PF officials' lives in danger - Chumbwe
By Roy Habaalu, Alan Mulenga, Kombe Chimpinde-Mataka and Abel M
Sat 16 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
PF Lusaka Province chairperson Geoffrey Chumbwe says some senior party officials are on a mission to destroy the Patriotic Front. And Chumbwe says PF thugs have put the lives of party officials in danger.
Commenting on Robert Chikwelete's statement that the people he worked with to champion the removal of party secretary general Wynter Kabimba want him dead, Chumbwe said there was a clique within PF working with "criminals" to destabilise the party.
"They are on a mission to destroy this party. We are not going to allow that. They are not genuine people. They are being paid to destroy this party. What is surprising is that when we work hard, they want to bring in confusion. If they were genuine members of the party they should have been mobilising the party, but when we mobilise the party they bring in confusion so that we don't work," he said.
Chumbwe wondered why some senior party officials were sponsoring violence, if they were genuine PF members.
"We are working under a lot of threats. There is a group of people that is working with criminals to destabilise the party. Personally, my houseboy told me that some two weeks ago about four vehicles went to my house. They wanted to force their way in but the garden boy stood his ground, they slapped him and beat him up and started throwing stones at him. But when they noticed that he was uncompromising, they left the house," he said.
And Chumbwe asked the police to protect the lives of party officials.
"What is happening to Chikwelete might spread to innocent people if it is not checked. The most disappointing thing is that the police know very well who these people are. On several occasions, I know my party officials have gone to the police to complain about these people, but nothing is being done," he said.
Chumbwe accused the police of being comfortable when dealing with members outside the party structures.
"If these people go to the police to complain against our party officials, the police are quick to move in and start questioning our party officials. We have a group of thugs and a group of party officials," he said.
"It seems the police are more comfortable to work with thugs, who are working with a few senior party officials, as compared to working with people who are in structures in the party. What is happening is disappointing and believe me, this thing when it is not checked properly, we are going to be in trouble."
Chumbwe urged the police to be professional in their conduct.
"I don't understand the motive because it is like party officials who are in structures, including Chikwelete, are enemies of this country. We are asking the police to be professional. We have complained already to the police. We told them our concerns and even names were mentioned. The police should protect us, we are Zambians, we are not enemies," said Chumbwe.
"It is not only Chikwelete alone; I have received so many complaints from people who are being harassed by well-known thugs. Even the places where they hold meetings are known places. If the people could sit down with Chikwelete, he will give them more information, because even where the meetings take place we have told the police. I can't understand why the police are not moving in. Our lives are in danger."
Meanwhil, Malimba Mashake has implored President Michael Sata to save the Patriotic Front from violent elements.
In an interview, Masheke, a former prime minister in the UNIP government, said he knew that if President Sata strongly stood against the infighting in the party that last week claimed one life, the violence would end immediately.
"I know that if the President stood up to stop it himself, it will stop at once," he said. "The violence we are seeing in PF is not by accident. Those that are doing it know that they are doing it. The only thing that is wrong is that they are using our young people. They have no remorse...they see people bleeding just to get an upper hand in politics, but that is not good."
"All that is fighting for leadership but a tall tree will always be there. In a forest you will always find one. You don't force yourself to be a leader. It seems there are people in there who are trying to be tall trees when they are not."
Masheke said violence should not have a place in the country today.
"We should focus on building the nation, uniting the people," advised Masheke.
And Ng'andu Magande has advised opposition political party leaders to stop celebrating the intra-party violence in the PF leadership because it affects the governance system.
In an interview yesterday, the National Movement for Progress president, said the PF could use people outside the party to resolve the infighting.
"Although, we opposition political parties might be celebrating that they the PF are failing, it is the country which is suffering. It is not only themselves there quarrelling, in particular it erodes confidence of the citizens in the country. Obviously, some foreigners are sacred visiting Zambia where people are running in the streets with machetes," he said.
Magande said the intra-party violence if not properly handled would negatively affect the PF's popularity.
"Depending on how the popularity was built, this will affect them. If it was build on promises of free money, some people are also fighting in order to see that free money wherever it is coming from and whose pockets it is going to. They might still be popular but obviously it is not the party that becomes unpopular, it is the leadership," he said.
"It means the leadership is failing to control and that unfortunately affects confidence of the people in the leaders. I think those are the things they must consider as they continue to fight amongst themselves."
