Maravi

MMD will survive, says Ndlovu

MMD will survive, says Ndlovu
By Mukosha Funga
Tue 06 Nov. 2012, 14:50 CAT

International Conference Center - Picture by Joseph Mwenda
MMD information and publicity secretary Alfred Ndlovu says his party will survive because it has a survival kit.

And MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe says his party is very confident of winning the Mufumbwe seat and was just worried with the level of corruption in the government.

Commenting on UNIP candidate in the Mufumbwe by-election Stephen Kamwendo who charged that although UNIP was voted out of government, MMD was going into the doldrums, Ndhlovu said the former ruling party would survive as an opposition because they had a survival kit to see them through many years.

"MMD has a survival kit which UNIP did not have. It is held in confidence and only we know the way we are going to survive. We have the courage that is needed to be in the opposition," he said.

Ndlovu said unlike UNIP, the MMD had done a lot for Zambians.
"UNIP is different from the MMD and there is no way that the two can die together or do anything together. UNIP is a socialist party and we are a capitalist party... The reason why UNIP died is that it left behind shortages of commodities. We used to queue to buy things in the shops... People have even forgotten about these things because of the hard work of the MMD under the leadership of Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and Rupiah Banda," he said.

"You cannot say a party like this is worse than the UNIP."
Ndhlovu said UNIP members had murdered their party when they boycotted the 1996 elections.

"In 1996, UNIP boycotted elections reducing their 21 members of parliament to nothing and that was self-suicide. They died because they boycotted elections. The MMD will never boycott any elections. We will never die," he said.
Ndhlovu added that UNIP's failure to change leadership successfully also contributed to the killing of the party.

"UNIP was glued to Dr Kaunda; they did not want to change. And usually when you do not change a leader successfully, a party can die and even the MMD could have died. But we change our leaders and the party survives. UNIP wanted anyone who would be seen to be sympathetic to Dr Kaunda to lead the party and consequently, they lost ground with UNIP because that is not what the people wanted," he said "They died because they did not prepare themselves for the challenge of change."

Nhlovu said MMD was viciously defending Mufumbwe.
"We are winning Mufumbwe because people do not want a drunkard, womaniser. That is not what we want in leadership. Why should Mufumbwe people be cheated?" he asked.

On President Michael Sata's statement on Wednesday that the government was sitting on a big MMD volcano and that there was so much confusion in the civil service as some people do not want the PF to succeed, Ndhlovu said it was not true that there was an MMD volcano.

"It is failure of the leader to change people. If I go to The Post today, I will change it and make it run according to what I think is good management. I am not going to complain that Fred M'membe planted a volcano here because I know I am dealing with professionals," he said.

Ndlovu said the quarrels in PF were signs that the party had a bad leader.
And Kachingwe said the MMD was doing everything possible and civil to win the Mufumbwe by-election.

"We are participating in a civilised way in Mufumbwe. We have warned our party officials and cadres to abstain from violence because the people of Mufumbwe deserve dignity," Maj Kachingwe said.

He, however, said their only worry was the "corruption in government".
"Promising the people clinics... we hope that in the future the Electoral Commission of Zambia can do something about such campaigns," said Maj Kachingwe.

Labels: ALFRED NDLOVU, MMD, RICHARD KACHINGWE, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 2:39 PM