Maravi

MMD, UPND in alliance talks

MMD, UPND in alliance talks
By George Chellah and Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 23 Nov. 2010, 04:02 CAT

THE UPND and MMD have opened discussions to explore possibilities of an alliance ahead of the 2011 elections. But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma has accused the MMD of circulating false rumours about the alliance. Highly placed sources within the UPND disclosed that the two political parties had already opened a line of communication.

“Currently there is a very secret window of talks that has been opened between ourselves and the MMD. Only a selected few are supposed to be involved in these talks to avoid leakages,” the source said.

The source revealed that the proposal for an alliance had the backing of most UPND parliamentarians.

“After it became apparent that there was serious mistrust in the pact with PF and that some of our senior members still had problems accepting the possibility of having Mr Michael Sata as a pact candidate, a good number of our members of parliament started considering the option of going to the MMD,” the source said.

“They were considering defecting to the MMD so that they are adopted on an MMD ticket next year. But the MMD advised them that they were not keen to get them using that method. The MMD said if they have to work with them, these MPs have to come with the entire party and not as individuals. The MMD were uncomfortable that if these MPs come as individuals without the party’s blessings, they might end up losing their seats in Southern Province even if adopted to stand on the MMD ticket.”

The sources said the MMD preferred to deal with the UPND as a party and not just renegades.

“In fact, the first message that was sent to the MMD by a very senior UPND official after the initial meeting was that ‘we will think about it though we don’t want to appear to be desperate over this matter’,” the source said.

“And I can confirm that a number of our MPs are interested in this proposal. There are only two or so that might have difficulties buying into this idea and these are Douglas Syakalima and Gary Nkombo. The plan is to convince everybody before serious talks commence.”

However, the sources said an alliance with the MMD would leave the UPND disgraced as the people would not respect and forgive the party.

The sources said although there were challenges in the pact between the UPND and PF, an alliance with the MMD should never be an option.

“Probably some chiefs have finally prevailed on HH because last time when President Banda visited chief Mwanachingwala’s palace, he held a closed-door meeting with chiefs from Southern Province and the chiefs told him they were tired of being in the opposition,” the source said.

“They also told the President they wanted Southern Province as well to produce a Republican president. They even complained that currently there was no MP from Southern Province in Cabinet. But President Banda told them that Southern Province has to deliver first for him to appoint someone from there as minister.”

But Kakoma said there was no way the UPND could go into an alliance with the MMD because it was a corrupt regime.

“That is a false story. This rumour has been circulating for some time. About two or three months ago, our party president Hakainde Hichilema held a press briefing to dispel that rumour. There is no such thing taking place,” said Kakoma, who is also UPND Zambezi West parliamentarian.

“But the MMD has been circulating that story that they want to go into an alliance with UPND and VJ MMD parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga has himself been touring Southern Province to try to convince the chiefs and so on that they are for an alliance between the UPND and MMD.”

He said the UPND had nothing in common with the MMD.

Kakoma said the MMD was not interested in the Zambian people and had not tackled unemployment, poverty and other vices in the country.

“We are not interested basically because we cannot go into an alliance with a corrupt regime. We are fighting corruption, which the MMD is busy entrenching. So we can’t go into an alliance with people who want to rule through corruption,” said Kakoma.

Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, PF, PF-UPND, POLITICS, UPND

posted by MrK @ 3:40 AM