Maravi

We won't quit govt - MMD MP Mukata

We won't quit govt - MMD MP Mukata
By By Kombe Chimpinde and Roy Habaalu
Thu 19 July 2012, 11:00 CAT

KEITH Mukata says he will not quit the government despite pressure from MMD president Nevers Mumba that they either relinquish their ministerial positions or face expulsion from the party.

And the nine MMD members of parliament threatened with expulsion for accepting ministerial positions had the blessings of Rupiah Banda, according to close sources. Meanwhile, Katuba member of parliament Dr Patrick Chikusu says threats of expulsion on them were misplaced.

Mukata, who is Chilanga MMD member of parliament and Deputy Minister of Commerce , said those who had issues with the appointing authority must deal with them separately and not use him as a pawn.

He said in an interview that Mumba was making a mistake by deciding to expel him and his colleagues for accepting ministerial positions in the current government.

Mukata vowed that he would not resign as deputy minister and that he would still remain in the party.

"The law is on our side, the people of Zambia who elected us, are on our side, they have no problem with us serving in government," he said.
Mukata said the MMD had appointed people from other parties into government when they were in power.

"I do not see why the practice suddenly became wrong under Pastor Mumba. I will not be twitched around like a yoyo around. I come from a very professional background. I was supposed to be a judge in 2010. I don't think I joined politics to be a cadre or whatever it is," he said.

"I respect my club MMD and I have not done anything wrong in the MMD. Those that that have issues with President Michael Sata should deal with them."
Mukata said serving in the government was not a job for him but a service.

"Serving as a minister for me is not a job if that is what they think, it is a service, maybe for other people. I probably used to make much more money in my law practice than now. When I travel (as deputy minister), I have to supplement the travel with my own money. If it were a job, I should not be running projects in my constituency," Mukata said.

He said he was being driven in more expensive cars during his law practice than now when he was in the government.

On claims that by Mumba that President Sata was appointing members of parliament from a party which he called corrupt, Mukata said there was no party that could claim that it was corrupt free.

"People need to separate political rhetoric and games from realism. Corruption starts with an individual, that is when it permeates a system..." said Mukata.
And Dr Chikusu, who is serving as health deputy minister, said the former ruling party would sink if the nine members of parliament choose to resign from the MMD.

"He (Mumba) wants by-elections when there people out there who are dying who need to go the hospitals, there is poverty yet we are busy pulling each other over things like that. For me that's my concern. If it is going to be a democracy for fixing each other, then we are not ready for it," he said.

"I have gone through the (party) constitution and I have not found anywhere where it says when you are given a position in government, you have to be expelled. The PLC (Parliamentary Liaison Committee) cannot override the Constitution," said Dr Chikusu.

Meanwhile, sources within MMD's National Executive Committee (NEC) said Banda felt undermined when his successor, Mumba, announced that those who had accepted ministerial positions in the government should consider themselves expelled.

The sources said the decision to expel legitimately elected members of parliament was working against Mumba because he had not been consistent himself and lacked morality on the issue.

"The mere fact that all of them consulted RB (Rupiah Banda) before they accepted those ministerial positions, they find it very deceitful that the party can turn around and ask them to choose between expulsion and resigning from government and they feel that they have a very strong case to get protection from the courts, from the Speaker and I think they have a lot of public sympathy," they sources said.

They said the party was existing because of its members of parliament and frustrating a few would lead to its demise.
Another source said Mumba had difficulties rescinding his decision over threats of expulsion on the nine MMD members of parliament in government because he would be regarded as a coward.

"We cannot run away from the fact that there is a battle for the soul of the MMD and the interest groups are many. There are those who founded MMD from inception and fell out of the way out of principle and they would like to reclaim the soul of the party. And there are those who tried to exercise their democratic rights within the party and they got expelled," said the sources.

"All those are competing interest groups who are a very, very strong voice and reasonable voice I must say because for them there is no immediate benefit that can accrue to them except that they would like a political landscape that sticks back to the aspiration of the Zambian people emanating from the initial ideas of the MMD."

Labels: MMD, MPs, PF

posted by MrK @ 3:54 PM