People have lost confidence in MMD – Patrick

People have lost confidence in MMD – Patrick
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 25 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

MMD has lost the confidence of the masses, late president Levy Mwanawasa's eldest son Patrick has observed.

And Patrick said his father's fight against corruption must not be limited to the failed conviction of former president Frederick Chiluba but must also be understood against the convictions of the defence chiefs and several other public servants including Dr Kashiwa Bulaya.

In an interview on Sunday, Patrick observed that the MMD’s defeat in the Solwezi Central parliamentary by-election must be treated as a protest vote.

“We must, as a party harmonise the contentious issues that are affecting our popularity like that of the convention and internal mudslinging. The Solwezi loss must be treated as a protest vote,” Patrick said.

“The hour has come for us to rethink our strategy. Why can't we market the achievements we scored whilst Levy was in office? Why can't we remind the people that in the late finance minister Ronald Penza the MMD government managed to establish sound economic benefits? Why can't we honour fearless MMD members like the late Paul Tembo and the late Baldwin Nkumbula as a way of reminding Zambians as to why we are a great party?”

Patrick said there was no need for MMD members to continue bickering.

“Time is not with us, let us not discredit Levy, instead we should call our princess back to duty, and I do not mean Tshala Muana, but Princess Nakatindi Wina. After all, her late brother-in-law Arthur Wina was the brains behind our party's economic policies. Why are we weakening in Western Province?

Is Aka telling us we can't call upon Keli Walubita to get us organised? Bo Mubukwanu ki sikamani? Mr Mubukwanu what is happening? Bo Namakando alu sebezeni hamoho. Mr Simasiku Namakando let us work together,” Patrick said. “In a year's time our party will be celebrating 20 years of its existence and 20 years in power. We cannot afford to start creating divisions internally and externally.

It's nearly 20 years to the day when Fred M'membe brought the first batch of MMD cards from South Africa. Mr editor sir, this is the party you also helped form. I ask where is the beef? I also reminisce a humble Elias Chipimo Sr and Remmy Mushota discussing in detail how best to deliver the northern vote with an attentive Mbita Chitala.

“Indeed we have come a long way; the name MMD from Kitwe to Mwinilunga was synonymous with the financial muscle of Ben Mwila, Humphrey Mulemba and Danny Kalenga.”

Patrick said there was no way the people of Southern Province were going to let the MMD fall when one of their greatest sons, Anderson Mazoka, earned his first political stripes from within the MMD.

“If he were alive a great statesman like Alfeyo Hambayi could have backed me on this,” Patrick said. “We have lost the confidence of the masses, one charismatic leader should be humble enough, to get off the higher pedestal and apologise unreservedly to the proletariat for betraying them during his time in office. The hour has come for this gentleman to inspire our longtime allies, the congress of trade unions, so that they may persuade the workers to vote blue once again. Failure to this, he will always be a spent force!”

Patrick urged the Church to guide Zambian politicians.
“1Timothy 6:12 says fight the good fight of the faith.. I beg our party cadres to desist from politics of violence, it gives the party a wrong image. I quote the scripture of 2Timothy 2:10 'Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal Glory'. From this standpoint I implore the Church to give guidance to our leaders so that they in turn may curtail this political violence,” Patrick said.

On the fight against corruption and Transparency International Zambia's attribution of Zambia's slight improvement in its 2009 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) to the late Mwanawasa's efforts, Patrick said contrary to the assertions of certain political Pharisees, he was impressed with the strides Zambia had made in the fight against corruption.

“And TIZ must be commended for the good work they have done over the years. TIZ have every right to attribute the developments against graft to Levy Mwanawasa,” Patrick said. “May I remind my elders that prior to Dr Mwanawasa's time in office, our party in government failed to implement the same policy on corruption, hence the resignation of one Levy Patrick Mwanawasa and one Ludwig Sondashi.

Moreover, the yardstick must not be limited to the failed conviction of Dr. Chiluba but also to the convictions of the defence chiefs and several other public servants need I mention Kashiwa Bulaya.”

Patrick observed that Vice-President George Kunda and parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga were trying to mislead the nation by claiming that the success anti-corruption crusade should not be attributed to one individual, the late Mwanawasa.

“Whilst I concur with my honourable elders, messrs George Kunda and Vernon Mwaanga as regards the MMD's policy on corruption, I tend to disagree with them that kudos must not be attributed to Levy Mwanawasa alone,” Patrick said.

“Yes, 80 per cent of the current Cabinet must share into the successes scored by Dr Mwanawasa, and the principle of collective responsibility corroborates this assertion, but the said honourable members of parliament would be misleading, not the electorate but the nation by stating that the party policy is directly responsible for these achievements.

“I venture to believe that it is this nefarious attitude of beating a dead horse which is responsible for our party's woes. We have just lost two by elections and congratulations are in order to the UPND for winning the Solwezi Central seat.”

Patrick also said Kafulafuta member of parliament George Mpombo could not be naive to cause a by-election barely a year before the 2011 elections.

“With what authority does the PF Patriotic Front leader Mr Michael Sata use when he suggests the PF-UPND pact is coming to take over Kafulafuta because the last time I checked ba mwisho ba Mpombo ba iminine pe ticket ya ba MMD. uncle Mpombo stood on MMD ticket. Na nemo Christmas inga yatatika ndekonkela abakwabesu inkepushe inge fyo mulelabila fya cine. When Christmas time comes, I will follow my relatives to ask whether what you are saying is true,” Patrick said.

“I also implore my honourable elder George Mpombo to shed some light on this development, because as far as I'm concerned he is still MMD and I don't think he can be callow to force a by-election only a year before the tripartite vote.”

Patrick said some people might be offended with his political views while others might not like his affiliation with the MMD.

“But let it be known that I do this not because I am Patrick Mwanawasa but because I have a conviction that my political activities are not a challenge but a dedication to a much maligned segment of our society, the youth,” said Patrick.

“I do this for the 200 uninspired grade seven students who opted to pick caterpillars rather than write their exams.

I do this for the thousand intellectuals from UNZA University of Zambia to CBU Copperbelt University grinding with their books till the early hours of the morning. I do this for my brothers at InterCity bus terminus who help our mothers get onto the buses day in and day out.

I do this for my brothers and sisters who work the 8:00 am to 5:00 pm to ensure our country has a prosperous economy. To these I dedicate my struggle.

The festive season is upon us, to every man, woman and child of this, our great nation Zambia I wish you a merry Christmas and successful 2010.