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PF-UPND pact is very strong, says Mpombo

PF-UPND pact is very strong, says Mpombo
By Patson Chilemba
Tue 08 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

THE PF-UPND pact is very strong, former defence minister George Mpombo acknowledged yesterday. And Mpombo said he was ready to meet and dialogue with senior chief Bright Nalubamba of the Ila people of Namwala District, just as he Mpombo recently met Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and UPND president Hakainde Hichilema.

In an interview, Mpombo said any reasonable politician would be concerned about the strength of the PF-UPND pact hence the MMD should not adopt President Rupiah Banda for the 2011 general elections because he had proved to be a total liability for the party.

“Let me put it this way: any reasonable politician should be concerned about the strength of the pact, the pact is strong. The pact is very strong that unless something is done, they have got the capacity to dislodge MMD from power, yes. So people who are doubting that, can only do that at their own political peril. What I am saying is that we must recognise that the pact is quite strong, the recent by-election results have shown,” Mpombo said. “What we need as MMD is to pull up our socks so that we could match the strength of the pact. but at the rate we are going, the massive party disorganisation, the political disorientation within the party, unless we do something we are heading for the biggest political waterloo.”

Mpombo said the MMD was headed for a massive political battle and would certainly be defeated if they continued at the current pace.
“If the leadership continues to be inept as it is at the moment, if we do not introduce new elements of formidable political reorganisation, then we are sunk,” he said.

Asked if he was ready to talk to chief Nalubamba since the chief had asked Sata and Hichilema to allow him to talk to MMD members of parliament who included Mpombo, Gabriel Namulambe, Ng’andu Magande and Sylvia Masebo so that they could join the pact, Mpombo said efforts aimed at political dialogue should be encouraged.

He said meetings such as the one chief Nalubamba held with Sata and Hichilema would also help put the MMD in the right perspective.

Asked to state categorically if he would be ready to dialogue with chief Nalubamba, Mpombo responded: “I know chief Nalubamba, Bright Nalubamba, he phoned me yesterday, yes, and I said we can discuss next week. Then I will want to listen to what he will say, whatever subject he wants to talk to me about, and I have no qualms about that. In fact we discussed last week and I said I will be back in town next week, and then we can meet and discuss.”

Mpombo said he had clearly stated that he would remain a member of MMD until 2011, but that did not stop him from listening to people with various views.

He said as a leader, he would make himself available to people that wanted to talk to him because he had the freedom of association, which was not dependent on other people’s views.
“Recently, I met Mr Sata, Mr HH just for a normal discussion. So I am MMD, but that doesn’t stop me from meeting Zambians who have got,” Mpombo said.

On assertions from several MMD members that the party was giving him enough rope to hang himself, Mpombo said he had been ready for any eventuality because he was in a position where he could defend himself effectively even in the event of a by-election.

“It’s something we can handle without any hassle,” he said.
On the MMD convention, Mpombo said MMD should not be a gridlocked party but should allow people to freely contest for any position.

“Except that I will be quick to mention that Mr Banda has proved to be a total liability for the party, and I think the people may not appreciate his leadership,” he said.

Mpombo also emphasized that the MMD should follow the constitution on the selection of delegates to the convention, saying the list should not be doctored.

Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO, PF-UPND

posted by MrK @ 5:12 AM