Maravi

MMD vows to fight for Chiengi without Katele

MMD vows to fight for Chiengi without Katele
By George Chellah
Thu 30 June 2011, 04:01 CAT

THE MMD has instructed its provincial executive committee in Luapula to by-pass the Chiengi Constituency and district executive committees in the adoption of Dr Katele Kalumba’s replacement. Sources within the MMD have revealed to The Post that the instructions were issued this week.

“Emmanuel Chungu, our chairman for Luapula Province has already been given guidance on how to proceed concerning Chiengi since it is now apparent that the constituency and district executive committees in there Chiengi want to sabotage the party,” the source said.

“The express instructions that have been given to Chungu are that he should just proceed with the adoption process both for the member of parliament and councillors at the provincial level and ignore those chaps, who are trying to be difficult for nothing.

“So Chungu and the rest of the provincial executive committee will swiftly go ahead and shortlist the candidates for Chiengi even without the input of the constituency and district executive committees. They have been told to avoid the constituency and district committees.”

The source said the party has vowed to go ahead and fight for the Chiengi seat even without the involvement of Dr Kalumba.

“Those people in the constituency and district are trying to hold the party to ransom. They want us to delay the process just for the sake of one person,” the source said. “It won’t happen because MMD is bigger than Katele and Chiengi combined. There is no way the party can be derailed just because of one constituency.”

In June, MMD structures in Chiengi resolved to suspend interviews for those who have applied to be adopted as councillors until Dr Kalumba is freed from his corruption cases.

And the MMD in Chiengi said President Rupiah Banda promised senior chief Puta of the Bwile people that he would free area member of parliament Kalumba from his corruption cases.

Chiengi MMD district chairperson Thomas Kazembe told The Post that all the MMD committees in Chiengi district met and resolved to reaffirm their position that no interviews would be entertained for those who wished to be members of parliament and councillors in Chiengi.

“The committee sitting… comprising district, constituency, ward chairmen and ward applicants have affirmed the outstanding resolution that no other parliamentary candidate apart from Katele Kalumba in Chiengi shall be allowed,” stated Kazembe. “And they have also resolved to suspend the interviews for councillors until further notice.”

And Chiengi MMD Constituency chairman Emmanuel Muweleni also echoed Kazembe’s statement that Kalumba should be freed for the other candidates to be considered.

He said President Banda openly promised chief Puta that he would free Kalumba.

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, KATELE KALUMBA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 6:38 PM