Maravi

MMD in Kabwata accuse William Banda of doctoring elections

MMD in Kabwata accuse William Banda of doctoring elections
By Sydney Mungala
Thu 26 Aug. 2010, 18:40 CAT

THE MMD Kabwata Constituency officials have accused provincial chairman William Banda of doctoring elections in the constituencies to secure his election at the convention.

In a statement, constituency secretary Mwale Daka said Banda was interfering in elections to ensure that only delegates loyal to him make it in the constituency elections.

“Mr. William Banda should not lie to the Republican President that he is ensuring only people who support President Banda are being put in party organs so that he could easily be elected at the convention as party President,” Daka said.

“The truth of the matter is that no sitting president can lose at the convention. Mr. Banda is only securing his position as provincial chairman as he knows that he has lost popularity among all MMD structures in Lusaka.”

During ward elections on 21st August Banda is alleged to have provided a list of officials loyal to him to be elected.

Daka accused Banda of putting non Kabwata residents on his list of preferred candidates during the aborted elections on 21st August.

“…the list provided for by Mr. Banda was full of people who are not residents and therefore incompetent. This angered members who demanded for free and fair elections,” he said.

Daka said when the members protested, Banda opted to elect a committee of his own preference to take over.

“William Banda attempted to convince members that the system worked well during his UNIP days. When members realized that Mr. Banda was being unreasonable, they simply walked away and protested. This embarrassed William Banda who then decided to appoint the committee at his mercy,” he said.

Daka said the scheme had been used in other constituencies putting MMD’s democratic credentials at risk.

He accused Banda of weeding out members he considered a threat to his political.

“Prior to these elections, Mr. William Banda suspended leaders who he considered as a threat to his political survival. As members we are baffled by the fact that constituency elections normally supervised by the district but in these elections the province headed by Banda supervised the elections,” Daka said.

He said that Banda bragged that he had access to the Republican president.

“Mr. Banda threatened people that he had access to the President and he listens only to him. He said he had powers to attack even ministers and nothing would happen to him as was the case when he attacked cabinet ministers at Mulungushi Conference Centre in February,” he said.

Daka appealed to the party chairman of elections Mike Mulongoti to monitor the situation in constituency elections.

“We hence appeal to Honorable Mulongoti to nullify the nonsense put in place by this deportee. We also appeal to the President to discipline Banda who is now a loose cannon,” he said.

Daka said Banda had assumed the position of supreme leader and was doing everything in the party.

Banda could not be reached for a comment on his mobile phone.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CORRUPTION, MMD, WILLIAM BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:09 PM