Magande said the PF leadership should shoulder the blame over the violence that had rocked the party.
UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said the PF should cleanse itself of bad elements that were funding 'thuggery' and 'hooliganism' as quickly as possible.
He said the recent violence which left one party cadre dead should not be entertained and President Michael Sata, as commander in chief and chief executive, should stamp his authority.
President Sata has since condemned and stopped the violent acts from going on in the party. The Head of State directed Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu to investigate the violence incident and ensure culprits were brought to book.
However, Mweetwa said the PF should tackle the root cause of the violence by identifying people that were financing such ugly acts in a country that had enjoyed continued peace over years.
"Political fanaticism and factionalism should not be allowed in a country which is at the advent of 50 years of independence, this state of affairs is extremely embarrassing and should not be entertained because it has economic connotations in that, we are beginning as a country to appear as though we are sliding into political instability and anarchy, something capable of frowning upon and frightening foreign direct investment," he said.
"So we think this political violence should not be left unattended to and it is high time President Sata really put a stop to this fanaticism in the PF."
He reiterated that the issue of a tribal clique in the PF and tribalism as alleged by Kabimba must be addressed fairly, squarely and in a sincere and magnanimous manner.
"As long as the sponsors of thugery and hooliganism in the PF remain looming large and are not addressed to stop this syndicate, divisions and wrangles will continue to consume the ruling party," he said.
He said the violence in the PF was now diverting the attention of the country from addressing real issues of economic development and other issues affecting it in a meaningful way.
"All of us are just focusing on political violence being orchestrated by the PF, so really, this should not be left to continue anymore," said Mweetwa.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, PF
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GBM has no wisdom to lead - Chumbwe
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 06 Nov. 2012, 14:00 CAT
LUSAKA Province PF chairman, Geoffrey Chumbwe, says defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has no wisdom to be President of Zambia. And Chumbwe said the PF in Lusaka would not allow Mwamba abuse party structures for his personal errands.
On Friday during the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) commissioning and wings parade in Livingstone, President Michael Sata told Mwamba that he was aware of his intentions to form a political party. But Chuumbwe yesterday said Mwamba had no capacity to run a country.
"The chances of GBM winning as president are zero my brother. I can't even say one per cent, its zero. There is no way he can win; he will only find his vote not even his wife can vote for him. Those people surrounding him and cadres will just eat his money and won't vote for him," said Chuumbwe.
"To be a president, it's not about money, you need wisdom. Can you tell me that GBM has wisdom you? So my brother you need wisdom and not only money. He's just wasting his time," he said.
Chuumbwe said Mwamba, commonly known as GBM, was a political amateur who could not read the mood.
He said the party would not allow Mwamba to abuse its structures for his personal gain.
Chuumbwe said President Michael Sata was mandated to rule for 10 years and that the party won't allow him to retire before that period.
"The President has to serve for two terms. So if someone is forming parallel structures, thinking that he's going to take over from the President (Sata).
We won't allow it unless that person wants to bewitch the President so that he dies. For as long as the President lives, we are going to support him. There is no one in PF who is going to support any other person besides Michael Sata until he does his two terms," said Chuumbwe.
On Mwamba's boasting that he financed the PF during the run-up to the September 20 general elections, Chuumbwe said the claims were baseless and unfounded.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GBM, GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, PF
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PF will perform beyond expectations - Chumbwe
By Roy Habaalu
Fri 12 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT
LUSAKA Province Patriotic Front chairperson Geoffrey Chumbwe says the ruling party has settled down and is ready to develop Zambia.
And PF Central Province chairman Benson Chali says people had only seen a tip of the iceberg in terms of performance of the ruling party in the one year it has been in office.
The PF marked a year in office on September 22, 2012 after defeating the MMD in last year's general elections.
In an interview, Chumbwe said the party was organising itself and clearing the way for development.
He said the 90-day theory had given direction on how the PF would govern the country.
"There is no way you can build a country like Zambia in 90 days at least we have given direction and people should watch the space and see where we are going. After five years, this country won't be the same again and Zambians will be proud to be called Zambians because the PF is going to perform wonders beyond their expectations," Chumbwe said.
He said under the MMD, Zambia was known as a haven of thieves, adding that at that time, it was embarrassing and humiliating for people to associate themselves with the country.
