Maravi

MMD refute claims of party instability in WP

MMD refute claims of party instability in WP
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sun 02 Sep. 2012, 10:25 CAT

ABOUT six MMD members of parliament from the Western Province yesterday said that assertions by party leaders working with convicted Austin Liato that the party in the area is cracking are malicious.

And the members of parliament say President Michael Sata, who promised to restore the Barotseland Agreement should be taken to task over the failure to fulfil his electoral promise.

During a press briefing to comment on activities by Liato, a former chairperson for labour who recently resigned from the party which he said was headed for extinction, the members of parliament said that the party was still intact in the area.

Liato and some four MMD provincial officials, who have since been suspended from the party, have been touring the province to marshal support towards Liato's next political move.

Sources said Liato had joined the UPND but he told The Post during an interaction in Kaoma last week that he had not joined the opposition party.

Mwandi MMD member of parliament Michael Kaingu, who was flanked by Liuwa and Nalikwanda members of parliament Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane and Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa respectively, said their statement was meant to clear the air on the political happenings in the province.

"The others who are in their constituencies have been consulted and they agree with us that this statement must be submitted," Kaingu said. "We the members of parliament from Western Province would like to dispel or dismiss the malicious statements which are being floated in the media by some party officials that MMD in the Western Province has cracked."

Kaingu claimed whilst reading from the statement that the MMD in the province was strong and that all structures were still very strong and sound.

"In fact, the MMD seed in Western Province is on fertile soil after the PF government has lamentably failed to honour all its campaign promises including the restoration of the Barotse Agreement," Kaingu read. "We members of parliament do pledge our total support to the MMD party and work closely together with our party president Dr Nevers Mumba. We are totally committed to the rebranding of the party."

Asked to comment on Liato's excursions to the Western Province to destabilise the MMD, in league with four suspended MMD provincial executive committee officials, the parliamentarians refused to be drawn into the issue.

"We are not here to talk about any party or any individual. We have come to give a statement with regard to the happenings that have been reported in the media," Prof Lungwangwa responded. "MMD strongly believes in the freedom of the individual to associate with any organisation of their choice. Those who have taken the decision to leave and to associate with any organisation that is their choice."

Dr Musokotwane said some people in Liuwa attempted to defect to the ruling PF but that they changed their minds when they realised that it was not 'friendly' to the people of Western Province after it failed to honour most of its campaign promises.

And Kaingu said when the PF came to power, it gave a lot of hope and promise, especially to the people of the Western Province on the issue of the Barotseland Agreement.

"Naturally people were excited. They thought they would get benefits. The people of Western Province want that agreement to be restored. Now that the PF has failed to do that, naturally our people are disappointed with the government. They are disappointed with the President," Kaingu said.

When pushed to categorically state whether they were in support of the Barotseland Agreement or not, the members of parliament said the MMD never made any promise on the issue like the PF did whilst in opposition.

However, Kaingu said the Barotseland Agreement was the basis of the country's unity which he said could also have been used in the decentralisation process.

Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, MMD, WESTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 3:32 PM