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VJ has admitted Rupiah can’t win in 2011 – Magande

VJ has admitted Rupiah can’t win in 2011 – Magande
By Patson Chilemba
Mon 31 May 2010, 04:20 CAT

CHILANGA MMD member of parliament Ng’andu Magande yesterday observed that Vernon Mwaanga has admitted that the current MMD leadership of Rupiah Banda has failed to run the country and cannot win the 2011 general elections.

And Magande challenged President Rupiah Banda to state his position on the conviction of MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba just like he thanked Zambians for accepting former president Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal.

Commenting on MMD parliamentary chief whip Mwaanga’s statement that people preferred an alliance between the UPND and MMD to the current PF-UPND Pact, Magande said Mwaanga’s comment was very important because it revealed a lack of confidence in the MMD from one of its senior members.

He said it also showed that the MMD could not win an election with its current leadership.

“The organisation might be okay in its constitution and policies but if the leadership is not proper, that is why you get statements from senior MMD members like VJ Vernon Mwaanga that the party is not going in the right direction,” Magande said.

He said the statement by Mwaanga showed that the MMD had run out of leaders to steer the party to victory in next year’s general elections.

“That is why I say those of us who were removed could run the party better…he is admitting that MMD in its current form and leadership has failed to run the country. That is why even for 2016 they are talking about someone from UPND,” he said.

Magande said this was the same Mwaanga who justified the appointment of a UNIP member of parliament, Mkhondo Lungu, as home affairs minister.

He said this pointed to a lack of confidence in the MMD and its membership.
Magande said it was surprising that the same people who spoke against the PF-UPND pact now wanted to get into an alliance with the UPND.

And Magande challenged President Banda’s government and the MMD leadership to make their position known on Kalumba’s continued stay in office following his conviction.

“That is why I am saying I hope they are coming up with a statement over the matter. When Chiluba’s judgment was being pronounced, the President made a statement in Kabwe that same day. And after the judgment was pronounced, the next day, President Banda thanked Zambians for accepting the acquittal of the former president,” Magande said.

“Is he now castigating Zambians that ‘you have incarcerated my national secretary?’ Let him come out and he should tell the nation his position. They should tell the nation whether those things that were found to be incorrect have been rectified.”

Magande observed that the MMD would arm the opposition further that the party was being run by corrupt leaders should Kalumba remain in office.

“Because you cannot go around now and start campaigning, because you will need to now start explaining the issues surrounding the national secretary. It will definitely weaken the MMD as an institution, and it will compromise our standing as a party,” he said.

Magande said there was no way Kalumba could continue operating as national secretary since he was now a convict.

“Perhaps the President when he returns should call for a NEC national executive committee meeting to tell us what decision we want to make over the national secretary. It won’t be a good thing for Katele to continue in office. The courts have already proved themselves,” said Magande.

“It will be difficult for us to campaign if he remains in office. It is just normal that when people are appealing, they should appeal outside office.”

On Wednesday, Kalumba, former finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, defunct Access Financial Services Limited (AFSL) directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu were handed five-year sentences each for corruption in the Lusaka magistrates court.

The court also jailed former finance ministry chief economist Bede Mphande, former finance ministry director of budget Boniface Nonde and former secretary to the treasury Professor Benjamin Mweene for five years but suspended for 24 months.

Kalumba, Chibanda, Chungu and Kabwe were last Friday granted K500 million bail each pending appeal.

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, CORRUPTION, COURTS, KATELE KALUMBA, MAGANDE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA

posted by MrK @ 4:08 AM