Maravi

Kaingu’s visit to Katete raises concerns

Kaingu’s visit to Katete raises concerns
By George Chellah and Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 31 Mar. 2010, 04:01 CAT

COMMUNITY development minister Michael Kaingu’s recent tour to Katete district where he is alleged to have been meeting women’s clubs has raised some concerns ahead of the Milanzi parliamentary by-election.

But Kaingu, who confirmed having been to Katete said his visit to the area, cannot affect the voting pattern in the Milanzi by-election. In an interview, Anti-Voter Apathy (AVAP) executive director Bonny Tembo, who is in Milanzi in Katete district predicted heavy electoral corruption in the by-election.

He called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to amend the electoral code of conduct to make it enforceable and compliable.

“AVAP is worried with electoral corruption that takes place before the official campaign period. For Mufumbwe and Milanzi campaign period runs from 8 to 28 April. It means that malpractices taking place outside cannot be contested like the sugar saga in 2008. As AVAP, we are also questioning by-election driven tours of community development minister Michael Kaingu to Milanzi and Eastern Province in general,” Tembo said. “We maintain that by-elections are tied to cosmetic development and sugar-coated promises. We want to warn politicians against taking advantage of poverty in villages. Laws governing clean and corrupt-free campaigns are in place but politicians disregard them with impunity. Campaigns in Mufumbwe and Milanzi will set a precedence for next year’s elections.”

He said a number of women clubs in Milanzi were busy renewing membership and opening bank accounts in readiness for Kaingu’s tour.

“I can tell you that some excited women club leaders who withheld their names for fear of losing the promised K5 million per club by government have described this unusual gesture as a campaign gimmick. We advised women to be objective and focused and not to be bribed by short-term gains. We can predict heavy corruption when campaigns officially kick off after nomination on 8th April,” he said.

He appealed to political parties to observe best practices during campaigns.
“During field trips covering Kapoche and Chidwale wards AVAP observed that electorate in these wards complained that they were tired of voting in by-elections and have not seen development,” he said.

Tembo commended Paramount chief Gawa Undi of the Chewa people in Katete for staying away from partisan politics ahead of the Milanzi by-elections.
He said AVAP has recruited a number of voter educators and monitors in the remotest wards of Milanzi.

“We will undertake voter education to supplement the ECZ and we would like to advise ECZ not to use uncollected replaced voters cards in both Milanzi and Mufumbwe to ensure consistence, such voters cards were rejected in Kasama Central and Solwezi Central by-elections. We also call upon political parties to be transparent and democratic in the manner candidates are adopted in Milanzi,” Tembo said. “A quick survey conducted by AVAP in Milanzi showed that some candidates are reportedly involved in bringing key local leaders with TV sets, bicycles and money. MMD members asked AVAP to urge MMD to adopt a candidate who resides in Milanzi.”

When contacted, Kaingu confirmed that he was in Katete district as part of his tour of the Eastern Province.

Asked about the assertions that he was in Milanzi giving bicycles and money to women’s clubs, Kaingu responded: “laughs. People are on me, aren’t they? I am travelling back because I am heading to Sesheke for the funeral. I was touring Eastern Province.”

When pressed over concern that his distribution of bicycles and money might affect the voting pattern, Kaingu responded: “Aah! We haven’t even done nominations. How does that affect the voting pattern? It can’t affect. How?”

Further asked if indeed he was distributing bicycles and money to women’s clubs, Kaingu responded: “No! We are on a programme. I don’t think what is important is what we are giving; what is important is that we are sensitising women to form clubs.”

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, KATETE, MICHAEL KAINGU

posted by MrK @ 4:19 AM