Maravi

Kitwe MMD cadres protest over adoptions

Kitwe MMD cadres protest over adoptions
By Misheck Wangwe, Mwila Chansa and Darious Kapembwa
Thu 21 July 2011, 14:00 CAT

MMD cadres in Kitwe’s Nkana and Chimwemwe constituencies yesterday vowed never to campaign for President Rupiah Banda if the party does not rescind its decision to adopt Divo Katete and Ronald Manenga as parliamentary candidates.

And former Lufwanyama district commissioner Miniver Mtesa who was dropped as district commissioner after being promised to be adopted as a parliamentary candidate has resigned to join the PF.

The cadres who staged a protest at Kitwe’s Buchi Hall yesterday said the adoption process was not fair as MMD members on the ground, they wanted former sports minister George Chulumanda to contest the Nkana Constituency seat and not Katete.

The cadres said it was ridiculous for the national executive committee (NEC) members to snub Elizabeth Mataka for Chimwemwe Constituency in preference to Manenga who recently defected from the UPND.

MMD Buchi-Kamitondo ward vice-chairman Alfred Simutenda said the party would suffer another massive defeat in Nkana Constituency if Chulumanda was not adopted. He said the insensitive selection of candidates by the NEC had started dividing the MMD.

“George Chulumanda is one of the credible and loyal members and he was ready to stand with the party until the bitter end. He has been helping the women and vulnerable children in Nkana Constituency. Now this Divo Katete joined the party some few weeks ago and suddenly he has become the darling of the party. This is not fair, we will not campaign if this decision is not rescinded,” Simutenda said.

And Kitwe’s new Kamitondo branch chairman Nedson Kampamba said it was wishful thinking for the MMD to assume that it would win elections in Kitwe after adopting newcomers. He said MMD needed popular and credible candidates because the Copperbelt was the opposition stronghold.

Meanwhile, Joyce Kasunga, who represented the women said they were disappointed with the decision taken by NEC to leave out Chulumanda.

When contacted for comment, Katete declined to comment saying he was overwhelmed by the adoption.

Manenga said he went through the selection process and NEC members unanimously picked him because of his popularity.

“I’ am not a newcomer in the party. I’ am a Zambian and nobody can claim to be an indigenous MMD member. It’s unfortunate that there are those who feel more MMD than others,” Manenga said.

In Lufwanyama, Miniver Mtesa has joined the PF after the MMD declined to adopt her preferred applicant, Anne Chungu.

Mtesa said there was no way she would start campaigning for Chungu in Lufwanyama when the people rejected her.

“I’ve with immediate effect resigned and joined the PF. I will campaign for the PF in Lambaland be it Masaiti, Mpongwe, Lufwanyama, I will go. At least the PF is not surrounded by liars and opportunists,” said Mtesa.

Labels: CADRES, KITWE, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:30 PM