Maravi

Kavindele vows to attend MMD convention despite threats

Kavindele vows to attend MMD convention despite threats
By Ernest Chanda and Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 07 Oct. 2010, 14:10 CAT

ENOCH Kavindele has vowed to attend the MMD convention, saying no one can stop him since he is made of hard stuff. And MMD provincial leaders in North Western and Western provinces have opposed the position taken by the party youths in Lusaka Province to bar Kavindele and Katuba MMD parliamentarian Jonas Shakafuswa from the convention.

Commenting on Lusaka Province MMD youth chairperson Chris Chalwe’s warning to him, Shakafuswa and other senior leaders that were not in good books with the ruling party not to attend the party convention, the former Republican vice-president, who is in Solwezi, challenged Chalwe to provide a party constitutional backing.

“I don’t think I can be barred because I’m made of hard stuff. Those who remember during the UNIP era, I was threatened prior to the convention in Kabwe, but I braved them and went. In fact, there is nowhere in the party constitution where it says I can be barred by him Chalwe,” Kavindedele argued.

“This is indiscipline which is leading to the weakness of the party, where a junior chap can talk on behalf of a Republican Vice-President to bar me. My intention is not be Republican Vice-President, but party vice-president. Let him ask those of his colleagues who tried to attack me at the 2005 convention and I defended myself, much to their embarrassment. So, tell him that I’m capable of defending myself.”

And North Western Province MMD chairman Pinakin Patel said he would not support Chalwe’s move to stop other party members from attending the convention.

“I wouldn’t support it,” Patel said in an interview from Solwezi yesterday.

He said for as long as the MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) had not found the duo wanting in terms of abrogating the party constitution, they were free to attend the national convention.

“Then I would understand (their being barred) not by mere threats like that. I think as a province we don’t condone that,” said Patel. “We have our party constitution which talks of who is allowed to attend the convention…if they are within the party lines and the NEC finds nothing against them, then they are free to attend.”

And Western Province MMD chairman Simasiku Namakando also disagreed with Chalwe and his cohorts.
“You see, in a democracy there is no one who can bar somebody. Let the people choose,” said Namakando.

On Wednesday, Chalwe warned Shakafuswa, Kavindele and all others he claimed were insulting President Rupiah Banda to stay away from the convention.

Labels: CHRIS CHALWE, ENOCH KAVINDELE, MMD, PANAKIN PATEL

posted by MrK @ 3:03 PM