Maravi

Nawakwi backs opposition to MMD-UPND pact

Nawakwi backs opposition to MMD-UPND pact
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 26 Oct. 2011, 15:50 CAT

FDD leader Edith Nawakwi says the members of MMD are right in opposing a pact between MMD and UPND because Hakainde Hichilema is not consistent and is obsessed with power.

In an interview, the FDD leader who in 2006 entered into an alliance with the UPND leader ahead of elections wondered why the MMD had suddenly become an angel when the UPND vowed that working with the former ruling party was like placing monkeys in a banana plantation.

"Hakainde tried to be in a pact with us, it didn't work. He also went into a pact with the PF it also failed, he walked out empty handed. Levy Mwanawasa (late President) courted Hakainde and pleaded with him to be the vice-president, he said working with MMD is like putting monkeys in a banana field. When I worked with him, he said I couldn't lead the pact because I still had an MMD identity. So what is new about this beaten and fallen MMD. What is so attractive?" Nawakwi asked.

Nawakwi described as desperate Hakainde's scheme to play the role of ‘estate administrator' for the MMD, a party that had just exited, in bid to ascend to power.

"According to UPND, MMD represented everything wrong. What commonality is there between MMD and UPND now? That is why he (Hakainde) serves people who are standing still and waiting. Does Hakainde think he can just easily be the administrator for the party which has just exited?" she said.

"If it is written somewhere that one day, Hakainde will be President, then he will, he does not have to fight hard, he does not have to deceive anyone. He should just take the example of Sir Michael (President Sata) who instead was consistent, steadfast and there… God had given him (Presidency)," Nawakwi said.

"Hakainde is no different from these people who are jumping from one party to another except that he is a leader. Yes, he did better than me because he took advantage of the fact that in 2006 we supported him, he then went out of his way to make sure our members were recruited. That has more or less put FDD in a position where we have found ourselves."

Nawakwi said the MMD members were right to reject Hakainde's push to take over their party's leadership.

"In fact UPND must start reflecting on what their future is. Are they going to be led into jumping from one bucket to the other by their leader?" she asked.

And on the continued criticism of President Sata's decisions, Nawakwi cautioned Hichilema against politics of confrontation.

"If we embrace a confrontational attitude on national affairs, where people start saying that decisions are being made in favour of one region, we won't make progress as a country. It will not serve us if those in the opposition bunch up just to argue for the sake of arguing even where they do not have a point. We don't need unnecessary outbursts, ‘because I don't like Sata. I don't like Sata, let's bunch up together'. We want to make progress in this country," Nawakwi said.

She was speaking in reference to Hichilema's allegations that President Sata decided to divide Northern Province into two provinces so that he could increase distribution of national resources to favour the Northerners, where he hails.

Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, FDD, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MMD, UPND

posted by MrK @ 4:03 PM