"When MMD was in power, I went to the United Kingdom and at the airport an old Indian driver gave me a lift and asked me where I was coming from. I said I was from Zambia Then he said 'Oh, you're from that country where you've a president who is a thief'. That was the time when late president Chiluba was appearing in court for corruption offences," he said.
Chumbwe said it might take long for people to appreciate the government's efforts to develop the country because the country had ground to a halt under MMD.
"Even some ministers and permanent secretaries, we still have civil servants who are still MMD; until we are very sure and clear all MMD cobwebs from the system, we can say we are now working but for now we're still cleaning up the mess that the MMD left," Chumbwe said.
He said civil servants retarding the government's progress had been identified and warned that all MMD sympathisers would be dealt with the moment they were discovered.
And Chali said Zambia was set for a turn-around because it had a pro-poor President.
He said President Michael Sata was an experienced leader who wanted to improve the living standards of the poor.
"The difference between Michael and other leaders is that he doesn't look at the higher class but wants to bring the lower class to a level where they feel proud of being Zambians," Chali said.
He said if all people decided to work hard together, Zambia would prosper.
"People should ask themselves - we've made mistakes alright - but what if we gave Rupiah Banda another five years, what would have happened?
We would have been talking about Zambia sold to foreigners but at least today we're there and things are stabilising. So it's just the start of the game. People should expect much more from the government," said Chali in an interview.
Labels: BENSON CHALI, GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, PF
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PF members opposed to Kabimba's dual roles are impostors - Chumbwe
By Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 17 Sep. 2012, 10:16 CAT
LUSAKA Province PF chairperson Geofrey Chumbwe says opposition UPND cadres will be forced to 'shift' from their party secretariat if they continue issuing violent threats against the ruling party cadres.
And Chumbwe says PF members that are opposed to Wynter Kabimba's dual roles of justice minister and party secretary general were impostors that would not be allowed to import confusion into the party.
Addressing PF cadres at the party's secretariat on Lusaka's Luanshya Road yesterday, Chumbwe said he was surprised that some UPND cadres even threatened PF cadres when they had no capacity to fight.
"We want them opposition to criticise issues which have value, not issues that are going to incite violence in this country. We are not for violence," he said.
"I was even surprised the other day the UPND were threatening PF cadres. Do they really have the capacity to fight us? I want to tell HH, I want to tell them that they have no capacity at all to fight us. We want peace in the city, because if they push us too far even where they are operating from bakakuka they will shift."
Chumbwe said the PF made several campaign promises to Zambians and that it does not want to be distracted by individuals that do not even have "a value of a toilet paper".
"Our job now is to try and deliver our promises to the people of this country," he said. "They are seeing and they are very upset about it. They thought that we are going to fail. We won't fail. We will do even much more than what we promised the people."
And Chumbwe said he expects people from the opposition and not PF members to complain over Kabimba's dual roles because this would be to the benefit of the party.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, PF
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Sata appoints Chumbwe Lusaka PF chairman
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 09 Sep. 2012, 10:25 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has appointed Geoffrey Chumbwe as Lusaka Province PF chairman. Chumbwe confirmed the development, saying he received the letter of appointment from President Sata on Friday. And Chumbwe said his vision would be to ensure that the PF becomes stronger.
"The party itself is a people's party, the people voted for PF to get into power and maybe we are not doing much to get to the people. This is the first time that we have been in government and as a politician I think we have a few gaps between us and the people so far. My vision really would be to get down to the people," Chumbwe said.
Chumbwe said he would also make sure that the PF does not do things which the people did not approve of.
"The PF was the most popular party in Lusaka and we want to get back to that level; to make sure we do what the people want, not what they don't want. We don't want to do the opposite. We don't want to do what MMD was doing," he said.
Chumbwe, who is the losing PF parliamentary candidate in Chilanga, takes over from Davies Chama who it is believed will be sent into foreign service.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, LUSAKA, MICHAEL SATA, PF
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Rupiah has abused people’s sympathy, says Chumbwe
By Bright Mukwasa
Fri 27 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has heavily abused the sympathy vote he was given in 2008, says Geoffrey Chumbwe. And Chumbwe says it is immoral for President Banda to play around with the health of the people of Chongwe district who were admitted to the newly built hospital for “show” during the launch of the mobile hospitals.
In an interview, Chumbwe said people that voted for President Banda hoped he would continue and commit to late president Levy Mwanawasa’s vision and dream. Chumbwe said President Banda’s move to divert from those promises made him unworthy of another mandate.
