MMD should allow Rupiah to be challenged – Mpombo

COMMENT - Why don't farmers have land, but all these politicians have farms?

MMD should allow Rupiah to be challenged – Mpombo
Written by Mutuna Chanda, George Chellah and Patson Chilemba
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 5:31:34 PM

FORMER defence minister George Mpombo yesterday said the ruling MMD should have allowed President Rupiah Banda to be challenged instead of adopting him as a sole candidate without opposition.

But MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti said the national executive committee (NEC) could recommend for President Banda's adoption but the final decision on the presidential candidate would be made by the convention.

Mpombo, who resigned as defence minister yesterday - was responding to a question on the NEC's decision to adopt President Banda as a sole candidate. He said while the NEC had made that decision, it needed to allow those who wanted to contest the presidency to do so.

"MMD is founded on the bedrock of democracy," Mpombo said. "While the NEC has said the President will be the sole candidate, other people who want to stand must be allowed. For me, I have no ambition. I want to do environmental issues. If you went to my constituency, you will be shocked to see the level of deforestation. I have been in politics since 1978."

Mpombo said the MMD needed a unity of purpose, a single vision and strategy.

During a press briefing at Chabanga Lodge in Ndola earlier yesterday, Mpombo announced his resignation as defence minister to concentrate on studies. He said he had written to President Banda informing him of his decision to step down as defence minister and as NEC chairman for energy.

"It's a painful decision; an extremely painful decision," he said.

"I'll date the press after the dust settles. I want to do the most decent thing and also avoid shadow boxing. I want to do it in a smart way."

Mpombo said his resignation was purely personal.

"I will continue as Kafulafuta member of parliament. It will give me more time to spend on the constituency and I want to concentrate on environmental issues like that Kenyan lady (environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai). There is a lot of deforestation in Kafulafuta," he said.

Mpombo said he would still remain what he termed as a hard-coiled spring member of the MMD.

When asked if his resignation was an indication that he did not agree with President Rupiah Banda's vision, Mpombo denied.

"No! But I can't comment on anything at all. I've asked to be released and want to ensure that I deal with environmental and development issues in Kafulafuta. I am a community worker," he said.

Mpombo said he would relocate to his Katonte Farm, which was next to Teka Farm.

"I will be on the farm for the next few weeks," he said.

Mpombo also said that he would not seek a fresh mandate as member of parliament in 2011.

"There are very dim intentions...I want to concentrate on having more time with the family. These jobs have been very demanding. I want to concentrate on my MBA and doctorate studies. That will be the major focus. 2011, I won't be around. This is a process of encouraging young people to come forward to learn the ropes of politics," he said.

Mpombo further said that he had delivered at constituency level and that that was why he had no problem in being elected.

And Mulongoti said it was only the MMD convention that has the final decision on the presidential candidate for the party.

"I don't know whether anybody has been blocked. The NEC can recommend and the final decision is the convention. That's the position we all know," he said.

When asked whether Mpombo's resignation came as a surprise, Mulongoti answered: "In a way, of course! Okay...he is a colleague of ours. It was abrupt. I was on the Copperbelt and I didn't see him."

Asked what the resignation meant to the ruling party, Mulongoti responded: "He is not the first to resign. There are many others who have done it. The reasons he has given..." laughed Mulongoti. "We will respect his reasons to concentrate on environmental issues and the constituency. We can't add and subtract. That's what he said."

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba said he suspected that Mpombo's resignation had something to do with political problems. Kalumba said Mpombo's resignation was a sad loss to the party leadership.

"I suspect that there must be some political problem of some kind. He was a very loyal member of the Levy Mwanawasa Cabinet. He moved quickly to be a loyal member of the Rupiah Banda campaign, although I was not happy with the results on the Copperbelt. During the campaigns if you remember, I had announced that Mr Mike Mulongoti should move to the Copperbelt to take over from Mr Mpombo and Mr Kabinga Pande was supposed to take over from Mr Mulongoti as campaign manager," Kalumba said. "I wasn't quite comfortable on what was happening on the Copperbelt, and results showed. I don't blame him, but I saw that we had problems."

Kalumba said although he respected Mpombo's decision to resign, he felt sad that the former defence minister could not seek audience with him [Kalumba] before he made the decision to resign.

"They should re-posit some confidence in the national secretary and maybe share with the office their most pressing reasons for such a decision," said Kalumba.