Maravi

MMD has reached its end - Mike

MMD has reached its end - Mike
By Patson Chilemba and Christopher Miti
Sun 10 July 2011, 12:00 CAT

THE MMD has reached its end, says Mike Mulongoti. Commenting on the resignation of Chipata Central member of parliament Lameck Mangani from both the government and MMD, Mulongoti, who was dismissed from Cabinet and expelled from the MMD for attempting to challenge Vice-President George Kunda who was President Rupiah Banda’s favoured choice for the party vice-presidency before it was scrapped-off, said Mangani’s resignation from the MMD was long overdue.

Mulongoti, who also recently endorsed PF leader Michael Sata and the PF ahead of this year’s general elections, said Mangani endured very unfair treatment from President Banda.

He said he was close to Mangani just as he was to President Banda and could attest that the Chipata Central member of parliament was given a raw deal.

“You see, if you treat people in a way that doesn’t develop relationships you force them to migrate…so as far as I am concerned I am happy for him because for a long time he was tormented. He had sleepless nights over his future and it looks like he has taken his future in his own hands,” Mulongoti said. “In a multiparty state you can’t be abused by others and keep quiet about it. I am happy for him.”
Mulongoti said Mangani’s resignation was a good development for the country.

“It’s telling the end to MMD as a political party. It’s the end of MMD because a political party is a collection of individuals who come voluntary to a political party, and if they feel unwelcome and they feel uncomfortable and they start going out, that is the disintegration,” Mulongoti said.

“So what I am seeing is the end coming like the way UNIP finished. And MMD is also heading in that direction very quickly too. And I can tell you after this election, when they lose, I am not saying if, I am saying when they lose, that party will be nowhere. It will just disintegrate.”

Mulongoti said people who were considered stalwarts in the MMD were leaving the party at a rapid rate, saying the MMD should not show sour grapes but come to terms with reality.

“It is sour grapes because it is painful. You can’t dismiss people who have been well supported. For instance the man MMD national chairman Mr Michael Mabenga who responded that the party was not bothered with Mangani’s resignation, he himself was rejected in his constituency in Mulobezi. Mangani and Masebo were not rejected. He is a reject himself,” Mulongoti said.

“He Mabenga just imposed himself because he is party chairman. So when he is saying ‘good riddance’, it is good riddance to himself because he is a loser.

Look at what happened at the convention, did they want Masebo to contest? No! She forced her way and won. That’s the difference between her and those who are saying good riddance. They will wake up to a rude shock.”

Mulongoti said the arrogance President Banda and the MMD were exhibiting would not take them anywhere because they were just digging their own graves.

He wondered why people were defecting from the MMD when they claimed to be achieving unprecedented levels of development.

“You can only see the grave very open yawning for them to go in, it is yawning. All we need is just picks and shovels to finish it off,” Mulongoti said.

He said those who were outside the MMD were able to see that things were not well for the ruling party, saying they had even acquired hired “vuvuzelas” like Edwin Lifwekelo to sing their praises.
“If they had credible people in the party left, why are those people not talking? Why are they silent? Because they have got nothing to defend,” said Mulongoti.

And panic gripped the Chipata district MMD executive committee forcing them to dissolve the Chipata central committee after news filtered through that its parliamentarian Lameck Mangani had resigned.
District committee chairperson Sinoya Mwale announced the dissolution of the Chipata Central Constituency committee at a press briefing hurriedly held on Friday night.

Mwale said the committee had failed to perform according to the party’s expectation and claimed that most of the committee members were Mangani’s bootlickers who were creating problems in the party.

He said the party would hold fresh elections to replace the dissolved executive.

Asked about Mangani’s resignation, Mwale said the MMD would remain intact.

“His resignation will have no impact because he was not a factor in the party. You know MMD is a party for people and not based on an individual,” he said.

Mwale, who was accompanied by some of his executive committee members and other officials that included Chipangali member of parliament, Vincent Daka, suspended Chipangali Constituency youth chairperson Isaac Moyo, acting provincial youth chairperson Chembe Daka, claimed the dissolution of the Chipata central committee was not in any way connected to Mangani’s resignation.

Labels: MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD

posted by MrK @ 11:34 PM