‘Kavindele is an opportunist’

‘Kavindele is an opportunist’
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 17 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT

MIKE Mulongoti has described Enoch Kavindele as an opportunist without proper qualities to aspire for high positions in the MMD. Mulongoti, the MMD elections chairman, said the ruling party had better and credible people who could vie for the party vice-presidency and not Kavindele.

“It is his conduct that makes people in the party uncomfortable. If elections are about to come, you will see him hanging around, trying to get sympathy from the public by accusing the party of abusing him. That’s opportunism,” said Mulongoti, who is also works and supply minister.

“I have nothing against him. He is my brother, but what I dislike is his tactics, trying to create an impression that people did not like him.”

Mulongoti said Kavindele, who is a former Republican vice-president, had a habit of resurfacing during the party's preparations for the convention and not when his services were required.

“It’s not everyone who can have a position. We have so many members that are serving without any positions but you see they are dedicated to serving the party and not to give themselves up for positions,” he said.

“What you are seeing now is because he knows he won’t be allowed to go to the convention. When you look at the last five years, he has done nothing for the party.”

Mulongoti claimed that Kavindele had a number of issues to iron out with the party’s executive before he could vie for a position he did not qualify to hold.

Mulongoti also urged PF leader Michael Sata to stop attacking Vice-President George Kunda, saying he (Sata) could have been in jail had it not been for him.
He said Sata was indebted to Vice-President Kunda.

Mulongoti said Vice-President Kunda withdrew the case in which Sata was accused of inciting miners to riot at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Chingola against the planned retrenchment of workers in 2008.

“The Vice-President is a very straightforward person and everything he does has a legal position.

That’s why Sata must not spend his time targeting him but on discussing developmental issues,” said Mulongoti.

“If Mr Kunda had not dropped the cases which were in court, today it would be a different story. Surely, Kunda deserves some credit.”

On Monday, Kavindele observed that the MMD had been weakened and continued to lose by-elections because of people like Mulongoti.

This was after Mulongoti asked Kavindele to stop aspiring for positions because he had been doing so and losing since the UNIP days.