PF has learnt a lesson from MMD's defeat - Kabimba

PF has learnt a lesson from MMD's defeat - Kabimba
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Wed 26 Oct. 2011, 15:50 CAT

THE ruling Patriotic Front has learnt a lesson from MMD's defeat that Zambian people do not want corruption, says Wynter Kabimba. And Kabimba has described as "fantastic and very successful" the PF's one month in office as the ruling party.

Reacting to former MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba's statement that the leadership of the former ruling party needs to address the issues of corruption, with which the party had been associated for years now, Kabimba said corruption had been embedded in MMD at the highest level.

Kabimba, who is PF secretary general, said corruption formed part of the MMD's legacy in the 20 years it had been at the helm of the country's leadership.

"While in power, they failed to deal with issues of corruption. The MMD in 20 years has only left one record behind - the record of corruption," Kabimba said in an interview yesterday. "It MMD has been the most corrupt organisation."

Kabimba said the MMD lacked political will to cleanse itself of graft.

"I don't think they have the political will within the party to rid themselves of corruption unless they get rid of those members whom they know have been perpetrating corruption within the MMD," he said.

"These are very high ranking members of the MMD party. So, corruption within the MMD is not something new within the ranks. It is something that has been a clear programme for them to execute."

Kabimba advised the MMD to rebrand itself by getting rid of corrupt elements who continue to steer the party.

He, however, said the former ruling party faced a challenge in that key members of the party were the ones at the core of corruption.

"MMD can rebrand itself if it got rid of the people that have been perpetuating the culture of corruption. Maybe MMD will rebrand itself which they cannot do because getting rid of that core group means the end of the party and that is why they are trying to auction the party to UPND," he said. "It is clear that the Zambian people do not want corruption.

That is very clear. One of the reasons they voted the MMD out was purely on account of making judgment against the MMD in the area of corruption. Therefore, the Patriotic Front has learnt a lesson from the MMD that it will not tolerate corruption within its ranks, both in the private sector and in the public sector and that stance we have taken very strongly and President Michael Sata is very serious about that position. We are very serious about it as a political party."

Kabimba advised the MMD to learn from its ill-fated alliance as it ponders an electoral alliance with UPND.

"We wish them good luck if they really think they can have a meaningful marriage with the UPND," he said. "They can only succeed if they can make Mr Hakainde Hichilema as the leader of that alliance because the man won't accept to be led by anybody.

He Hichilema thinks he is on earth, created by God only to come and lead others, and not to be led. If they want to go through our experience instead of learning from our experience, they first want to fall into that ditch before they can get out, let them go ahead. They will find UPND a very unreasonable group to deal with."

And Kabimba said the pronouncements and decisions made by the PF in the first 30 days of its reign had rejuvenated the hopes of Zambian people like never seen before in the last twenty years.

"The Zambian people have never been so encouraged in the last twenty years than they are now," he said. "They have been encouraged now than ever before and this is the time when the people of Zambia are saying that they can only see change under a PF government and nothing more.

It's been fantastic and very successful one month of the PF. You have seen a lot of new changes that came about, and we have no doubt in itself is building confidence of our people in the party and the PF government."

Kabimba said PF victory could only be attributed to our people.

"We are a government of the people," said Kabimba. "And therefore, we shall do what the people of Zambia want us to do. We shall do only those programmes that have the support of the Zambian people. We shall only execute those programmes that go to benefit the people of Zambia and not the individuals in government.

We are well-focused in terms of our programmes both in the party and government. We have no doubt that we will not let the Zambian people down, and they will be able to see this within the next year or two."