Maravi

Mpulungu seat dicey for MMD – insider

Mpulungu seat dicey for MMD – insider
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 09 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT

A SENIOR MMD insider has revealed that the Mpulungu parliamentary seat could either go to the ruling party or the opposition, describing the situation as dicey for the MMD. But Northern Province MMD vice-secretary Jairus Simunyola on Tuesday said claims that the opposition would win the Mpulungu seat were just political talk.

The insider admitted that chances to win the Mpulungu seat, which fell vacant after the death of MMD parliamentarian Lameck Chibombamilimo, were fifty-fifty between the ruling party and the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).

“Anybody can win this seat. For now we can’t say we are going to win. It’s dicey for us. In politics there are no underdogs, especially this time,” the insider said.

“Even our provincial chairman Griever Sikasote is eyeing the seat. He has shown some signs that he wants to stand, but he is still canvassing for support before publicly announcing his intentions.”

But Simunyola said the MMD was looking to the grassroots to see which person could help the party win the election.
“Everybody is popular; even those who are not contesting claim to be popular,” he said.

Asked about reports that Sikasote wanted to bulldoze the selection process so that he is adopted as the MMD candidate in Mpulungu, Simunyola said every party member was free to apply to be adopted, including Sikasote.

“We have left it open to anybody. We can’t stop any member of the party from contesting. If the chairman wants to contest, we will wait to get his application. It will happen when the MMD national executive committee advertises for people that want to stand,” Simunyola said. “If he applies, we will scrutinise every application.”

Simunyola said it was not true that Sikasote wanted to bulldoze the process.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, MMD, MPULUNGU

posted by MrK @ 6:59 AM