Maravi

Hold on to the presidency, Zulu tells Easterners

Hold on to the presidency, Zulu tells Easterners
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 04 May 2011, 04:01 CAT

EASTERNERS should hold the presidency diligently, says MMD provincial chairperson Kennedy Zulu. And provincial secretary Ezekiel Mtonga has warned MMD members not to leak information to the media.

Officiating at the 2011 provincial card renewal exercise at the Chipata Municipal Council chamber on Saturday, Zulu said the people of Luapula even wanted a third term for Frederick Chiluba, who hailed from that area.

“As I conclude, what’s the biggest message of today? The biggest message is this; in 2006 Luapula was the stronghold of MMD. You heard what (Luapula Province vice-chairperson) David Chanda has said. He said when they were holding the presidency, they even wanted a third term,” Zulu said.

“What about you Easterners, only two years with the presidency you have started trembling with power. You are like a striker who looks in the sky when he reaches the goalmouth and when he shoots he creates a throw-in. You should keep the message that this man (Chanda) has brought.

They did 10 years, they wanted 15 years but us we have done two years but we have started bringing people from the opposition to Eastern, is that good? We have started fighting the President, is that good?”

He urged the Easterners to hold the presidency diligently and give President Rupiah Banda 99 per cent votes.

Zulu said he wanted the opposition Patriotic Front to be getting zero votes in polling stations in the province.

He said the province had been an MMD stronghold since 2006 and that without it, the ruling party would have been out of power.

Zulu boasted that from the time he became chairperson in 2008, about 17 MMD members have been employed in government with the latest being the provincial youth chairperson, Moses Moyo, who he said had been appointed ambassador to Nigeria.

He said the MMD members had been employed in government because of unity.

“Recently, we had the provincial youth chairman, have you seen him here? Have you see Moses Moyo here? Where is he? Niulule? Niulule?

(May I disclose?) As we are talking now he is an ambassador in Nigeria. If this has happened to others like Rose Banda, Bensai, even the DCs why can’t the same happen to you? Let’s keep ourselves well,” Zulu said.

He said he was proud of President Banda’s performance in the last two years. Zulu thanked party cadres for playing a pivotal role during the voter registration exercise.

And Mtonga threatened to suspend some party members that were indisciplined. He urged party members to learn from what happened to the provincial committee that was dissolved on disciplinary grounds between 2007 and 2008.

“Respect is important because these positions we have, we did not just get them on a silver plate, we struggled. Lets not be cheated, my office is open everyday, let’s talk so that we bring discipline in the party,” Zulu warned amid murmurs from the cadres.

He said those that would be bringing problems would be chased so that they take those confusion to PF, UPND or UNIP.

Mtonga said some problems that were in the party came as a result of money. He said squabbles would only reduce President Banda’s votes in the province. But some cadres complained that Mtonga’s speech was too harsh and that it could divide party members.

The card renewal was only attended by Mkaika and Milanzi members of parliament out of a total of 16 MMD members of parliament in the province.

Labels: EASTERN PROVINCE, KENNEDY ZULU, RUPIAH BANDA, TRIBALISM

posted by MrK @ 1:46 PM