Maravi

Kabimba accuses MMD of PVT fraud

Kabimba accuses MMD of PVT fraud
By George Chellah
Sat 21 May 2011, 04:01 CAT

WYNTER Kabimba says the MMD’s hypocrisy over the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) is tantamount to fraud. Commenting on the MMD’s plans to spend K27 billion on its own PVT exercise in the forthcoming general elections, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general said the MMD was being hypocritical.

“The MMD hypocrisy over PVT is tantamount to fraud. We now expect the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to speak out on PVT and clear the air because we have always maintained an argument that there was nothing illegal about PVT,” he said.

He described the MMD plans on PVT as interesting.

“What is interesting is that after the MMD resisting the whole concept of the use of PVT and denying the fact that they have never used that system in the past and calling cooperating partners in support of the PVT system as advocates of regime change, it has now come out very clearly that the MMD believes in the PVT system and would want to use the system themselves in the forthcoming elections,” Kabimba said.

“What is amazing about the MMD resistance to the PVT system is that the pronouncements had come from as high up as the president of the party who is also President of the Republic, Mr Rupiah Banda.”

He said PF has always suspected that the statements from the MMD where intended to make PF and other stakeholders give up the use of the PVT system.

Kabimba said with what had come out now, PF had no doubt that the MMD would like to rig the election again and retain President Banda as head of state.

“And hence continue with the insults by his ministers against the Catholics, the abuse of financial resources, which has become common in Mr Banda’s government and the use of his children to run their businesses which had failed in the past but which have become successful today through their connections in government,” Kabimba said.

“ However, now that the MMD is itself preparing to spend K27 billion on the PVT system, God knows where that money is coming from if it is not coming from public funds, we shall as PF move to prepare ourselves fully not only in the use of the PVT system but also in ensuring that we train at least 18,000 polling agents to cover the polling stations.”

He insisted that the ECZ must come out clear on the matter.

“We want to hear the ECZ maintain its position which it had done in chorus with the MMD that the PVT system is illegal and this is where as stakeholders we get worried about the image of ECZ,” Kabimba said.

“ECZ knows and knew that there is nothing illegal about the PVT system but for as long as MMD was against it, they were prepared to suck up to them.

“And now that the MMD has changed its position we have no doubt that the ECZ position has changed too.”

He said the MMD would have wanted to win the elections by cheating the people of Zambia again.

“They would have wanted to win this election by playing the same old tricks. But with the change in the mood of the electorate now they realise that the people have made up their minds for change,” Kabimba said.

“Even the statement from RB that there will be no change of government from him to Mr Michael Sata is a dream from a man who cannot read the reality of the situation on the ground.
“Mr Rupiah Banda knows that change is coming that’s why he is running all over the country like a headless chicken to prop up his image.

That’s why he is abusing the state media to the extent where it’s worse than what we saw under UNIP in trying to build the cult of personality of ‘the leader’ the way Stalin was in the Soviet Union.”

He urged PF supporters to brace for a fight to remove the MMD from power this year and redeem the country.

Well-placed sources within the MMD on Thursday disclosed that the ruling party was planning to carry out its own parallel vote tabulation (PVT) and intends to spend over K27 billion on the exercise.

President Banda has branded the calls to use PVT by political parties including the international community as illegal. However, the Law Association of Zambia has said there is nothing illegal about PVT.

Labels: VOTERIGGING, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 4:37 AM