Maravi

Rupiah isn’t president for MMD – Magande

Rupiah isn’t president for MMD – Magande
By Patson Chilemba
Sat 10 Apr. 2010, 04:02 CAT

NG'ANDU Magande yesterday argued that President Rupiah Banda is not the president of the ruling MMD. But MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba said President Banda is president of the party because the MMD constitution does not provide for the position of acting president.

Commenting on President Banda's claim that he was party president and not acting president, Magande - who is MMD Chilanga member of parliament and former finance minister - said President Banda was just an acting MMD president.

“He is not president, no! By the constitution he is just acting. He has to present himself to the convention and then the convention will decide. So that is what the constitution of MMD says. And in the past we had others who were acting until they went to the convention,” Magande said.

He said previous leaders like late president Levy Mwanawasa was referred to as acting president until he was elected at the convention.

“Because it is the convention that confirms a president of the party, it just shows, if he says so that he is president then there are some decisions that perhaps he can make which we are not aware of, and therefore it would be difficult then to start reversing decisions made by somebody who is already substantive president,” Magande said.

But Kalumba argued that President Banda was president of MMD.

“He is president of MMD, the president of the party. No, not acting, he is the president of the party. We don't have a position in the constitution called acting president, no, no such constitution position,” said Kalumba.

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

On President Banda's action to retire and replace Zambia Army commander General Isaac Chisuzi, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) commander Lieutenant General Samuel Mapala and Zambia National Service (ZNS) commandant Major General Raphael Chisheta, Magande echoed General Malimba Masheke's observation that it appeared there was some crisis somewhere.

“There is a national defence council made up of all these people retired commanders, and if you remove all the people that are in the operating wing, who is going to advise the other on the past? You need continuity. At least if others were left, or even juniors were promoted up,” said Magande. “But I think that is his prerogative as Head of State. He is Commander-in Chief, he can remove anybody. But we as spectators, we just wonder what has happened to all the command which was there before.”

Labels: MAGANDE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:25 PM