would start taking action now because he had talked enough.

Kalumba said people should not push their luck too far. He said he had been tolerant for a long time but would act when the interests of the party were at risk.

"I am only going to be taking action now. I won't be talking anymore, I will take action against individuals who wish to make a mockery of the party. I can take action when I decide to and my colleagues know me very well. I have been tolerant for a long time but when the interests of the party are at risk, I will act," Kalumba warned.

He said he ordered party members to stop talking about presidential campaign politics because the issue was becoming divisive.

On Magande's statement that Kalumba was stopping others from commenting over the presidency when he had failed to stop President Rupiah Banda, Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe, works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti and local government minister Benny Tetamashimba from talking about the matter, Kalumba said it was irrational for Magande to commit a wrong just because others were doing so.

"You don't make a mistake on account of others making a mistake. That is irrational. You decide to do the right thing. You don't say 'because somebody has made a mistake or done that, then I should make a mistake'," said Kalumba. "That is why I don't want to be commenting about this issue because I will be perpetuating the debate."

MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said the party was handling Magande's matter administratively.

On the questions that had been raised over his appointment as lands deputy minister, Mabenga responded: "We are not going to talk about that. You are talking about things which don't seem to hold any water. On the presidency, we are dealing with that issue administratively."

Last Thursday, Magande said nobody including Kalumba would stop him from talking about presidential campaigns in the party.

He said it was too late for Kalumba to stop him and other party members from discussing the presidency.

Magande said people should be allowed to debate the sole candidate the national executive committee (NEC) had endorsed.

Kalumba last Tuesday said he had ordered party members to stop discussing the party presidential campaigns.

Kalumba was reacting to MMD member Willa Mung'omba's statement that the party should obey the constitution by allowing President Banda to be challenged at the convention.