Maravi

Kavindele takes Rupiah’s claim of being MMD president as slip of the tongue

Kavindele takes Rupiah’s claim of being MMD president as slip of the tongue
By Patson Chilemba
Tue 13 Apr. 2010, 03:40 CAT

ENOCH Kavindele yesterday said he views President Rupiah Banda's claim that he is MMD president as a slip of the tongue because only the national convention can confer that status on him.

Commenting on President Banda's recent claim that he was president of MMD and not acting, Kavindele who is former Republican vice-president said President Banda should seek confirmation from the MMD national convention if he wanted to be the party's president.

“As far as I am concerned it was just a slip of the tongue by the President because the MMD constitution states that in the absence of a president, the vice-president shall act, and in the absence of the vice-president the chairman shall act. So the presidency of the MMD is not a casual vacancy.

Only the national convention can change that,” said Kavindele who also once served as MMD vice-president.

“When I handed over, after former president Frederick Chiluba retired, then I became president of MMD for a little while because I was also aware that you could not have two centres of power, one as president of MMD and the President for the Republic, more so that we were from the same party. So I surrendered the presidency to late president Levy Mwanawasa who became acting, pending confirmation by the convention. The NEC cannot appoint a president of the party.”

On MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba's defence that President Banda was MMD president because the party constitution did not provide for the position of acting president, Kavindele said Kalumba could only be right if the MMD constitution had been changed.

“But if it hasn't then the situation is that the President just has to wait for the convention to be confirmed as party president, and I am quoting the constitution. Certainly it is a slip of the tongue, that is how I put it,” said Kavindele.

“Only the convention can elect a president, not NEC. Any other position the NEC may fill it in between convention, except the presidency.”

Addressing a press briefing at State House last Wednesday, President Banda said he was MMD president and not acting president.

After that statement from the President, Chilanga MMD member of parliament and former finance minister Ng'andu Magande argued that President Banda was not MMD president.

He said President Banda could only be president if approved by the convention.
But Kalumba said President Banda was president of the ruling party because there was no such position as acting president in the MMD constitution.

Labels: ENOCH KAVINDELE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:50 PM