Maravi

Expelled Mpombo mocks Kunda

Expelled Mpombo mocks Kunda
By George Chellah and Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 07 Apr. 2011, 04:02 CAT

GEORGE Mpombo says Vice-President George Kunda is the greatest loser who has been rejected by his own party membership. And Mpombo says President Rupiah Banda has successfully re-branded MMD into UNIP.

Commenting on the decision to freeze the party vice-presidency at the ongoing MMD convention in Kabwe, Mpombo, who is Kafulafuta parliamentarian, said the move was a desperate bid to save Vice-President Kunda from what he termed a humiliating ignominious defeat.

“The party sensed that he was headed for a historical shellac kind so they had to rig the process,” Mpombo said. “His own party members don’t have confidence in his leadership qualities. George Kunda is the greatest loser here. It’s embarrassing that all attempts to save him failed.”

And Mpombo has said President Banda had managed to successfully re-brand MMD into UNIP.

“It’s very clear now that it's a one-party state mentality,” Mpombo said. “Those who are celebrating a people who are not able to see beyond their noses.”

He described the MMD convention as a sham.

“Just looking at what is happening in Kabwe, you can clearly see that Mr Banda is the greatest political drama king we have ever had. Even his boasting to say he is popular is preposterous,” Mpombo said.

“The man shouldn't even be excited because he has gone through unopposed in a sham election, which had no opponents. Really, it's shameful that he can even be excited. By using well-calculated political gymnastics, Mr Banda managed to eliminate all possible competitors and remained as a one-man horse race. Sadly for him, that horse is racing towards the knackers yard.”

Meanwhile, reacting to his expulsion, Mpombo said President Banda would soon be kissing the ground when he losses the election this year.

He said President Banda together with his allies had become arrogant because they were thinking they had already won the elections at the party convention.

“He's got his head buried deep in the sand and therefore he can't see what is going on around him and that is why he is arrogant. You know, once he kisses the ground that is when he will realise that he no longer has the support of the Zambians,” Mpombo said.

He said he had not lost anything following his expulsion from what he termed an undemocratic party.
Mpombo, however, wondered why the convention had sat to adopt his expulsion when his case was in court.

“They are doing things in a jittery and irrational manner and in a very undemocratic manner. I, however, have no regrets because what is going on in the party right now is a complete farce,” Mpombo said.

The second MMD extraordinary convention on Tuesday, resolved to uphold expulsions of Mpombo, Mike Mulongoti, Jonas Shakafuswa, and Ng'andu Magande.

This was after acting MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu proposed to the convention for the expulsion of the quartet said to be in bad standing with the party.

Also commenting on his expulsion, Mulongoti, who is former election chairman of the party, cautioned President Banda and the MMD not to think that they had won.

“They haven't won. Going to the convention, and wining at the convention is one thing, the next thing is to get the popular mandate of the people of Zambia. That's what everybody should be looking forward to. You can win in a political party. You can organise, even intimidate, you can do whatever, that's one thing, but what happens in the end? Are you going to manipulate and intimidate the whole country?” Mulongoti asked.

He said he had no regrets about getting expelled for defending democracy and added that he still had value and usefulness in the political arena that he would offer to any democratic party that was ready to accommodate him.

“I can assure you I will not form a political party. I will look around, see which party can accommodate me. It will not be wrong for me to offer services for anyone who thinks we can work together. I’m still in my Republic, more opportunities are still there,” Mulongoti said.

“My problem is, am coming from a party where they have developed intolerance and I hate intolerance and undemocratic behaviour. If on that account I can remain without being in a political party, so be it.”

Mulongoti cautioned the party leadership not to think they had won and that the true victory lay ahead of elections.

He said the country needed democratic leaders who would uphold Zambia's democracy as opposed to the undemocratic leadership of President Banda.

“We have people who have come from nowhere just to bring archaic ideas and undemocratic tendencies in a party that was formed for democratic reasons. President Banda had lost regard for the values and ideas on which the party had been formed,” Mulongoti said.

He said he supported President Banda because he thought he would push for the party's democratic agenda.

“But he has introduced intolerance, lack of respect for other people, lack of respect for democratic values. These were the reasons why we fought the UNIP and the third term, now this is the same old baggage from UNIP which is coming back and wants to be in front, it’s not acceptable,” said Mulongoti.

And Shakafuswa who expressed amazement at the move by the MMD convention to adopt his expulsion only said, “But how do they expel me when my case is in court?”

Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, GEORGE MPOMBO, JONAS SHAKAFUSWA, MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD

posted by MrK @ 2:28 PM