Maravi

Back off on Mpombo, Katele tells his collegues

Back off on Mpombo, Katele tells his collegues
By Patson Chilemba
Tue 12 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba has observed that anybody inciting party youths to be violent is doing a deservice to MMD.

And Kalumba revealed that he suspected that some candidates are behind manoeuvres for some party committees in the provinces to dissolve themselves and conduct elections quietly.

Commenting on works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti’s support of the calls by MMD youths to beat and block former defence minister George Mpombo from attending the convention on grounds that a nuisance should not be allowed at the convention, Kalumba said it was not the party’s position to advocate violence.

He said Mpombo’s attendance at the convention would be dictated to by the constitution of the MMD.
“I think somebody is perpetuating this myth that MMD is a violent party, and anybody going to incite youths is doing a deservice to MMD. I have assumed responsibility on the issues of Mpombo, so I ask my colleagues to back off from the issue. Let me handle the issue from my office, that is the way I would like to put it. I have consulted on it as possibly as I can,” Kalumba said.

“Let my colleagues back-off. That is the responsibility of the national secretary, it is not the duty of any other officer. I don’t want anybody to be advocating violence against any individual. It is not the position of the party to be violent. Let’s come back to reason and allow the relevant officers to deal with this issue.”

On Saturday, Mulongoti supported calls by MMD youths to beat and block Mpombo from attending the convention.

He said a nuisance should not be allowed to attend the convention but only those who were in right standing with the party.

MMD youths in Lusaka on Friday warned that they would block Mpombo from attending the convention.

“This is 2010, Mpombo should not even attend the convention because we will cut off his legs and all those who are insulting President Banda will not be spared,” said MMD youth league president Daniel Tembo. “We are financially sound, we have hired 4x4 vehicles to get to where they are. We will beat them one by one like lizards coming from a hole.”

The youths also threatened to deal with former Sinazongwe member of parliament Syacheye Madyenkuku, FDD president Edith Nawakwi, Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba among others.

And Kalumba said it was illegal for anyone other than the national secretary to call for party committees to dissolve themselves.

“I received some reports from provinces where lower district organs received instructions that they dissolve themselves and conduct elections quietly. I want to say this publicly that we are not a secret society, and those who have received these instructions should ignore them,” said Kalumba. “Instructions will come from my office after consultations with the President, I think there are some candidates who might be doing this. I received calls from Central and Luapula, and I thought that it may affect other regions as well.”

Several officials from the lower organ committees add up to the number of those who attend the MMD national convention.

Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO, KATELE KALUMBA, MIKE MULONGOTI

posted by MrK @ 7:48 AM