kk has become an MMD cadre - gen masheke

kk has become an MMD cadre - gen masheke
By Mutale Kapekele
Sun 03 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

UNIP Revival Forum chairman General Malimba Masheke (r) speaking while Col Henry Muyoba listens during the party card renewal exercise in Lusaka yesterday - Picture by Thomas Nsama

UNIP Revival Forum chairperson General Malimba Masheke yesterday charged that Dr Kenneth Kaunda has become an MMD cadre. Addressing the press at the UNIP membership renewal exercise yesterday in Lusaka, Gen Masheke said it was disappointing that Dr Kaunda seemed to have joined the MMD that took him out of power.

“It is very disappointing that KK, the man who made Zambia, can condemn former defence minister George Mpombo on an MMD intra-party issue as if he has joined the ruling party,” Masheke said.

“I was KK’s right handman just after he was voted out of government and he used to call the MMD the Movement for Mandrax Dealers. So why is he supporting them now? It will not be surprising if he has become an MMD cadre. This is shameful! How can he go to them (MMD).”

Gen Masheke said Dr Kaunda should not talk about Christianity when he had allowed his son to mismanage UNIP’s assets.

“He (KK) was even advising Mpombo to be a Christian and to show love. What about him?” Gen Masheke asked.

“What about the UNIP property that has been taken by his son TJ (UNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda)? In fact TJ is just a curtain on the window. It is him (KK) who is leading UNIP. So where is his Christianity when he can allow theft? Where is the love that he preaches?”

Gen Masheke charged that Tilyenji had sold off UNIP assets to the Kaunda family and their business associates.

“Part of EW Tarry’s is gone, Duly Motors is gone, CODECO, Super Knack, United Quarries, Namayamba Farms and we don’t even know if we still have Freedom House because it has been concessioned to TJ’s cooperative,” Masheke said.

“None of these companies is less than a billion. So they have actually stolen billions of kwacha. Most of these properties have gone to Paza which is owned by TJ. So how can KK talk about love? Is this love? The property that UNIP owns was not acquired by KK alone.”

Gen Masheke said it was not too late for Dr Kaunda to make amends and get back to his former glory as the father of the nation.

“I would like to request KK to go back to his former self, to be the father of the nation that I and many Zambians adore. It is not too late,” Gen Masheke said. “No one took arms against the other during his time as president. Now he has withdrawn, now he is selfish, he has really changed. We want him to be the KK we all knew. I personally will continue to adore him, but I will not support what he is doing.”

Gen Masheke said in the past, Dr Kaunda would have fought for his colleagues like former UNIP secretary general Grey Zulu to get pension from the government.
“KK is the only one from the UNIP government and former freedom fighters who is getting a pension,” Gen Masheke said.

“What about Grey Zulu, Azwell Mwale, didn’t these people fight? In the past, KK would have refused his allowance until the others are also given. Now he is selfish and all he cares about is his family.”

And Gen Masheke said poverty had worsened in President Rupiah Banda’s rule.
“Our women are suffering and our men can’t even leave their homes because they are ashamed by their poverty,” he said.

“How can you run a country with no industries? ...We are not seeing progress and the government is breaking laws. So who do they expect to follow the law when they don’t respect it? That is why we want to revive UNIP so that we make things right in this nation.”