Maravi

Chiluba isn’t a factor in elections - Madyenkunku

Chiluba isn’t a factor in elections - Madyenkunku
By George Chellah in Lusaka and Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Sun 08 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT

SYACHEYE Madyenkuku yesterday said the Chifubu and Chimwemwe by-election victory is a reminder to Frederick Chiluba that he is not a factor as he is forced to believe.

And Copperbelt Patriotic Front (PF) acting chairperson Davies Mwila said the party’s victory in the by-election is a clear indication that MMD will be voted out of government in next year’s elections.

Commenting on PF’s victory in Chifubu and Chimwemwe, Madyenkuku, who is also PF deputy national chairperson for mobilisation, advised Chiluba to take a back seat from politics.

“I personally think that Mr Chiluba is the man who actually initiated the former president’s Act. But if he is campaigning, going in the field to campaign, he is demeaning his status.

That takes so much away from him,” he said. He urged Chiluba not to yield to any pressure on him to go into the field to campaign. “Chiluba is not a factor he thinks he is or is forced to believe he is. People can respect him, but people are able to analyse what you are saying to them,” Madyenkuku said. “So these results Chifubu and Chimwemwe it’s a reminder that he needs to rest.

It’s important that Mr Chiluba takes a back seat from politics.” Recently, Chiluba publicly campaigned for the MMD in the Chimwemwe local government by-election. On the Luena by-election, Madyenkuku described the results as interesting and thought-provoking. “The winning of Mr Charles Milupi is not about his personal strength.

One sees a reaction from the people on the unfulfilled promises by the MMD,” Madyenkuku said. “Of course, I congratulate Mr Milupi but from the results there seem to be some under currents than what meets the eye.

The question is, is what happened in Luena representative of the whole province Western Province? That is yet to be seen.” He said the results in Luena were good for the country’s opposition.

“It means the people are beginning to understand. People are comparing words from the ruling party with action on the ground,” said Madyenkuku.
And Mwila, who is also Chipili member of parliament, said the MMD had been taught a lesson despite pumping in billions of kwacha and sending Chiluba to campaign in the Chimwemwe ward by-election in Kitwe.

“Our president Michael Sata was in Chifubu only for two hours. For them the Vice–President George Kunda was on the Copperbelt for two days, Rupiah Banda was also on the Copperbelt for two days but what have they achieved in the two elections? Nothing. The people of Chifubu have spoken to the entire country that change is inevitable next year and we are winning,” Mwila said.

He said the PF did not dish out money in Chifubu like the MMD, but managed to scoop the seat because the party was very organised. Mwila said the people of the Copperbelt and many parts of the country realised a long time ago that the governance of the country was in wrong hands and were ready to make change next year.

He said the party’s victory in the parliamentary by-election in Chifubu and Kitwe’s Chimwemwe ward was a big achievement and a big shame on the ruling party and the ‘rebel’ parliamentarians who were going round the country discrediting the PF and Sata. Mwila said the people of Chifubu voted for PF because of its dedication to serving the people and the country.

“I encourage the people of Chifubu and the entire Copperbelt to remain a shining example. We want the Copperbelt Province to come out strongly next year and show other electorate in various parts of this country that change is inevitable. We are confident that we are winning next year’s elections as opposition because the massive support we are receiving has spoken volumes of this fact,” Mwila said.

Copperbelt Province PF acting secretary Elias Kamanga said the MMD would suffer massive defeat in next year’s general elections because of their mistaken belief that Chiluba was a factor on the Copperbelt and the country at large.

He said the decision the people of Chimwemwe and Chifubu made to vote for the PF candidates had shamed Chiluba who camped on the Copperbelt to campaign for the MMD.

Kamanga said Chiluba was a disgraced former head of state who should not be allowed in the political arena. Kamanga said Copperbelt residents never wanted to hear the name Chiluba because of the misery he brought in their lives.

On Thursday, PF’s Susan Kawandami was declared winner of the Chifubu parliamentary by-election after amassing 6,976 votes against the MMD’s Frank Ngambi’s 4,539 votes, while Bryan Banda of ADD got 412 votes and Poko Mambwe of UNIP received 221 votes. In Chimwemwe ward by-election, PF’s Overtone Nyondo got 691 votes against MMD’s Nicholas Nzunda who polled 460 votes.

In Western Province, Milupi, who was Luena Independent member of parliament, retained his seat after he polled 3,688 votes. The MMD polled 2,800, UPND polled 1,806, UNIP got 115 and the ULP polled 116 out of the 8,630 votes cast.

Labels: FREDERICK CHILUBA, SYACHEYE MADYENKUKU

posted by MrK @ 3:39 AM