Magande responds to Katele’s threats

Magande responds to Katele’s threats
Written by Patson Chilemba
Monday, July 13, 2009 7:40:33 AM

MMD presidential aspirant Ng'andu Magande yesterday said he is ready to be disciplined for talking about presidential campaign politics.

Reacting to MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba's threat that he would take action against party members including Magande who wish to make a mockery of the party and his directives, Magande maintained that he would continue talking about the presidency for as long as people like President Rupiah Banda, Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe, works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti and local government minister Benny Tetamashimba continued to champion the President's candidature.

"If he is starting [disciplinary action] on the doorsteps of NEC [national executive committee], then I am ready to be disciplined. I am ready to be disciplined by the secretary general as long as he disciplines others. But I will not accept as a grown up man and a loyal member of the party to have other members parading themselves at the airport like in Livingstone, where Munkombwe was telling other members that they are hiding when others are campaigning for the President," Magande said. "He [Munkombwe] is already parading the President and saying others who are supposed to challenge him are still hiding. That is not correct and it is already dividing the party."

Magande said he was speaking about the presidency because others had found it wise to spend time talking about President Banda's presidency instead of dealing with problems that had beset the nation.

"I will keep quiet as long as others keep quiet. In fact, I am just helping him that why are other members disobeying you?" he asked.

On Kalumba's statement that he was being irrational for talking about the presidential campaigns just because others were talking about it, Magande wondered when he became irrational considering the good service he rendered to the nation.

"If all that I have done for Zambia shows I don't think logically, then we need more leaders who are irrational in order to sort out Zambia's problems especially economic ones. I hope that is what we are going to do," he said.

Magande asked Kalumba to order junior party members who were disparaging former defence minister George Mpombo to stop doing so because he [Mpombo] served the country honourably.

He said Mpombo's resignation was already becoming divisive.

"That is why even on me, he should not use bad English words, because when did I become irrational?" asked Magande.

On Saturday, Kalumba warned that he will take action against party members including Magande who wish to make a mockery of the party and his directives.

He was reacting to Magande's defiance to his order for party members to stop talking about presidential campaign politics.

Last Thursday, Magande said no one including Kalumba would stop him from talking about presidential campaigns in the party.

He said people should be allowed to debate the sole candidate NEC had endorsed.

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

Kalumba's initial remarks came in the wake of MMD member Willa Mung'omba’s statement that the party should obey the constitution by allowing President Banda to be challenged at the convention.