Mulongoti feels left out by Sata

Mulongoti feels left out by Sata
By Allan Mulenga
Sat 28 Apr. 2012, 15:40 CAT

MIKE Mulongoti says he is disappointed that President Michael Sata has never met him since winning elections.

Mulongoti, who resigned as works and supply minister in the Rupiah Banda government and embarked on a country-wide campaign tour for the PF and President Sata, now feels unappreciated.

In an interview, Mulongoti said having campaigned and convinced the people of Zambia to vote for PF, he was shocked that President Sata had not bothered to meet him.

"We were the supporters of the Patriotic Front. We went all over the country to ensure he President Sata wins. There he is now, we have never met. I am sure he's got his own opinion because I am also supposed to have my own opinion," he said.

But PF national chairperson Inonge Wina said it was not possible to give jobs to all people who participated in the campaigns.

Wina said when jobs were available, they would be given to deserving individuals.

"I don't know whether we could be able to give everybody a job in one day. It is a bit silly to say that all the people who supported PF should be given jobs. When jobs are available, definitely some people will get these jobs. But for now, maybe they are not available, so that is why they are not being given," she said.

And Mulongoti said the government's decision to give too much power to the party was a mistake.

"We wish them well in their endeavour to try and give power to the party. But I think it is a mistaken position in that the party was given the mandate by people to form government which they have done," he said.

Mulongoti urged the government to separate the party from the state.

"Party functions and the state don't mingle. They are just like oil and water. The people of Zambia, I think are abreast to that because of the one-party system brought by the UNIP government," he said.

Mulongoti wondered why PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba had been given powers above Cabinet ministers.

"We had such kind of arrangement under UNIP and I think people's memories are still fresh when the party and its government were one. And because of that, people were against that kind of arrangement. People would want to see the government separated from political party functions and not party functions coming to the front of government," he said.

Mulongoti accused Kabimba of ascending to power through the back door.

"If he President Sata wants to create a position of minister without portfolio, let him do it, he has got powers to do that in the Constitution, but not through the back door. Because these portfolios are in the back door, come out in the open. The people of Zambia will not fight him because he has got that power in the Constitution to create position and abolish positions," he said.

Mulongoti said he was being realistic, while speaking from a legal position.

"Anyway, I am just trying to be realistic, but I am speaking from a legal position. From the legal position, if they have written it circular formally, it has to be sanctioned by Parliament. But if it is not, it is just an academic thing for now until such a time. We are not saying they shouldn't recognise each other in the party. That is alright, but not in government because in government, it will be difficult to enforce," said Mulongoti.

But Wina said each political party had its own culture of dealing with issues.

"People should realise that each political party have a way to in which they work; they have their own culture, and PF has got its own culture. And the way it organises its party hierarchies and structures is unique to the PF.

There is no mix whatsoever between government and the PF administration. Mr Kabimba, as you have noted, he always comments what the PF manifesto says and that those that are in government should be very conversant with the party manifesto which all of us contributed to, and secondly, should implement policies in line with party manifesto," she said.

Wina assured the public that Kabimba was not drawing any salary from the government coffers.

"Mr Kabimba is not getting any salary from government whatsoever. The party is looking after him and so there is no area of conflict here and people should not worry that we are mixing party politics with government work," said Wina.