Maravi

Halt new culture of violence - Kavindele

Halt new culture of violence - Kavindele
By Patson Chilemba
Fri 15 Oct. 2010, 04:01 CAT

ENOCH Kavindele yesterday asked the MMD top leadership to stop the new culture of violence which has gripped the party. And Kavindele yesterday observed that threatening donors to stop meeting Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata is an infringement on their rights.

Reacting to the warning from MMD Ndola district information and publicity secretary Alex Mubanga for him to choose between his life and attending the party convention, Kavindele said he would talk to the police over the threats. He said he expected the police to investigate and get to the bottom of the matter.

Kavindele said as a senior MMD member, he was very surprised at the new phenomenon of violence in the party. He said the MMD had always been a competitive party which allowed for people to contest for positions.

Kavindele said the first president of MMD, Frederick Chiluba, competed against the likes of Humphrey Mulemba and Author Wina, adding that late president Levy Mwanawasa was allowed to challenge Chiluba after issuing strong statements against him.

He said Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda freely challenged former Republican vice-president late Lieutenant General Christone Tembo for the party vice-presidency.

Kavindele said those who were provoking violence in MMD risked being victims of the same violence they were promoting. He said the violence by MMD cadres should not be allowed to escalate.

“We are seeing history repeating itself. When former Republican vice-presidenct Simon Kapwepwe was attacked by political thugs, many people were disgusted and they left. They abandoned UNIP. This is a new phenomenon in the MMD. We have always competed for positions,” Kavindele said.

Kavindele said he could not be stopped from going to the convention just because someone had issued a threat.

Mubanga, popularly known as Shimpundu pa Nkoloko, on Wednesday warned that the MMD militia of the Copperbelt and the Jumbo crack squad of Lusaka would batter Kavindele at the convention.

And commenting on Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga’s warning that some diplomatic missions should not be surprised if diplomatic sanctions were imposed on them for meeting Sata, Kavindele said there was a similar move in the 1980s to restrict the movement of diplomats to a radius of 25 kilometres, but that failed to work. He said it was learnt that the action by government infringed on the right of association and movement.

Asked if it there was a provision to stop diplomats from meetings opposition leaders, Kavindele said: “There isn’t, because I have told you that it even infringes on the Constitution of Zambia; free movement of people and freedom of association with people they like.”

Kavindele said diplomats by virtue of their job had to report to their countries of events happening in countries where they served.

“That information is sent by talking to players in the country. It is difficult to police because they can meet Sata if they want to at Sata’s house or at their embassy houses,” he said.

Kavindele said Sata’s meetings with diplomats might even be to the interest of the MMD. He said Sata should meet as many diplomats as he could because they could use their meetings with him to assess his suitability, both as an opposition leader and one seeking high office.

“I know diplomats don’t vote but certainly they do have an interest on what goes on in a country that they support economically,” said Kavindele.

Labels: ALEX MUBANGA, ENOCH KAVINDELE, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 6:43 AM