Maravi

Our plans for Mufumbwe are big, says Scott

Our plans for Mufumbwe are big, says Scott
By Misheck Wangwe and David Chongo in Mufumbwe
Fri 12 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT

VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott says the opposition MMD and its new companion the UPND will never form government as Zambians are no longer interested in politics of lies.

And Mulondwe Muzungu who wanted to stand as an independent candidate in the Mufumbwe by-election yesterday pulled out of the race and withdrew his nomination papers after being advised by the UPND to abandon his candidature and rally behind MMD candidate Stafford Mulusa.

In an interview after the PF candidate in the Mufumbwe by-election Stephen Masumba successfully filed in his nomination yesterday, Vice-President Scott said the PF government under the leadership of President Michael Sata had a great passion for the poor and wanted areas like Mufumbwe district to begin to see tangible development.

"This province, North Western, is a hunting ground for us. We are happy the chiefs have accepted us together with our people. The development agenda for Mufumbwe and North Western Province as a whole is ongoing. The people here want to be connected to Zesco's main grid in terms of electricity, not the generator that uses diesel and stops every now and then.

This road from Kasempa turn off to Mufumbwe is being finished by the end of this month," Vice-President Scott said. "The road was supposed to finish under the MMD in 2007 but they kept not funding it and when we came, we funded it and the road is now finished. Our plans for our people in areas like Mufumbwe are big and we want their support to take the country forward."

He said the PF government was mindful that Mufumbwe was a different case in terms of politics and that people wanted to have one of their own PF member of parliament for development to flourish.

"We had a school burnt down here some few days ago and I sent my Disaster Management and Mitigating Unit (DMMU) to work on it and it's in operation now. We will continue being responsive to the needs of our people and look at the farmers, they are not complaining in Mufumbwe. They are up to date with their payments," Vice-President Scott said.

And speaking when he met North Western Province chiefs, Vice-President Scott said the government desired to work closely with traditional leaders to deliver the much-needed development.

And chief Mushima Mubambe's representative Ackson Mumba said the traditional leaders in the province were happy with the dedication the PF had shown to end poverty and enhance national development.

And Masumba, who filed his nomination papers at about 09:55 hours, immediately declared that he stood a high chance of retaining the seat saying MMD was finished and would not be a challenge in Mufumbwe.

He said that in the last one year that he had been member of parliament, he had done several projects which would be his witness for people to re-elect him.
And speaking at a rally after Masumba filed his papers, Vice-President Scott said PF was not scared of the MMD and the UPND alliance and called on the electorate to unite and vote for Masumba.

Vice-President Scott jokingly said that despite Masumba looking like a Makishi dancer, as he was draped in the PF regalia and splashed with face powder, the PF would tutor him into a leader of action serving in government.

"If he gets lazy dancing with Congolese dancers, I will 'dinda' (punish) him. So please vote for him; give him your trust and let him work," said Dr Scott as the crowd cheered.

Vice-President Scott was accompanied to Mufumbwe by senior government and party officials among them, PF national chairperson who is also gender minister Inonge Wina, Willie Nsanda, Jean Kapata who is the campaign manager, Professor Nkandu Luo and Esther Banda.

Meanwhile, Muzungu who was constantly on phone during the filing of his nomination papers as an independent candidate, surprisingly pulled out of the race after being called by the UPND and advised to withdraw his papers and help boost MMD's Mulusa's campaign.

"We were in the process when the phone call came and advised that we should proceed in the spirit of the pact, so I had to pull out," Muzungu said.
And returning officer Pythias Samakong'a also confirmed that the National Restoration Party (Narep) had pulled out of the election as its candidate Kelvin Kaputula sent a text to him saying the party would not take part in the by-elections.

And MMD president Nevers Mumba said the Mufumbwe seat belonged to the MMD and there was no way the people in the area would vote for PF's Masumba who was expelled from the party for being indisciplined.

"Our colleagues the PF thought that Masumba's behaviour was appropriate and that they could use him. This is strange, they can't win. MMD is extremely strong on the ground and our candidate Stafford Mulusa is winning," Dr Mumba said.

Those that successfully filed in their nomination papers include Masumba, Stafford Mulusa, and UNIP's Steven Kamwengo.

Meanwhile, filing of nominations for the Mufumbwe by-election slated for November 9, was generally peaceful in the morning except in the afternoon when police arrested two youths who were drunk and disrupted the free flow of traffic by blocking the road.

The youths that were earlier arrested by police are suspected to be MMD cadres that caused further commotion at the police station after one of them started throwing himself against a wall while claiming that police had taken his money and bank documents.

The unidentified youth was later locked up in an isolated cell.
North Western police deputy commissioner Bonnie Kapeso said police would not tolerate behaviour that would bring unnecessary attention and further urged all political parties to learn to co-exist as Zambia was a democracy.

The police also briefly detained 30 PF cadres who were on a truck that mistakenly parked at a lodge called First Inns where MMD senior officials were lodging, prompting MMD cadres to confront them.

The cadres were however released after Kapeso cautioned them, saying police would not tolerate anyone trying to fan violence.

Labels: GUY SCOTT, MUFUMBWE

posted by MrK @ 3:42 PM