Maravi

Chiluba is MMD’s political consultant, says Kunda

Chiluba is MMD’s political consultant, says Kunda
By Chibaula Silwamba in Mansa
Sun 16 May 2010, 04:10 CAT

FREDERICK Chiluba is our consultant on politics, Vice-President George Kunda confirmed yesterday. And Vice-President Kunda said people involved in political violence should know that they can be extradited to The Hague to answer for their crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Meanwhile, former president Chiluba yesterday told chiefs and parliamentarians here that he will tell President Rupiah Banda “where to press” to win next year’s elections.

Speaking on arrival at Mansa airport, Vice-President Kunda said the opposition were jittery with Chiluba’s support for the MMD.

“Dr Chiluba is a consultant on politics, on development. He possesses wisdom and we shall continue to consult him as a son of the soil, former head of state,” Vice-President Kunda said. “People are saying Dr Chiluba is not welcome here in Luapula Province. That is daydreaming. I have seen for myself that Dr Chiluba is a former head of state and he can go anywhere in Zambia and is welcome, he is our former head of state.”

He said it was not true that people were opposed to Chiluba’s trip to Mansa.

“Dr FJT Chiluba, our second president, is here and people are jittery. When they were working with Dr Chiluba there was no problem, they were not complaining about him participating in national affairs, in politics. But now that he has decided to work with the government of the day, they are jittery,” Vice-President Kunda said.

“As the government, I want to assure you the people of Luapula Province, the people of all provinces of Zambia that we shall work with former heads of state. We shall work with Dr Kenneth Kaunda, we shall work with Dr Chiluba and all former heads of state must work with the government of the day. That is what we are doing.”

Vice-President Kunda claimed that former parliamentary public accounts committee (PAC) chairperson Charles Milupi’s Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) party was a break away from the UPND while Elias Chipimo Jnr’s National Restoration Party (NAREP) was a break away from the Patriotic Front (PF).

He said there were so many opposition political parties that were coming up like mushroom in the rainy season.

“Yesterday Friday, a new political party was launched under Mr Milupi. That is a sprinter party from the UPND. That party has come out of UPND; UPND has cracked into two parties. Another party was born recently, Mr Chipimo’s party. That party was formed to tap on PF membership,” Vice-President Kunda claimed. “To the contrary, with us people are coming in large numbers. Wherever our President has gone, wherever I have gone, wherever our party officials have gone, people are defecting. The Copperbelt is defecting to MMD.”

He said the Patriotic Front (PF) was a party of darkness.
“It is also clear because you are leaving the Patriotic Front. The PF, like their friends in the pact, Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s party UPND, these are parties of violence. I have come here with a message of peace. We want peace and tranquility in Zambia,” he said. “What happened in Mufumbwe is a very sad development in Zambia. People, the UPND, they were burning churches, killing dogs and injuring our people.”

Vice-President Kunda said, “I would like to warn those who are dedicated to violence that with violence, we have seen what has happened in other parts of Africa. In violence, comes loss of life, with loss of life you know now wherever life has been lost, the international community has got involved.”
He said the UPND uses the Mapatizya formula, which is about violence.

“Out of violence we can lose life. If we lose life, you know that we now have the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Those who are troublemakers they are extradited to The Hague. We don’t want Zambians to be extradited to The Hague for trial in the International Criminal Court; we don’t want this to happen to Zambians. Let us live in peace and tranquility,” Vice-President Kunda said. “I am saying this because in 2011, we are looking at 2011. We want to elect our President Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda in peace. These people are panicking because they know that our President is receiving massive support.”

He said the MMD had grabbed some local government seats from the PF in Luapula and Northern provinces.

“Out of eight local government by-elections, we won five,” Vice-President Kunda said.
He said he was here to inspect developmental projects, which the government was implementing.

“We have been following from the way you welcomed his Excellency the President in this province, it’s quite clear that the people of Luapula Province are tired of politicking and that they want development,” Vice-President Kunda said. “I am aware that his Excellency the President inspected several developmental projects. I have also come to see for myself what our government is doing here in Luapula Province.”

Vice-President Kunda later went to Milenge and Samfya districts to tour development projects and hold rallies.

Meanwhile, Chiluba arrived here on Friday night and several people that included Luapula Province minister Dr Bornface Kawimbe, Copperbelt Province minister Mwansa Mbulakulima, parliamentarians Ben Mwila, Elizabeth Chitika-Molobeka and several MMD cadres that braved the daytime heat and night time cold welcomed him. Chiluba is accompanied by defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa, former secretary generals of PF Edward Mumbi, Charles Chimumbwa, Edwin Lifwekelo and several other sympathisers. Chiluba yesterday addressed Luapula Province chiefs and parliamentarians, urging them to support President Banda in next year’s elections

Chiluba said President Banda was a kind man unlike PF’s Michael Sata. The two-day meeting will be closed today by Vice-President Kunda.

Labels: CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, GEORGE KUNDA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:30 AM