Maravi

Set dates for MMD convention, Kavindele challenges Rupiah

Set dates for MMD convention, Kavindele challenges Rupiah
By George Chellah
Sat 21 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

FORMER Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele has challenged President Rupiah Banda to set the dates for the MMD national convention. Reacting to President Banda’s statement that no one in the MMD has ruled out the holding of the national convention, Kavindele urged President Banda to come out in the open.

“Well, the President is vague on this matter. We want him to come out in the open and say convention is on. If possible even give a date,” he said.

Asked whether the MMD still had enough time to hold the convention, Kavindele responded: “ Yes we do, this is the trick that was used the last time when he was nominated as presidential candidate. They said we didn’t have time to hold the convention to elect anyone to be the MMD presidential candidate.

So it was then decided by the NEC to settle on him because he was already Republican vice-president.

Now you know they want a repetition of that where they will come and say we don’t have time to hold the convention. We are saying we now have time, we now want him to set the date.”

Last week on Friday, former defence minister George Mpombo said President Banda’s incoherence over the MMD national convention confirmed his ignorance about the party’s operations.

Mpombo said the President must understand that the question of the convention was not for him to decide.

“This whole thing is unnecessary. What has happened to our party? I want to call on the national secretary Katele Kalumba who is the only elected official. Now Mr Banda is not elected he is only acting.

Mr. Banda is not familiar with the operations of the MMD. How can an acting president set standards for the party he has found?” Mpombo asked. “It amounts to hoodwinking the membership.

If he is evasive…it is not the opposition that is calling for a convention, it’s MMD members, it’s not coming from Michael Sata or HH. If MMD continue to provide lackadaisical leadership the party is bound for a major collapse.”

Mpombo said President Banda would be held responsible if the MMD collapsed.

Last week in Solwezi, President Banda said the MMD was not in a hurry to announce the date for the party convention.

“No one in the party has said that there will be no convention. What we have said is that now we are elected to deliver fertiliser to the people, elected to build schools, roads and bridges…when the time comes, our leaders will meet and decide when to have the convention,” said President Banda.

Labels: ENOCH KAVINDELE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 12:25 PM