“President Banda has already used the sympathy vote and heavily abused it; he has wasted it. He's going in this election. And we’re going into this election head-on,” Chumbwe said.
He said this year the MMD would not even get the rural vote.
He said the U-turn on many of Mwanawasa's promises, had spoiled many chances of the MMD to gain votes in this year's election.
Chumbwe also accused President Banda of being insensitive to the health of the people of Chongwe district.
He alleged that during commissioning of mobile hospitals in Chongwe recently, President Banda's government organised sick people from surrounding health centres to pose in the hospital just to show that his regime was working.
“Patients were brought here and put in wards, but the moment he left, the people were removed. Mobile hospitals also left just the moment he left,” said Chumbwe.
He said the MMD's desperation to win votes was reaching dangerous levels as it had resorted to playing with people's lives.
''It's unbelievable that President Banda is playing with people's lives. We can't have a liar for a President. It's really painful you know,” said Chumbwe during a visit at the hospital.
And a check at Chongwe district health centre found patients crowded and some of them sleeping on the floor while relatives waiting for expectant mothers spent nights in an open shelter.
The newly built hospital had no staff manning it and at the time of the check it remained closed.
And speaking when he donated bicycles to PF party members in Chongwe last weekend, Chumbwe urged the beneficiaries to intensify their recruitment of members in the interior of the district.
He urged his party members to use the bicycles for mobilisation.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, MOBILE HOSPITALS, RUPIAH BANDA
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MMD NEC has no power to expel any member, says Shakafuswa
By Maluba Jere
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
JONAS Shakafuswa yesterday told the Lusaka High Court that the MMD national executive committee (NEC) has no power to expel a member from the party. This is in a matter where Katuba parliamentarian Shakafuswa sued MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba seeking a declaration that his expulsion from the party was illegal.
He is seeking an injunction directing Kalumba, MMD officials, the party's NEC or whosoever to restore his party membership and allow him to perform the functions of member of parliament until determination of the matter.
Shakafuswa is seeking among other reliefs, as an alternative to the injunction in question, another injunction restraining Kalumba through party officials, the NEC, party servants and employees of the National Assembly from interfering with his enjoyment of his party membership pending determination of the matter.
During inter partes hearing before judge Nigel Mutuna, Shakafuswa testified that the MMD had not held any national convention from the date of his purported expulsion. He earlier told the court that he was accused of having been forming parallel party structures.
Shakafuswa, who was led by lawyer Jack Mwiimbu, said under article 19(n) of the MMD constitution as read with article 19(l), there was no provision for expulsion and such powers rested with the national convention.
And PF deputy national youth chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe told the court that he wrote a letter to Kalumba, informing him that he had received news that Shakafuswa was forming parallel structures in Kanyama compound.
“We MMD NEC had some differences with Shakafuswa. So after the complaints, I approached him Shakafuswa at a NEC meeting at State House to find out if it was true he was forming parallel structures in Kanyama and we had a misunderstanding, we fought,” Chumbwe said. “So I wrote a letter to the national secretary, complaining against Shakafuswa’s activities.”
Chumbwe, the former Lusaka Province MMD chairman, told the court that Katele later informed him that the matter relating to Shakafuswa had been resolved and it was closed.
In cross-examination by James Banda, Chumbwe said the deputy national secretary had no power to discipline a party official unless that was done in consultation with NEC.
The petitioners in this matter have closed the case and the MMD told the court that they would call one witness.
The matter comes up on November 26, 2010 for defence.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, JACK MWIIMBU, JONAS SHAKAFUSWA, KATELE KALUMBA, MMD, NEC
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Chumbwe defects to PF
Written by Agness Changala
FORMER Lusaka Province MMD chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe has defected to the Patriotic Front (PF) because of intimidation in the MMD. And former MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) member Christine Moonga said one must be a liar to survive in the MMD. Meanwhile, Dunamis Christian Centre founding pastor Dan Pule said he is convinced that Michael Sata is the man that God wants for Zambia.
Speaking when he defected to PF in Lusaka yesterday, Chumbwe, who was welcomed by party vice-president Guy Scott, general secretary Edward Mumbi and other senior officials said, said most people who were not happy with what was going on in the party could not speak because doing so in the MMD was insulting and disrespectful.
