Magande discusses how Levy wanted him to be his successor

Magande discusses how Levy wanted him to be his successor
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 03 Sep. 2010, 03:59 CAT

NG’ANDU Magande has revealed that four ministers serving in President Rupiah Banda’s Cabinet had informed him in 2008 that then president Levy Mwanawasa wanted him to be his successor but wondered why these people had not publicly explained the matter.

Featuring on Frank Mutubila’s Frank Talk programme on ZNBC television on Wednesday night, Magande, who is also MMD national executive committee (NEC) finance chairperson and the party’s Chilanga parliamentarian, extensively explained about Mwanawasa’s intentions to have him as a successor in 2011.

“I can confirm as having been told by those who were told. One time we were talking, he Mwanawasa said ‘I wish I could have somebody who could continue where we are when I leave’ and I said to him, ‘it’s up to you to choose, but whoever you choose you have to subject them to people. The people will have to agree with your decision’,” Magande explained.

“Then he said at that moment, ‘how did you know? There are actually three names I am considering and I want to tell you that you are one of them’. And I said to him, ‘thank you very much.’ After sometime, again we had these personal discussions and he told me, ‘I have reduced the number to two’.

I said, ‘am I on that list of two?’ He said, ‘yes you are’. Then I said, ‘when will you have the list of one?’ Then he said, ‘I will not tell because if I tell you then you will start behaving like you are president. I want you for now to behave and continue behaving as a minister of finance. There is still a lot of work to do there’.”

Magande said in June 2008 when Mwanawasa was in Milanzi campaigning for now late Reuben Chisanga-Banda in the parliamentary by-elections, before his Magande’s departure to Egypt, they had a lengthy discussion.

“I was supposed to join the team which was going to the AU in Egypt and as usual, I normally said goodbye to my boss and he said, ‘what do you want to go and do?’ So I had a long two and half hours conversation on the phone with him. The president was in Eastern; we discussed everything. I was privileged to discuss with the president anything I wanted and he would never say I have no comment,” he explained.

Magande explained that on that day, he even discussed with President Banda the problems of Zambian Airways.

“I told him ‘tomorrow the following day, when I am leaving I am writing a letter to the ministry of communications proposing that they defer the debt of Zambian Airways to National Airports Corporation’ and he said, ‘if that is what you think.’ That is how he took it normally when I convinced him that, ‘if that is what you think go ahead’,” Magande explained.

“As we were discussing agriculture, I remember him saying, ‘I want you to make sure that this fertilizer programme succeeds. You must increase the number of beneficiaries.’ And then he said, ‘by the way, I have heard a rumour that you are after all one of the candidates in 2011 presidential seat.’ Then I said, ‘Mr President if you have heard that rumour I am most grateful.’ Then we laughed it off and then I left.”

He explained that other ministers also informed him about Mwanawasa’s intentions to have him as his successor.

“When I got to Egypt there were already a lot of friends who were there. One of them took me for breakfast early in the morning and he said, ‘I want to tell you that while you are here the President wants to talk to you’. I said, ‘about what? We discussed before I came. The President is still in Zambia.

I left him there.’ He said, ‘no! I had a conversation with him; he is talking about you perhaps being one of his successors when he leaves in 2011’. This is a friend who is still in Cabinet. Now, if he was telling me a lie, I didn’t ask him but he has not been able to come out and say, ‘yes, the President Mwanawasa told me this’,” Magande explained.

“When I came back, three ministers came to our house. For two of them because I thought they were so friendly to me, my wife was in attendance and they told us that the day before president Mwanawasa left for Egypt, the night before, they had a meeting at State House and he was telling them, ‘look, I am not feeling extremely well, I don’t know if I will get to 2011 but if I do I want to have a smooth succession.

I am looking for a successor. As you come back from Egypt, those who are going and when I come back, I want you to help the minister of finance to start understanding the people in Kalingalinga, the people in Chadiza, the people in Shang’ombo.’ And one the ministers said, he asked him, ‘why?’ He said, ‘because I think he has achieved a lot and I would like the people to know him. I would like you to help him; if possible in 2011 to campaign for him’.”

He said he did not solicit the information from the three ministers.

“They came to my house. They are all in Cabinet, by the way. So all I have to say is that I believe in God. The truth one day will be told,” Magande explained.

He said it was still possible for him to become president of Zambia.

“If I were to go to the MMD convention, I want to assure you that you will not use that word ‘impossible’. I think it will not be impossible. I believe in hope. I hope that it will not be impossible,” responded Magande when Mutubila asked him about what he would do if it became impossible for him to stand on the MMD ticket.

Magande added: “I still want to serve the Zambian people. I have been minister, I have been an economist, I know this country and I still can provide some services, I will find an avenue to go to the people. The Constitution says, ‘to be a presidential candidate under the party, you just need support of a party.’ There are a lot of parties, which are there. That for me is not impossible to get myself supported.”

He said he had been an effective minister and parliamentarian in the MMD government.

Magande also said the MMD adoption of presidential candidates in 2008 where he lost to then acting Republican President Banda was his first attempt but he hoped to do better next time.

“What I saw during those presidential candidate adoption elections, I leave it for me to perhaps explain in my memoirs if I have the opportunity. As you recall, as we were coming out of the hall, I was asked the question, ‘how were the elections’ and I said, ‘they were democratic, free’ and someone asked me, one of the reports, ‘are you going to say anything more?’

I said, ‘no!’ I have kept my mouth shut since then,” said Magande. “The elections at that time did not give me an opportunity to explain to the members of NEC, who I am, what I am and where I have come from. This time around I am prepared to come before you the Zambians and present myself.”