William Banda imposes candidates in MMD Kabwata constituency polls

William Banda imposes candidates in MMD Kabwata constituency polls
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 23 Aug. 2010, 14:00 CAT

MMD Kabwata provincial acting chairperson William Banda talking to party members
Confusion has erupted in the MMD Kabwata constituency following provincial acting chairperson William Banda hand-picked Kabwata constituency committee executive after the district failed to conduct democratic free and fair elections, a situation constituency officials have described as a clear indication of a dictatorial set up.

And the officials have cautioned President Rupiah Banda to be weary of Banda's personal vendetta which he is making seem as though he is trying to garner as much support for him at low party organs.

In a joint statement to Post Online yesterday Kabwata constituency officials through a Libala ward chairman Arnold Kabwe said that they will not allow Banda to introduce UNIP tendencies in the MMD.

According to the officials who were clearly angered, Banda held elections secretly on Saturday after securing a list of his preferred candidates to contest the elections.

The move was however objected and could not take off because voters complained of having not been informed about the elections and only forced to vote on the material day.

“...the executive committee were told that there would be seminar on 21st August, 2010 in Kamulanga. Upon reaching the venue the members were told that they had in the actual fact gone there to elect the constituency executive. There was no notice given for these elections,” Kabwe said.

“We were told that Mr William Banda had a list full of people he preferred to take up committee leadership which members were to vote for.”

The officials have also accused Banda of hiding a circular from the district election organ announcing the date of the elections so that he could catch the voters unawares.

Kabwe has also revealed the failure by the district officials who presided over constituency elections to contain the situation.

“Mr William Banda was called in to try and convince the members to submit to the flawed method of elections. Mr William Banda attempted to convenience members that the system worked well during his UNIP days,” he narrated.

“We are informed that in other constituencies the scheme has succeeded, hence Mr Banda doctored the list of candidates have gone through unopposed ,a clear indication of a dictatorial set up.”

The constituency officials have since protested and demanded that Banda drops his doctored list of the dubiously appointed interim executive and call for a fair election.

“He is going round telling people that he has got too much access to State House. Bali landa ati Mumbwe pakulila ninshi kuli ukwa shintilile amatwi (for you to do something you must have backing somewhere ) so we want to know and prove whether this man is being ordered by the President .The President has to know that he cannot work with one person but all of us,” he questioned.

The officials also threatened to start coming out in the open about what they terms ‘ills’ taking place in the party.

And when contacted for comment MMD elections chairperson Mike Mulongoti who was in Maamba by press time said there was nothing wrong with the Banda’s handling of affairs in the just held elections.

He said the provincial offices was allowed to intervene in affairs of the constituency .

He, however, stated that the MMD officials will look into the matter that has led to failure by the district officials who are mandated to carry out elections to fail to hold free and fare elections.