"In MMD if you tell the truth, you are insulting and disrespectful," he said.
Chumbwe said it was not easy to decide and join PF because if he did so earlier, he would have died by now.
He said he had decided to join PF not because he was upset or attacked by the MMD but simply because he was disappointed with the party as it had been hijacked by selfish individuals who wanted to get something out of late president Levy Mwanawasa's death.
He said he knew and understood Sata better because they worked together and it was for this reason that he had decided to join the party.
"I have decided to work with bayama [uncle] the one I know better," Chumbwe said.
And officially defecting to PF, Moonga appealed to Zambians to embrace change and not allow a party like the MMD, which was beyond repair, to continue.
"In MMD if you have to survive, you have to be a liar," she said. "Embrace change with a difference and not MMD to continue."
Moonga said God had a purpose for taking away president Mwanawasa, adding that time had now come for Sata to rule.
Meanwhile, pastor Pule, who also declared his support and endorsed Sata, said he had never supported a loser and he was sure that Sata would win.
"I have never supported a loser," pastor Pule said. "Sata is going to propel this country forward because he is a man of action and of the people."
Other MMD officials who defected to opposition PF include Paul Moonga [Christine's husband], Gladys Phiri (MMD member) and Esther Nakawala.
Labels: DEFECTIONS, GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, MMD, PF
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Rupiah has a slim chance, says Lusaka MMD chairman
By Katwishi Bwalya
Thursday October 23, 2008 [04:00]
LUSAKA Province MMD chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe has said Vice-President Rupiah Banda has slim chances of winning next week's presidential election because of disunity in the party. Chumbwe yesterday said he and other people who supported finance minister Ng'andu Magande during the election of the MMD presidential candidate had totally been sidelined by Vice-President Banda's campaign team.
Chumbwe said the division had narrowed the MMD's chances of winning the forthcoming election contrary to the party's election campaign chairperson Mike Mulongoti's claims that there was no disunity in the party.
Chumbwe said the opposition was likely to take advantage of the disunity within the ruling MMD and win the October 30 presidential election, which he said would be unfortunate.
Chumbwe's statement is contrary to Vice-President Banda's assertion during a rally in Chongwe last Sunday that Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata might only win the election in Lusaka by a narrow margin.
"For the party, what I can say is that I hope for the best because politics is about numbers. And if certain people try to work on their own, leaving out others because a vote in politics is very important, it can make a difference but in this case, others are being sidelined. Maybe they think we have already won the elections," he said.
"Some of us have got positions in the party and we have been elected and we should be seen to be doing something and when we are not seen doing something, the people who elected us will ask and when they are not given the right answers, they will be suspicious.
And when Honourable Mulongoti says no one has been sidelined, then it is unfortunate because personally, I have met Mulongoti and there are issues that we have discussed and I can say here for instance, where is honourable Masebo? Even Honourable Magande himself?
Chumbwe said the biggest opposition for the MMD lies within the party.
"The biggest opposition MMD has is the opposition within the party, and it's true we are not participating because we earlier agreed at a meeting held at Government House after the burial of late president Levy Mwanawasa that all provincial chairpersons would coordinate their provinces.
I went to the campaign centre where I met Mbita Chitala and Richard Kachingwe and they told me that the candidate Rupiah had already approved a list for Lusaka and my name was not there and each time I went to the campaign centre, I could see that things were not moving well because actions speak louder than words.
But I started campaigning for RB using my own resources, going in the field but I saw that there was so much distance between us who were campaigning for Magande and other people," Chumbwe said.
He said as provincial chairman, he was not told about Vice-President Banda's movements in Lusaka Province.
"For instance, I am not told when the candidate is visiting places or even going in my province, even when he was in Rufunsa, I didn't know, even the Chongwe rally. Had it not been for local government minister Sylvia Masebo, I would not have known because she just informed me. That was how I attended that rally," he said.
Chumbwe said he sought audience with Vice-President Banda's campaign agent Benny Tetamashimba on why the Magande team had been sidelined from the campaigns.
However, he said he was informed that they were being sidelined because Magande had refused to accept the appointment as MMD campaign coordinator for Southern Province.
"Tetamashimba informed me that we have been sidelined because he Magande refused to accept the appointment to work for the party. But the way I know Magande, I doubt it if he really refused to work for the party.
