Maravi

MMD is ready for alliance - Chituwo

MMD is ready for alliance - Chituwo
By Chibaula Silwamba in Lusaka and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:02 CAT

MMD is ready for an alliance but Hakainde Hichilema should decide if the UPND wants to stay in opposition perpetually, a senior government official has said. And a senior MMD member says the UPND will be left without people if they do not quickly join the ruling party.

Speaking on Radio Mus-o-Tunya's Good Governance programme on Thursday in Livingstone, local goverment minister Brian Chituwo said he did not understand why UPND leader Hichilema was behaving in the manner he was despite the fact that UPND and MMD manifestos were similar.

"I have never spoken about this issue but since I'm in Southern Province, let me say that it is better for HH to get an opportunity like this one alliance. Let him not turn down the opportunity. If he has chosen to remain in the opposition in perpetuity, it is his decision. I'm offering him a chance,” Dr Chituwo said.

He said the MMD valued Hichilema so much that it would be better for the two parties to consolidate what he termed as the MMD's winning powers.

Dr Chituwo said Hichilema was being offered a chance by the MMD to join the 'winning' team.

"Let the young man take the chance," Dr Chituwo said.

And commenting on the continued suspension of the Livingstone City Council, Dr Chituwo said his visit to the tourist capital was for consultations and that he would soon come up with a report on the suspension of the Livingstone MMD-led city council.

Dr Chituwo said that the government had a process to follow and that Vice-President George Kunda's recent statements that the council would remain suspended was done in conformity with the law. He charged that the Livingstone City Council had been a problem since time immemorial and that government would not tolerate bad local governance.

Meanwhile, MMD Southern Province secretary Emmanuel Siamweela yesterday said the UPND would be left without people if the party did not quickly join the ruling party.

In an interview, Siamweela also confirmed parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga's remarks that MMD’s lower levels and the UPND were negotiating the possibility of forming an alliance.

"Informally we are negotiating, but we have not yet been given approval to undertake formal negotiations and many of them UPND members are joining us and we hear what people are saying," Siamweela said. "So, I want to confirm VJ's remarks. What is happening on the ground is what he is saying."

He said the people of Southern Province, mostly UPND members, were tired of being in opposition and were advocating for an MMD-UPND alliance so that they could also have a Cabinet minister after next year's polls.

He said UPND members at lower levels were threatening to ditch their leaders unless they heeded their demands.

Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 9:09 PM