Maravi

My father has been deserted - Andrew Banda

COMMENT - If president Rupiah Banda has been deserted, it is because his base were plunderers and thieves. I guess they no longer think he can keep them out of prison.

My father has been deserted - Andrew Banda
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe and Amos Malupenga
Mon 26 Sep. 2011, 14:20 CAT

MY father has been deserted by those who enjoyed his presidency, former president Rupiah Banda's first-born son Andrew has revealed. And Andrew has appealed to President Michael Sata to help reconcile the country from post-election tensions.

Meanwhile, opposition MMD national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe yesterday appealed to President Sata to protect MMD members countrywide from harassment because "a wrong cannot be corrected with another wrong".

In an interview from Chipata yesterday, Andrew, who is also first secretary for Political and Administration at the Zambian Embassy in Italy, said his father had been misled into a loss by his handlers.

Andrew revealed that last week's loss came as a great shock to former president Banda.

He said none of the people that formed his father's ‘inner circle' had gone to comfort him on the loss.

"And I have a right to finger-point because what has happened is affecting everybody. The truth of the matter is that the old man is alone with my mother there. He has been deserted," Andrew revealed.

"I was with the former president myself at his press conference and at the inauguration ceremony because I believe that is the way to go - to hand over power in a decent manner. There are lessons to learn to what happens to a leader when he has lost power. Now he is alone there with my mother. All those…I don't think they would want even to know him. I appeal to all those people not to isolate him. I just wish those who have distanced themselves from my father well."

Andrew said his father had fallen because of the ill behaviour and advice from some people who were very close to his presidency.

"I know some people might not accept what I am saying. They will say ‘this is not time for finger-pointing'. But I strongly want to say this is the time for finger-pointing," Andrew said.

"We have to blame ourselves for the loss. I feel those that are responsible for this loss, whoever they are, wherever they are, posterity will judge them because for the MMD, especially the president, they prepared themselves for the elections. The campaign material and other resources that go with elections, he former president Banda did that. I have never seen this happening in my political life. But it's not the materials that win you the vote, but the hearts."

Andrew said MMD was no longer appealing to the people during the just-ended election.

"That is what has been demonstrated. I wouldn't like to start mentioning names of people here but there were a few characters in the party that should shoulder the blame," he said.

Andrew also said he did not have sympathy for reneged Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda, who unleashed vigilante-type of campaigns in Lusaka Province, anchoring campaigns on violence.

"I am on record two years ago. I said something about the leadership of Lusaka that they were not good for a democracy and that has been demonstrated," he said.

"For instance, in Lusaka, you heard that Mr William Banda's house was burnt and his whereabouts are not known. That is unfortunate. But violence begets violence. Those that have caused the loss must bear the blame."

Andrew said his father was misled that he was popular by those who were very close to the presidency.

"That's the problem my father had. He never wanted to be told the truth. They all told him what he wanted to hear," Andrew said.

"And he admitted that really ‘I did not listen'. And the truth of the matter is sometimes he did not listen and it had to take the people to speak through the vote.

I am not mentioning anybody's name apart from all those that you have mentioned Dora Siliya and Peter Daka. There are certain people who exclusively thought they owned former president Banda, and only them were wiser than anybody else."

Andrew said he would ensure his father's full retirement from active politics.

"As for the MMD, I don't believe in its current state…they must consider rebranding themselves and move forward," he said.

"If the MMD had won this election, whether by 100, 000 or one million votes, the people of Zambia would have rejected the election outcome…there would have been war right now. The people of Zambia were ready to rise up. Time for the MMD was over. The people of Zambia were tired, fatigued with the party."

And Andrew said there was need to strengthen the new President to make him consolidate and improve on what his predecessor achieved, and at the same time help the country to heal from post-election differences.

He urged President Sata to sort out current bottlenecks in the maize marketing exercise while organising for next year's farming season.

"Reconciliation is very important. The sooner he can reconcile Zambians, the sooner he can build on what my father has built," Andrew said.

"There is need for reconciliation. There is need for President Sata to provide leadership immediately, and I don't doubt that. If he delivers on his promise, I can assure you all Zambians will support him.

There is so much tension in the country at the moment, and that part lies squarely on President Sata. Let him sort out these problems in agriculture. From the bottom of my heart, I wish him all the success and congratulate him on his election. I am available to my country. I love my country and I will try to ensure that the old man former president Banda is okay.

President Michael Sata has persevered. He has demonstrated that when you persevere, you always get what you want, and also the people of Zambia have spoken. Mr Sata has certain strengths which my father doesn't have, and vice-versa. They need each other."

Andrew also explained that the MMD lost because of faulty organisation and lack of proper campaign messages.

"Clearly, the MMD didn't reach out to the people. They tended to be going to strongholds of the PF but PF on the Copperbelt, Luapula, Lusaka and Northern Province hardened and increased their numbers," Andrew said.

"They captured the youth vote and there was no message for those in the civil service from the MMD campaign team, and other institutions, whereas President Sata and the PF promised that they will increase the salary of civil servants and other sensitive institutions."

Andrew saluted his father for handing over power in a very honourable and civilised manner, which he said had set a precedent for future leaders.

"If I have been party to my father's downfall, I apologise. I would have loved to help my father campaign but for some reasons, I couldn't. But I was with him to face that hostile crowd at the inauguration," said Andrew.

"If there can be life after death, what about after a loss of an election. That was a very hostile crowd, but I took him because as he goes down, I have to go down with him but some of the people that surrounded him who exclusively wanted to own him squarely must bear the blame for the loss, and I don't think anybody, including the former president was prepared for this loss."

Andrew said none of former president Banda's children had fled the country after the fall of their father.

"I am in touch with everybody. Everybody is around. I know that there were speculation but James is around. He is around and everybody is okay," said Andrew.

And Major Kachingwe said Zambia had just gone through a wonderful election and that the MMD graciously conceded defeat.

"What is remaining now is to move forward. And my plea is for the government to protect us because our people are being persecuted a lot. It has not been nice," Maj Kachingwe said.

"We need peace for all Zambians. We need protection. But I want to appeal to my members to remain calm. I am very confident that the government will stop the persecution."

Major Kachingwe said MMD members in various parts of the country were living in fear because most of them were being beaten. He said he had received reports that some MMD members in Nakonde had even fled into Tanzania.

Asked about William Banda's violent activities against MMD's political opponents, Major Kachingwe responded: "You cannot correct a wrong with another wrong."

And Major Kachingwe said the MMD brought democracy and change was part of a democratic process.

"That is why we have accepted change as being inevitable. But the lesson to learn is that when you are in power don't be complacent. For us, as a party as MMD, the principles were good and we achieved most of the things we set out to achieve," Major Kachingwe said.

"The highlight is the handing over of power in humility. To me, that is the greatest achievement. It shows what we stand for."

Labels: ANDREW BANDA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:26 PM