But if indeed he refused to work for the party then people should ask themselves why did Magande refuse the offer of being the campaign co-ordinator for Southern Province. But what I’m saying is if Magande truly refused to work for the party then I blame him because it is unfortunate if he refused to work for the party," he said.
Chumbwe said even if Magande had refused to work for the party, his followers should not have been sidelined in such a way because they all agreed that they would support Vice-President Banda.
He said despite the divisions, the people that rallied behind Magande had continued to campaign for Vice-President Banda individually in their areas.
Chumbwe said it was unfortunate that the party was busy discussing positions in the new government when the MMD had not yet won the election.
"We should concentrate on campaigning for our candidate Rupiah Banda first before we can start sharing positions in government because a lot needs to be done before October 30," said Chumbwe.
Last Saturday, president Mwanawasa's nephew Peter Shakafuswa warned that it would not be easy for Vice-President Banda to win the elections on October 30 if the current disunity in the MMD continues.
Peter said it was unfortunate that Vice-President Banda had continued to sideline all those who voted against him during the MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that was held to elect a presidential candidate.
Peter wondered how the MMD hoped to win the forthcoming elections when it was divided.
"There is a lot of speculations that he Vice-President Banda has forsaken finance minister Ng'andu Magande and all those who voted against him. So I am challenging my Acting President to come out in the open and tell the nation the true picture...
“Where is the trust going to be and where is democracy going to be if among ourselves we have not reconciled?" Peter asked. "We are seeing situations where home affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, Magande, local government minister Sylvia Masebo and many others are not part of RB's campaign."
However, Peter asked Vice-President Banda to forgive all those that voted against him.
But Mulongoti said it was not true that Vice-President Banda had sidelined all those that campaigned and voted for Magande during the NEC election.
Mulongoti described as incorrect statements by Peter Shakafuswa that it would not be easy for Vice-President Banda to win the October 30 presidential election if the current disunity continued in MMD. He said as far as he was concerned, every MMD member of parliament had a role to play in the campaigns.
"I have no comment to make. I am on the Copperbelt but what people should know is that every MP is supposed to be a campaign manager in their respective constituencies, unless they reject that," Mulongoti said.
He said some ministers were seen not to be actively involved in the campaigns because of the busy nature of the offices they occupy.
"You know that some people run busy ministries but when they are free, they do attend these campaigns. As you know, government should be running smoothly despite the elections," Mulongoti said.
And losing MMD Kanchibiya parliamentary candidate Judith Kapijimpanga last week complained that MMD parliamentarians neglected her during the election campaigns.
"I have conceded defeat but I would like to outline that this is one of the quiet MMD by-elections we have ever had from the time I went into politics...the most quiet in the sense that there was no MMD backup," she said.
Kapijimpanga observed that Sata and his parliamentarians had camped in Kanchibiya to campaign for Mwango.
"But there was no MMD member of parliament in the constituency so I was literally alone until the last three days before polling day. I actually feel neglected by my fellow members of parliament," Kapijimpanga complained.
Asked if she could foresee the same voting pattern in the forthcoming presidential polls, Kapijimpanga said the MMD had to campaign hard to avoid a loss.
"Sata made sure he was everywhere in Kanchibiya, he was campaigning like he was a candidate contesting," Kapijimpanga said. "So, maybe, if there is a repeat of the same, it could lead to the same type of results but now that he is done with Kanchibiya, I don't think he will come back and camp in a manner which he did...but if we work hard ourselves...I am staying on to campaign for our candidate and my party and I hope people will realise that it's the government in power that provides money for the projects."
And later Kapijimpanga's husband, Davies, accused community development minister Catherine Namugala and Northern Province MMD chairman Griever Sikasote of practising tribalism and being behind his wife's loss.
Davies accused Namugala and Sikasote of being tribalists. He said his wife was totally abandoned by her own party.
"No one was sent there to go and campaign the way they did with the Milanzi by-election and even if resources were sent, she needed human resource; people who were going to be helping her there. PF literally camped there, all the PF MPs camped in Kanchibiya. None of our MPs from Northern Province camped there. And the reason is very simple. It is people like Catherine Namugala and Griever Sikasote who think that Northern Province only belongs to their tribe because they are tribalists," said Davies.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA
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Levy counsels MMD MPs over dangers of 50%+1
By Brighton Phiri and Patson Chilemba
Wednesday April 23, 2008 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa yesterday cautioned MMD members sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) over the 50 per cent plus one majority presidential vote in view of what is happening in Kenya and Zimbabwe. And President Mwanawasa has banned MMD officials from issuing careless statements on the crisis.
