Maravi

Magande endorsed Rupiah as sole candidate, insists Mabenga

Magande endorsed Rupiah as sole candidate, insists Mabenga
By Agness Changala
Fri 12 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT

MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga has said Ng’andu Magande was part of the decision to endorse President Rupiah Banda as the party’s sole candidate for next year’s general elections.

Reacting to former finance minister Magande’s denial that he was not part of the meeting that endorsed President Banda, Mabenga in an interview said by virtue of being a member of the national executive committee (NEC), Magande was part of the decision to endorse President Banda.

“Magande is a NEC member and whether he was there or not, he is part of the decision. There’s no way he can refuse to be part of the decision when he is part of the system,” Mabenga said.

He explained that early last year, provincial committee members in Lusaka petitioned NEC to make President Banda the sole candidate.

“All other provinces followed and we told them that we were going to take it up for consideration and it came to NEC,” he said. “At NEC we were convinced that since these were our major party members, who are we to refuse?”

Mabenga said there was nothing like getting someone without the consent of others for the party presidency.

He said people were free to stand if they wanted and the convention was not just about elections of the president.

“The convention is not about the election of president but the election of all members, receiving reports from various committees on how they have faired,” he said.

Mabenga said reports from committees such as finance of which Magande was chairperson were important, as they would show the performance of the party.

Mabenga said the party would also look at its general organs and the constitution during the convention.

Recently, Magande said he was not part of the meeting that picked President Banda as the MMD’s sole candidate for next year’s elections.

Labels: MAGANDE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:19 AM