Maravi

Consult Litunga over Saki, Namakando advises Rupiah

Consult Litunga over Saki, Namakando advises Rupiah
Written by George Chellah
Monday, October 19, 2009 7:05:11 AM

CHAIRMAN of the dissolved Western Province MMD executive committee Simasiku Namakando yesterday advised President Rupiah Banda to consult the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) especially the Litunga over his intentions to appoint Sakwiba Sikota as Republican vice-president.

Reacting to President Banda's consideration to replace Vice-President George Kunda with United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sikota with a view to regaining political support in Western Province, Namakando urged President Banda to consult the Litunga - the paramount chief of the Lozi people of Western Province - before making a decision.

“We believe in democracy, when you do a thing because there is heat somewhere, you can sometimes make a lot of mistakes. People of Western Province have been advocating that we need somebody from here. The people of Western Province should be given a choice of their own leadership,” Namakando said.

“But if Mr Rupiah Banda is now considering, if he is now agreeing with us that time has come for him to appoint a Lozi, with consultation with the BRE let him come to the BRE and consult them.”

He urged President Banda to consult ruling party officials in the province as well.

“Yes, because his [initial] position was that the choice he made was the right choice, even in that letter he wrote to me said the choice he made of vice-president was the best. We have been saying we need a Lozi as vice-president now because we have been supporting our friends for over 45 years,” Namakando said.

“Please, we must also be recognised as leaders that people from Western Province can also be vice-presidents. They have to come to Western Province and consult the Litunga as chief here, then consult the political leadership.”

He warned that without consultations, President Banda risked making the same mistake late president Levy Mwanawasa made on Zambia's High Commissioner to Canada Pastor Nevers Mumba.

“You know the problem that we are having is that of imposing opposition leaders to the ruling party to become vice-president. The late president Mwanawasa, may his soul rest in peace, found problems because in the first place, he brought Reverend Nevers Mumba from the opposition. He [Mumba] gave him lots of problems,” Namakando explained. “Secondly, the MMD now have got a problem because they brought Mr Rupiah Banda from UNIP. The man who never even resigned from UNIP to bring him to MMD. For him to know what MMD stands for it becomes very very difficult.

“So we are saying let him consult with the local people especially the traditional leaders, our parents the BRE, the Litunga and his Kuta. Let him go to Mwandi, let him come to the Litunga, then the Litunga will call his people.”

He wondered whether the appointment of Sikota as vice-president would yield its intended results.

“Sakwiba Sikota is ULP, Sakwiba Sikota is not MMD. So I don't know whether that can work to his [President Banda's] interest, whatever he is thinking. Our stance is that let him come and consult the BRE because MMD, whether he is getting one or not we are saying we must go for the convention so that people have their choice,” Namakando said. “That of appointing somebody that's the prerogative of the President. Let him appoint somebody but he must first of all consult the BRE because without consulting, he might make blunders, which the late president made when he appointed Nevers Mumba who gave him problems.”

Namakando emphasised that he had nothing against Sikota.

“I have never had problems with Sakwiba Sikota. Personally, I have nothing against him. Appointing somebody as vice-president that is another issue, going for the convention that is also another issue, democracy must prevail in the MMD,” said Namakando. “We have nothing against Sakwiba Sikota, he [President Banda] must consult the party. He must consult the BRE there is nothing wrong in consulting. Let him come to Western Province and consult.”

President Banda is considering replacing Vice-President Kunda with Sikota with a view to regaining support in Western Province, where there is a fall-out within the ruling party's ranks.

Labels: LITUNGA, RUPIAH BANDA, SAKWIBA SIKOTA, SIMASIKU NAMAKANDO, ULP, WESTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 6:05 AM