Meanwhile, the MMD has suspended Lusaka Province chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe for calling for the removal of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from office by force.
According to MMD sources, President Mwanawasa, during MMD parliamentary caucus meeting at State House yesterday, advised MMD members of parliament and party's representatives sitting on the NCC to take a leaf of the implications that had arisen in Kenyan and Zimbabwean elections as a result of enshrining a 50 per cent plus one presidential vote requirement in the constitution.
"President Mwanawasa, however, did not ask the MMD members to vote against the 50 plus one per cent but appealed to them to consider its implications in view what was happening in Kenya and Zimbabwe. It was clear that President Mwanawasa was telling MMD members that the 50 plus one per cent has failed in the two countries," said a source, who declined to be named.
According to the source, President Mwanawasa also warned MMD officials against issuing careless statements on Zimbabwe's crisis saying it would not be in the interest of Zambians for the two countries to go to war on account of careless statements. The source said President Mwanawasa reminded MMD members that there was a government spokesperson, MMD chairperson for international relations and party spokesperson who were eligible to issue press statements whenever there was need for that.
The source further disclosed that there was a heated debate when defence deputy minister Mwendoi Akakandelwa raised the issue of the Barotseland agreement, which called for secession of Western Province.
According to the source, Akakandelwa's statement did not please President Mwanawasa who openly dismissed it. The source said Akakandelwa's statement was also dismissed by defence minister George Mpombo, Western Province MMD chairperson Joseph Mulyata and labour deputy minister Austin Liato, all of whom said calls for Western Province's secession were not supported by majority of people from the province.
And in a statement, MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba stated that President Mwanawasa implored the NCC members to make a constitution that would be acceptable to Zambians and not tailored on personalities.
Tetamashimba said the MMD members thanked President Mwanawasa for the manner in which he chaired the extra-ordinary SADC summit in Lusaka and also for his appeal not to allow the Chinese ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe to offload in South Africa, Mozambique or Angola.
Tetamashimba further said President Mwanawasa expressed his disappointment with Chumbwe's careless statement on Zimbabwe and advised that party organ statements be issued by the party's spokesperson.
Tetamashimba also confirmed that MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande had suspended Chumbwe over his remarks against President Mugabe.
But Chumbwe said he did not regret making the statement on President Mugabe.
Kaande said Chumbwe's statement had been found to be highly inimical and a recipe to strain relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe. He said MMD was a democratic party that could not encourage any change of government or leadership by force in any country.
"The statement was not sanctioned by the party; it was an act of an indisciplined individual and must not be attributed or viewed as the official position of the MMD," Kaande said. "In view of the serious nature of the statement, Mr. Chuumbwe has been suspended with immediate effect until further notice."
Kaande further said all MMD officials were reminded not to issue press statements anyhow without clearing such statements with the party secretariat.
But Chumbwe said he had not been officially informed by the party leadership of his suspension.
"I even went to State House for the meeting but I had to leave when some staff at the secretariat told me that I have been suspended," he said.
Chumbwe said he would only apologise for embarrassing President Mwanawasa but not over the statements on President Mugabe.
"I might be suspended but I don't regret what I said and I cannot apologise. To be honest, it was not my intention to embarrass President Mwanawasa because I thought I was protecting him, because they have been attacking him a lot. But I stand by what I said," he said.
Asked how he felt about his suspension, Chumbwe said each organisation had its own type of administration.
However, he said as provincial chairman he never suspended people anyhow.
"As chairperson when people err, sometimes I just talk to them. But regarding my suspension, if the party feels that's the way things should be handled, then let it be so," said Chumbwe.
On Saturday, Chumbwe said President Mugabe should be removed from power by force. He said SADC leaders should mobilise themselves and enforce maximum force to remove President Mugabe from power.
Chumbwe said there was a huge problem in Zimbabwe and that Zambia was already experiencing the spill-over effects of the difficulties Zimbabweans were going through. He said it was unfortunate that some ZANU-PF members were alleging that Zambia was being used by Britain to push for regime change in Zimbabwe.
Labels: GEOFFREY CHUMBWE, MMD, MWANAWASA, NCC
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