Maravi

Rupiah will be challenged at convention – Kaande

Rupiah will be challenged at convention – Kaande
By Patson Chilemba
Sun 29 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande yesterday said President Rupiah Banda will be challenged at the MMD national convention. And former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele said President Banda and his colleagues had been defeated over their attempts to forego the convention.

Commenting on statements from several MMD national executive committee (NEC) leaders just after President Banda was endorsed as the sole candidate that he would not be challenged at the convention, Kaande said the MMD would not stop other presidential candidates from challenging the President.

He said democracy entailed that people should be allowed to challenge anyone for any position.

“NEC has adopted him as its official candidate but we have not said he cannot be challenged, no. Those that want to challenge him can challenge him,” Kaande said. “So we are not saying because he is our candidate, we will stop other people to challenge him, no.”

Reminded that late MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba said President Banda would not be challenged because he was the sole candidate, Kaande said he would not comment on other people's opinions. He said it was not worth commenting on what Tetamashimba said because he was dead and could not be called to clarify his statements.

But reminded that works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti mentioned that it would not be right for the MMD to forget the benefits of incumbency by picking other candidates, Kaande said he was not Mulongoti's spokesperson, saying Mulongoti himself should be able to answer over the statements he issued.

“You have never heard me on record saying that President Banda should not be challenged, so I cannot comment on the other people's individual opinion,” he said.

On Mulongoti's earlier challenge for those people who were agitating for the convention to fund the undertaking, Kaande refused to comment on Mulongoti's remarks but said that money would be found once the convention was called.

He said NEC had never said that the party would not go for the convention.
“As far as we are concerned, the normal status quo remains,” said Kaande.

Just after the NEC endorsed President Banda as the MMD’s sole candidate in June 2009, Tetamashimba said other party positions would be contested for but President Banda would not be challenged because he was the sole candidate.

And Kavindele said those were against the holding of the convention had no choice but to obey the party constitution.

“I also knew that we would defeat them over the convention, and they had no choice but to follow the constitution of the party,” he said.

Kavindele said MMD had suffered as a result of the bickering that arose following attempts to postpone the convention.

However, Kavindele said he was ready to help in the reorganisation of the party because he knew MMD very well.

“If they think that they can ignore the tenets that we put into it, then their hold on to power shall be questionable. I would urge President Rupiah to call for a unity meeting,” he said.

Kavindele said the selection of delegates to the convention should be transparent because in the past there had been instances where those who challenged the presidents were harassed, beaten and frustrated.

“The idea of just bringing delegates who they think will support them, I can give Mr. Banda some advice on that because if they do it in a manner that is not satisfactory to our members, it will even cause more difficulties for him than he will be solving by holding a convention,” he said.

Kavindele asked MMD members of parliament to contribute money from their gratuities for the convention, saying this had been done in the past.

On Mulongoti's fear that wealthy people might hijack the MMD if the ruling party goes for a convention without adequate funds, Kavindele said such a thing could not work because there had been times where people received money but voted for other candidates.

Recently, Mulongoti said the MMD was now reorganising to go for the national convention, a U-turn on his earlier position.

On September 16, 2009, Mulongoti asked former finance minister Ng'andu Magande and Kafulafuta MMD member of parliament George Mpombo and those championing the holding of the convention to make resources available for the undertaking.

Mulongoti's statement was amplified by President Banda in Kasama when he asked those agitating for the holding of the convention to resign from the party and join other parties that were going to hold a convention.

Labels: JEFF KAANDE, MMD, NEC, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:51 AM