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MMD vice-presidency is not reserved for Kunda - Mulongoti

MMD vice-presidency is not reserved for Kunda - Mulongoti
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 29 Dec. 2010, 04:02 CAT

IT is not automatic that George Kunda will get the MMD vice-presidency just because he is Republican Vice-President, says Mike Mulongoti.

Commenting on the impact of the statement from local government deputy minister Moses Muteteka that Central Province would not sit idle and let both the party and Republican vice-presidency go easily, Mulongoti, who is works and supply minister, laughed before answering the question.

He said the vice-presidency of the party was elective while the Republican one was just by appointment from the President.

“Laughter I don’t want to comment, you know why? The vice-presidency of the Republic is by appointment and it is not an elective one, unless one gets elected in the party as vice-president…so for now the vice-presidency of the party is vacant. That is why I don’t want to comment because the other one is just an appointment by the President,” Mulongoti said.

He said Kunda was not guaranteed of the party vice-presidency and he would have to compete for it like any other qualified member of the MMD.

“No, no, no. It is elective. The presidency; the vice-presidency is elective. You go to the convention, whoever wins becomes the party vice-president. So it is not automatic, no! It has got to be competed for. That is what democracy is all about,” Mulongoti said.

While refusing to categorically dispel his reported intentions to stand for the party’s vacant second highest position, Mulongoti said he would announce his intentions at an appropriate time.

“When it is appropriate, if I am interested, I will issue a statement. I am a Zambian like any other. I am entitled by right in the Constitution, so there is no reason why I should hide, play and seek, no! When it is appropriate, if I am interested, I will announce and boldly so because it is an entitlement to every Zambian citizen of the Republic. We are free to participate and be elected,” he said.

On Muteteka’s remarks that Central Province would fight for both the Republican and party vice-presidency, Mulongoti said Zambia was a unitary state.

He said people must be conscious to maintain unity in diversity.

“So, ideally, it would be wrong for leadership of the government or the party to come from one region alone. We must spread positions so that anybody can benefit,” Mulongoti said.

He said Muteteka was expressing gratitude that the Vice-Presidency was given to Central Province.

“And ideally they would want to keep it, but it is not like that. It is not automatic,” said Mulongoti.

Reacting to former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele’s statement that Kunda and others challenging him for the party vice-presidency were no match to him, Muteteka on Sunday said Kavindele should not underrate Vice-President Kunda.

Labels: ENOCH KAVINDELE, GEORGE KUNDA, MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD, MOSES MUTETEKA, VICE PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 5:05 PM