Maravi

Scott qualifies to be Vice-President, says Namulambe

Scott qualifies to be Vice-President, says Namulambe
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 07 Feb. 2012, 13:01 CAT

MMD chairman for elections Gabriel Namulambe says he does not see anything wrong with Dr Guy Scott occupying the position of Republican Vice-President. In an interview, Namulambe said taking the matter to court would therefore be an academic exercise.

He said the fact that Dr Scott qualified to be appointed to be a member of parliament meant that he also qualified to be Vice-President. "In my view if he qualifies to be an MP, he qualifies to be appointed to any position to serve in government by the appointing authority. Unless there are some other legal implications which I don't understand, I don't see anything wrong," Namulambe said.

He said he did not understand in what context his party intended to take the matter of Vice-President Scott's appointment to court.

"If they are going to take the matter to court on the basis that Dr Guy Scott is not eligible to be appointed Vice-President, it will be an academic exercise because already he is a member of parliament and as an MP, he is qualified to be appointed as minister which in my view even the vice-president is a minister. Unless I am reminded of which constitutional breach is there," he said.

Namulambe, however, added that the funny part of law was that people understood it differently.

"You can argue it the way you understand it, so maybe in his George Kunda legal mind the way he was looking at it, he was right in his own context. But in my own context also, looking at the Constitution, suitability of somebody to be appointed to ministerial position, in the first place he would have been barred from standing as member of parliament. Now that he stood as member of parliament, it means that he qualifies to be appointed as Vice-President," he said.

Namulambe said the only thing which could be of discussion is whether Vice-President Scott would qualify to stand as Republican president, which was totally different from the current subject of discussion.

Labels: GABRIEL NAMULAMBE, GEORGE KUNDA, GUY SCOTT, MMD, VICE PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 3:55 PM