MMD blames Mulyata for Luena by-election loss

MMD blames Mulyata for Luena by-election loss
By George Chellah and Mwala Kalaluka
Sun 15 Aug. 2010, 04:01 CAT

THE MMD is blaming defence deputy minister Joseph Mulyata over its loss in the Luena constituency parliamentary by-election. But Mulyata has dismissed the allegations saying he should not be used as a scapegoat for the party’s loss in Luena.

Meanwhile, the MMD secretariat has blocked a delegation of about 20 Mongu district MMD executive committee leaders that travelled from Mongu to Lusaka to report the alleged ‘misdeeds’ of their local top party leadership during the Luena by-election to President Rupiah Banda at State House.

Well-placed MMD sources yesterday disclosed that the MMD Luena campaign team had complained to the party secretariat over Mulyata’s alleged misconduct.

“What happened is after Mulyata’s fight with Simasiku Namakando Western Province MMD chairperson, he was withdrawn from the Luena campaigns and sent to assist labour minister Austin Liato who was campaigning in the Kaoma local government by-elections,” the sources said.

“But it seems Mulyata was not happy with that decision. That’s why he began using his people to campaign against the party in the constituency in his absence.”

The sources disclosed that Namakando’s previous attacks on President Banda were heavily used against the MMD in Luena.

“Actually, the people that were de-campaigning the President and the party in Luena took advantage of the differences the President had with Namakando, particularly the President’s letter to Namakando,” the sources said.

“You remember that issue where the President wrote to Namakando telling him that he did not solicit for his support or that of the province. They made copies of the President’s letter and they were busy distributing them in Luena during the campaigns telling the electorate that ‘look at this letter President Rupiah Banda wrote to Namakando, the President has clearly stated here that he doesn’t need your support so he doesn’t care about the people of Western Province’. These copies were distributed in Luena and our internal investigations indicate that Mulyata was behind all this.”

The sources said Mulyata was also suspected to have sent a group of MMD officials from Mongu and Luena constituencies to protest against the Namakando led executive.

“These people are in Lusaka and their mission was to meet President Banda. They wanted to meet the President so that they can hand him the petition but they didn’t succeed. Instead, they ended up camping at the secretariat with the hope of meeting the acting party national secretary Chembe Nyangu,” the sources said.

“Whilst at the secretariat, these chaps were even telling the party staff there that ‘you and the President are in these offices today because of us Western Province’. They were so rude that some were even openly chanting Charles Milupi’s ADD slogans, right at the secretariat. There was confusion until security people from Lusaka Province were called in to come and remove them.

“As a party, we have investigated who these people are and we have discovered that Mulyata had a hand in this. In fact, Mulyata was even spotted at Hebert Young Hostel giving money to some of these people. That in itself is evidence enough to us that he brought those people here because why would he be spending his money on people he didn’t bring to Lusaka? We have no doubt that this is the same team that decampaigned the party in Luena.”

The sources said senior party officials were now linking Mulyata to ADD.

“Some senior people in the party are so upset with Mulyata. Actually, the secretariat is even in the process of reporting him to the President. They strongly feel that there is no way, a deputy minister who is appointed by the President can be working against the party,” the source said.

“We all know that Mulyata wants to challenge Namakando as provincial chairman. But he is doing it the wrong way. He is just destabilising the party in the province through his fight with Namakando.”

But Mulyata dismissed the allegations against him as malicious.

“I have no comment. I am an MMD district chairman for Mongu. We have party structures but it’s unfortunate that my colleagues have gone to the press. We have our party structures that they should have followed,” he said.

Mulyata said he was not aware of all the issues raised against him.

“I was in Kaoma campaigning, which is 300 kilometres from Luena with Honourable Liato. So how can I be implicated in the Luena issues? It’s very unfortunate. Those that are implicating me just want to use me as a scapegoat for the loss we have suffered in Luena,” Mulyata said.

“The people in Luena know the truth on why we have lost and whoever wants to find out let them go to Luena. It’s unfortunate that my colleagues have gone tribal. This is a tribal fight.”

And in an open letter to President Banda, the group that returned to Mongu on Friday afternoon complained that MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu made it clear that he did not want to meet them.

According to the letter that was signed by seven of the 20 MMD leaders and cadres, the delegation decided to seek audience with President Banda in order to inform him that many of the people he believed were representing the interests of the party in the province were strong opposition sympathisers.

Among those that appended their signatures to the letter were Mongu District MMD vice-chairman George Mbangweta, Mongu district youth chairman Joe Kalinda, Mongu Constituency youth chairman Kazungo Tololi, Luena Constituency vice-secretary Sile Mubukwanu and Luena Constituency treasurer Mukelabai Mubita.

Others are Limulunga Ward youth chairman Mickey Nyambe and Mongu District treasurer Frida Mwakamuwi.

“We the genuine MMD members in Mongu write to bring to light the destruction our top party leaders in Western Province are doing in relation to the party strength and popularity at grassroot level,” the letter read in part.

“Our campaigners in Luena were starved to the extent where some had resorted to picking cassava leaves for relish. They did not complain as they were told there was no money. To their disappointment, three days after the elections it was discovered that two whole animals were hidden at a cold room in Mongu.”

The group stated that this and many other deliberate lapses by the top MMD leadership infuriated the campaigners who demanded to be given the meat.
“Upon discovery of the hidden animals carcases, campaigners now had cause to believe that even money was there but as well hidden for their selfish interest,” they stated.

“When pressure was given for them to release the meat and whatever coin was left, they called the police to disperse the members by force as if they are not part of the giant MMD family.”

The group stated further that following failure to liaise with their local party leadership with a view of ironing out the grievances, a donation was made for 23 party officials to take those concerns to the MMD secretariat in Lusaka.

“Upon arrival at our secretariat, the delegation was advised to put the petition in writing which was done and taken back to the secretariat the following day. The deputy national secretary made it clear that he did not want to meet the delegation and in due course, call-boys from Kanyama constituency were called to beat these peaceful and party loving officials,” the group stated.

The delegation stated that after this intimidation and lack of genuine concern for the party exhibited by the secretariat, they decided to seek audience with President Banda.

“But as it is a known practice that to meet you (President Banda), we had to be cleared by the same secretariat, spanners were fastened ever tighter, though it is still our wish to meet you,” the group stated.

“Now as we go back Your Excellency, we decided to lightly let you know what kind of leaders you have in Western Province. We have concrete evidence to that effect but the secretariat wouldn’t give us chance.”