Maravi

It's Don't Kubeba in Mufumbwe - Masumba

It's Don't Kubeba in Mufumbwe - Masumba
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 07 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT

STEPHEN Masumba has regretted that his former party, MMD, maliciously and dubiously painted President Michael Sata 'black' in a bid to win the 2011 elections. And Masumba says MMD president Nevers Mumba will soon realise that he is selling the party to the Patriotic Front through by-elections.

Announcing his resignation as Mufumbwe member of parliament and local government deputy minister to defect to the PF in Lusaka yesterday, Masumba, who lost an appeal against expulsion from MMD in the Lusaka High Court, confessed that the MMD had lied about President Sata and what he was going to do if elected.

"There were a lot of things that we talked about; we called Mr Sata names, others of course, we went as far as saying 'when Sata comes in power, women will be marrying each other, men will actually be marrying each other, and so on," he said.

"There was propaganda that was going round where we said that Mr Sata was going to cut away North Western Province and it was going to be given to Angola; I don't know what kind of logic that was. There were issues that we fought him on and said 'Mr Sata said 'North Westerners are like doormats but in turn Mr Sata did not look at the harm that we did because, indeed, we did a lot of damage on him."

Masumba further said although people in North Western did not give President Sata votes, the head of state felt it wise to include him and Elijah Muchima in his government.

He said he was not appreciated by MMD under the leadership of Mumba.
Masumba said that he was undoubtedly the right man to contest the seat, having grabbed it from the UPND.

"As I speak now, the message in Mufumbwe is not the same, the message in Mufumbwe is the message of Don't Kubeba! The issue of saying PF is not popular (in North Western Province) does not arise. Let's test the waters and the truth will come out. I brought the seat to MMD. Just the way it was brought, I can still bring it back to the PF," Masumba said.

He also warned that Mumba would soon regret his decision of expelling members serving in government when he realises that he is selling the party to the PF through by-elections.

"The courts have not made any decision, it was a ruling (on injunction) and not judgment, it was up to me to continue the case," he said after being asked whether he had decided to defect because he lost an appeal against expulsion.

"It is because the MMD feel their will is to have elections there. Let us respect their will. It's like they have started selling these seats. That pastor (Mumba), I don't know whether he is still a pastor or not... the only thing he does is bow down while HH is building on his party," said Musamba.

And Wynter Kabimba said Masumba would be considered first priority in the PF adoption process for the Mufumbwe by-elections.

He said that Masumba had made a sacrifice by submitting to the will of the MMD to expel him on tramped-up charges.

"The policy of the party is that those that sacrifice or show a spirit of sacrifice like Mr Masumba has done will certainly be given priority when it comes to the adoption process by the central committee when a by-election arises like the case now in Mufumbwe," he said.

"If you go back to the local government elections which were held on the 7th of July this year, we won all the three seats that were in North Western Province. That itself is an indication that we are breaking ground in North Western Province as PF. The feedback also from traditional rulers you know has been very clear that they would love to work with the Patriotic Front, and that area is part of the development agenda like any other province," he said.

"Like any other province, North Western Province should be part of the PF's development agenda which had remained backwards under the MMD for 20 years."
Kabimba said there was no message that MMD that was in power for 20 years could take to the people of North Western Province and convince them that they would be better off under an MMD member of parliament against the PF.

"UPND had MPs in Mufumbwe including its vice-president Richard Kapita (in Mwinilunga). What have they done? UPND thrives on an ethnic tramp card; anti-Sata, anti-Bemba tramp card. This is a unitary state. No tribe applied to God to be brought into Zambia. What people want is development which is clearly spelt out in the manifesto.

Labels: MMD

posted by MrK @ 5:10 PM