Maravi

Rupiah is dismantling his own party – Sata

Rupiah is dismantling his own party – Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Thu 09 Sep. 2010, 04:10 CAT

RUPIAH Banda is dismantling his own party, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has observed. Commenting on the expulsion of Kafulafuta MMD member of parliament George Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande by the MMD, Sata said President Banda and the MMD were making the PF’s work very easy by expelling their members of parliament.

He said President Banda and the MMD would lose more because already they had lost the majority of parliamentary by-elections that had been held including in their supposed strongholds.

“Rupiah Banda is dismantling his own party. Rupiah Banda inherited 84 seats from Levy Mwanawasa, today Rupiah Banda out of his greed and carelessness has remained with 79 seats, which is 50 per cent of the current Parliament,” Sata said.

“MMD cannot be confident of winning anything in Parliament, so they must stop moving, they must all be in Parliament when there is a critical issue.”

Sata said President Banda should not be comforted by PF ‘rebel’ members of parliament because they could not retain their seats, unlike MMD ‘rebels’ who were capable of doing so. He said President Banda was an intolerant dictator, who wanted people to worship him.

Sata said Mpombo and Magande were adults who could either prolong their stay in Parliament like Katuba member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa, or call it a day.
He said the choice was entirely theirs.

“Whatever decision they make, we are ready for any by-election, just like we are ready for a general election,” he said.

On tourism minister Catherine Namugala’s statement during the recent MMD national executive committee (NEC) meeting at State House that NEC members should follow up on the “good work” first lady Thandiwe Banda did when she toured Northern and Luapula provinces, Sata thanked Namugala for being honest that Thandiwe went to campaign.

“In MMD you still have some honest and sincere people. And one of the honest people is Catherine Namugala. She confirmed that the woman went for campaigns. We are extremely grateful for telling the nation the truth. After all, she Namugala is related to Thandiwe,” said Sata.

“She is no longer first lady, she is an MMD cadre. And when did she become a NEC member? She Namugala is not like red-lipped Vice-President George Kunda or disgraced Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha. She doesn’t want to be saying that Thandiwe was not campaigning.”

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:06 AM