'MMD behaved like spoilt little children'
By By Prince Chibawah in Mansa
Sat 04 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

THE nullification of MMD parliamentary seats is a wake-up call to the PF not to engage in electoral malpractices, says home affairs deputy minister Nickson Chilangwa. And Chilangwa says the MMD whilst in government followed Rupiah Banda's example by behaving like spoilt little children.

Chilangwa said in an interview that the ill-behaviour perpetuated by the former ruling party had turned against them and that the PF should take a leaf.

"This also goes to us (PF) to say when we are campaigning, when we are doing things as government, we should be cautious. We must not do things that will cost us in the future," he said.

Chilangwa said the PF, when in opposition, used to urge the MMD to refrain from corrupt activities but they were always turned down.

"We were warning them that 'you cannot take the people of Zambia for granted'. We used to say those words. So these nullifications of their seats show the level of corruption which existed and still existing in the MMD. And for them to think they were going to continue living with the wrong, for them to think whatever wrong they did would be swept away is not acceptable," said Chilangwa, who is also Luapula Province PF chairperson and Kawambwa Central member of parliament.

"They should blame themselves for whatever they are going through right now. If you look at the conduct of former president Rupiah Banda, he was in the forefront behaving like a spoilt little child. And they all started behaving that way, like spoilt little children. During the campaigns, they could be told not do such things (corrupt practices) but they continued."

He said the government respects the rule of law and the nullification of seats was the MMD's own fate to settle.

"They should not blame the PF. They should not blame the courts of law. They should just blame themselves. The PF government had no leverage over the Judiciary. If we had influence over the Judiciary, we would be breaking the rule of law. We respect and recognise the separation of powers; the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive," said Chilangwa.

On Monday, the Supreme Court nullified the election of MMD's Victoria Kalima as Kasenengwa member of parliament owing to electoral corruption she engaged in during the September 2011 elections.

However, Kalima in her post-judgment remarks emotionally attacked acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda by questioning her stay in office, which she described as illegal.