Maravi

Nawakwi defends MMD MPs in govt

Nawakwi defends MMD MPs in govt
By Mukosha Funga, Allan Mulenga and Roy Habaalu
Mon 16 July 2012, 14:00

EDITH Nawakwi says Nevers Mumba wants to cause a costly by-election. In an interview yesterday, Nawakwi, who is Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president, said instead of expelling his members of parliament who are ministers in the PF government and wasting money on unnecessary by-elections, Mumba should let the government create employment, provide medicines in hospitals and farming inputs.

She said Mumba wanted to cause unnecessary debates and acrimony among political parties and that she understood the pain of losing an election the MMD was going through.

She said she dropped charges against MMD when Mumba was appointed vice-president, a move which was against the Constitution, because she knew Mumba needed a job.

Nawakwi said Mumba should use moral reasoning and let MMD members of parliament work with the government.

She said Mumba abandoned his party and assisted Levy Mwanawasa in mutilating the Constitution by accepting to be vice-president
"But he desperately needed that job and I looked at him and I said my own brother, God has given him an opportunity to take care of himself and his children.

And why should I go against God's wish that one of his sons who had been praying for something for himself and God has answered his prayers, why would a person like me go against that wish? I actually used a moral argument to convince myself that even if I proved a point of the breach of the Constitution, I will actually not be doing him a favour because he would still have had no job. So why can't he use the same argument?" she asked.
Nawakwi said what was devastating and shameful about Mumba was that despite him being a pastor, he was suffering from amnesia.

"Has Nevers Mumba forgotten? ... They (MMD) took Chance Kabaghe (from FDD)... I took them to court but up to today there is no ruling on that. Our contention was that we were a club, we should be left alone to make our rules, and people were entering into our club. The court never reached any ruling on that. I don't know why he wants to change the goalpost. According to what we were briefed even when we were trying to say 'can Kabaghe come back?, can Dipak (Patel) come back', we were told we were fighting a losing battle.

We could also have fought that battle on the basis of club membership but members of the club have the right to associate with any other club. If you are member of the golf club, it does not mean that you cannot associate with the Rotary Club. That is what the argument was. But I am extremely disappointed disturbed and actually flabbergasted that people like Mumba would want to cause an expensive by-election on flimsy grounds," she said.

Nawakwi said Mumba should concentrate on mobilisng the party instead of frustrating legitimately-elected members of parliament.

"It hurt me too. They took my Mr Kabaghe and my Dipak Patel. He (Patel) was shinning in the opposition and when we stood up, we were united and a force to reckon with. We were only 12 but effective with private members motions, with debates on the floor of the House. When Dipak stood to debate we were happy and proud. Actually, I think that's the problem with my brother who we expect the highest level of integrity from, but he does not have it because he seems to have very short memory," she said.

Nawakwi said Mumba's threat to expel members of parliament that had been offered ministerial positions was a depiction of high levels of immaturity and lack of appreciation.

She said given the conduct of Mumba within the short period he had been MMD president, he would lose support of his members because he had become hostile.
Nawakwi asked Zambians not to vote for Mumba if he implemented the expulsion of his MPs, saying the decision was unbiblical.

"Mumba is the one who breaks all manner of protocol when he tried to look for a job. I campaigned for RB much more than Nevers Mumba but whenever president Rupiah Banda was going out or in the country, it was Nevers at the tarmac to receive the president even before he was ambassador to Canada.

So why shouldn't his friends have jobs? Because he has proved himself twice that he is a job seeker. His members need a job, they also need to serve the country...let's use the same argument that every Zambian has the right to serve this country," she said.

And Mike Mulongoti says the pending expulsion of MMD members of parliament serving in government marks the demise of the party.

In an interview, Mulongoti, who is former works and supply minister in the MMD administration, said there was no moral reason for the former ruling party to fight the government over the appointment of its members of parliament.

"The MMD did invite members of parliament from other political parties to join cabinet as ministers. If it was good for MMD at the time, we cannot condemn other political parties in government requesting members of MMD to join them to strengthen the administration. So, what is good for the goose it is good for the gander. There is no moral reason why MMD must fight PF over appointing of people from other political parties into government because we set a precedent ourselves as MMD," he said.

Mulongoti urged the MMD leadership to resolve their differences quietly and allow its members to serve in the current government.

"If there is any differences between executive members of parliament who are ministers with the leaders of MMD these must be resolved quietly. When you are invited to serve into government it is a privilege and that is the higher ideal that everybody aspires because we are over 13 million in Zambia. If one of the few is appointed to serve in government, we must serve with honour and dignity," he said.

Mulongoti said MMD president Nevers Mumba should not hide in the pretext of "killing democracy" by expelling his party members.

Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, MMD

posted by MrK @ 2:01 PM