Maravi

District committee accuses Kunda of intimidating Chitambo teachers

District committee accuses Kunda of intimidating Chitambo teachers
Written by Chibaula Silwamba in Chitambo
Sunday, August 16, 2009 3:55:59 PM

SERENJE District Conflict Management Committee has charged that Republican Vice-President George Kunda’s remarks against Reuben Primary School teachers in the run-up to the Chitambo parliamentary by-elections ‘had an element of intimidation and was unjustified’.

This is contained in a report dated August 13, 2009 following opposition Patriotic Front (PF) vice-president Dr Guy Scott’s earlier request that the committee convenes a meeting to consider his party’s complaint against Vice-President Kunda’s statement over some teachers’ decision not to attend his arrival at Rueben Primary School.

This compelled Vice-President Kunda to allege that such teachers could rig the Chitambo by-elections in favour of the PF. But the committee stated that the teachers at the school were under no obligation to attend Vice-President Kunda’s partisan political rally.

“It was the view of the committee that the statements attributed to the Republican Vice-President had an element of intimidation. The reasons being that the Republican Vice-President is the head of government. The specific school, specific headmaster and his teachers referred to from a specific school are civil servants who work for the government which makes them subordinates to the Republican Vice-President,” stated the committee in a report signed by its chairperson Happy Chongo, who is also Serenje magistrate, and secretary Mumbi CK.

“The complaint which the Vice-President had against the said members of staff of the school, Reuben Basic School, as reported in The [Post newspaper] story was unjustified. The teachers were under no obligation to attend a partisan political rally since it was not a government official meeting.”

In his letter to Serenje district Conflict Resolution Committee dated August 12, 2009, Dr Scott stated: “I am hereby formally requesting, under the provisions of the Electoral Code of Conduct Act, that you convene a meeting of the conflict resolution committee to consider a complaint by my party of intimidation of presiding officers in tomorrow’s [last Thursday’s] Chitambo by-election by the Republican Vice-President.”

On Monday, Vice-President Kunda expressed fear that some teachers that were electoral presiding officers in the Chitambo parliamentary by-election ‘will start rigging’ elections in favour of the PF.

Vice-President Kunda made the remarks after teachers at Reuben Primary School shunned his campaign rally.

“We are also disappointed that teachers are becoming partisan supporting the PF. I am here as your Vice-President but instead of being here they have all disappeared. What kind of teachers are these?” Vice-President Kunda asked. “Where do you find the headmaster walks away when he knows we are coming? The teachers have also been distributing pamphlets urging you the voters to vote for PF. This government will not tolerate indiscipline. We want teachers to teach our children. That is their duty not to be involved in partisan politics. How can such teachers preside over elections? They will start rigging.”

The electorate in Chitambo Constituency voted for their new member of parliament on Thursday following the death of Nassim Hamir in May this year. MMD’s Dr Solomon Musonda won the parliamentary by-election.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, GEORGE KUNDA, TEACHERS

posted by MrK @ 2:57 PM