Maravi

Greed will divide SP - Munkombwe

Greed will divide SP - Munkombwe
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 14 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT

VETERAN politician Daniel Munkombwe says Southern Province risks being torn apart because of greed. And Munkombwe complained that he would have been a multi-millionaire by now had it not been for politics.

Commenting on revelations by some Southern Province chiefs that the UPND was behind the tension between the government and chiefs in the province over realignment, Munkombwe said the greed that was being exhibited by some people would divide the whole Southern Province.

"I get concerned when people say we are going to give pressure to the government. I have always been for dialogue. I nearly lost my life during the struggle when the Kariba war between the Tonga of the Gwembe Valley and the colonialist, when they were fighting in 1960 and I don't think I will be prepared to go into any war now for whatever reason," he said.

" I think the government is willing to talk to the people, but no government can be pressurised to really work under duress, that does not augur well. If there are any people who are planning anything, it should be put on the table. And greed will divide the whole Southern Province, it will be torn apart because of greed."

Munkombwe advised that whoever had issues with the government should explain their position and they should also take time to ask the people of Southern Province for their views.

"But if they are going to apply pressure particularly political pressure, no government can succumb to political pressure, I know that. Presidents or governments very rarely succumb to pressure," said Munkombwe.

And Munkombwe said he would have been a multi-millionaire by now and leading a quality life had he not been in politics.

He said he was poor because of politics.

"I am leading a very quiet life now and I want to see if I can stand the last few days or years of my life by working for myself because I have totally been impoverished by politics. I should have been a multi-millionaire.

There was a time when I used to drive 16 tractors on my farm, during the early 1970s and late 1960s. I used to have over 2,000 herds of cattle. I am now poor. My Kalundu Motel was turned into welfare, where everybody was just sleeping and eating freely. My Choma Hotel, my garage was used to repair all political party vehicles," lamented Mukombwe.

Munkombwe said his only benefit now was the peace that was prevailing in the country and that he still carried his reputation with him.

"That is where I gain pride but otherwise, I have been impoverished by my participation in politics for far too long. I am poor. Some politicians have even been referring to me as a very poor old man so I am grateful that I have come out poor in the political life. Some people have come out fat and rich but I have come out poor and that I am going to retire very happily. I am now 80 and I have spent three quarters of my life in politics," he said.

Munkombwe said having been in politics for over 60 years, he wanted to give chance to other people to equally make contributions in the country's social, economic and political areas.

Labels: DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE, UPND

posted by MrK @ 7:03 PM