Hold on to the presidency, Zulu tells Easterners
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 04 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
EASTERNERS should hold the presidency diligently, says MMD provincial
chairperson Kennedy Zulu. And provincial secretary Ezekiel Mtonga has warned MMD members not to leak information to the media.
Officiating at the 2011 provincial card renewal exercise at the Chipata
Municipal Council chamber on Saturday, Zulu said the people of Luapula even
wanted a third term for Frederick Chiluba, who hailed from that area.
“As I conclude, what’s the biggest message of today? The biggest message is
this; in 2006 Luapula was the stronghold of MMD. You heard what (Luapula
Province vice-chairperson) David Chanda has said. He said when they were holding
the presidency, they even wanted a third term,” Zulu said.
“What about you Easterners, only two years with the presidency you have started
trembling with power. You are like a striker who looks in the sky when he
reaches the goalmouth and when he shoots he creates a throw-in. You should keep
the message that this man (Chanda) has brought.
They did 10 years, they wanted
15 years but us we have done two years but we have started bringing people from
the opposition to Eastern, is that good? We have started fighting the President,
is that good?”
He urged the Easterners to hold the presidency diligently and give President
Rupiah Banda 99 per cent votes.
Zulu said he wanted the opposition Patriotic Front to be getting zero votes in
polling stations in the province.
He said the province had been an MMD stronghold since 2006 and that without it,
the ruling party would have been out of power.
Zulu boasted that from the time he became chairperson in 2008, about 17 MMD
members have been employed in government with the latest being the provincial
youth chairperson, Moses Moyo, who he said had been appointed ambassador to
Nigeria.
He said the MMD members had been employed in government because of unity.
“Recently, we had the provincial youth chairman, have you seen him here? Have
you see Moses Moyo here? Where is he? Niulule? Niulule?
(May I disclose?) As we
are talking now he is an ambassador in Nigeria. If this has happened to others
like Rose Banda, Bensai, even the DCs why can’t the same happen to you? Let’s
keep ourselves well,” Zulu said.
He said he was proud of President Banda’s performance in the last two years.
Zulu thanked party cadres for playing a pivotal role during the voter
registration exercise.
And Mtonga threatened to suspend some party members that were indisciplined.
He urged party members to learn from what happened to the provincial committee
that was dissolved on disciplinary grounds between 2007 and 2008.
“Respect is important because these positions we have, we did not just get them
on a silver plate, we struggled. Lets not be cheated, my office is open
everyday, let’s talk so that we bring discipline in the party,” Zulu warned amid
murmurs from the cadres.
He said those that would be bringing problems would be chased so that they take
those confusion to PF, UPND or UNIP.
Mtonga said some problems that were in the party came as a result of money.
He said squabbles would only reduce President Banda’s votes in the province.
But some cadres complained that Mtonga’s speech was too harsh and that it could
divide party members.
The card renewal was only attended by Mkaika and Milanzi members of parliament
out of a total of 16 MMD members of parliament in the province.
Labels: KENNEDY ZULU, MMD, TRIBALISM
Read more...
Hold on to the presidency, Zulu tells Easterners
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 04 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
EASTERNERS should hold the presidency diligently, says MMD provincial chairperson Kennedy Zulu. And provincial secretary Ezekiel Mtonga has warned MMD members not to leak information to the media.
Officiating at the 2011 provincial card renewal exercise at the Chipata Municipal Council chamber on Saturday, Zulu said the people of Luapula even wanted a third term for Frederick Chiluba, who hailed from that area.
“As I conclude, what’s the biggest message of today? The biggest message is this; in 2006 Luapula was the stronghold of MMD. You heard what (Luapula Province vice-chairperson) David Chanda has said. He said when they were holding the presidency, they even wanted a third term,” Zulu said.
“What about you Easterners, only two years with the presidency you have started trembling with power. You are like a striker who looks in the sky when he reaches the goalmouth and when he shoots he creates a throw-in. You should keep the message that this man (Chanda) has brought.
They did 10 years, they wanted 15 years but us we have done two years but we have started bringing people from the opposition to Eastern, is that good? We have started fighting the President, is that good?”
He urged the Easterners to hold the presidency diligently and give President Rupiah Banda 99 per cent votes.
Zulu said he wanted the opposition Patriotic Front to be getting zero votes in polling stations in the province.
He said the province had been an MMD stronghold since 2006 and that without it, the ruling party would have been out of power.
Zulu boasted that from the time he became chairperson in 2008, about 17 MMD members have been employed in government with the latest being the provincial youth chairperson, Moses Moyo, who he said had been appointed ambassador to Nigeria.
He said the MMD members had been employed in government because of unity.
“Recently, we had the provincial youth chairman, have you seen him here? Have you see Moses Moyo here? Where is he? Niulule? Niulule?
(May I disclose?) As we are talking now he is an ambassador in Nigeria. If this has happened to others like Rose Banda, Bensai, even the DCs why can’t the same happen to you? Let’s keep ourselves well,” Zulu said.
He said he was proud of President Banda’s performance in the last two years. Zulu thanked party cadres for playing a pivotal role during the voter registration exercise.
And Mtonga threatened to suspend some party members that were indisciplined. He urged party members to learn from what happened to the provincial committee that was dissolved on disciplinary grounds between 2007 and 2008.
“Respect is important because these positions we have, we did not just get them on a silver plate, we struggled. Lets not be cheated, my office is open everyday, let’s talk so that we bring discipline in the party,” Zulu warned amid murmurs from the cadres.
He said those that would be bringing problems would be chased so that they take those confusion to PF, UPND or UNIP.
Mtonga said some problems that were in the party came as a result of money. He said squabbles would only reduce President Banda’s votes in the province. But some cadres complained that Mtonga’s speech was too harsh and that it could divide party members.
The card renewal was only attended by Mkaika and Milanzi members of parliament out of a total of 16 MMD members of parliament in the province.
Labels: EASTERN PROVINCE, KENNEDY ZULU, RUPIAH BANDA, TRIBALISM
Read more...
Pressure mounts on Chishala to withdraw
By Chibaula Silwamba and Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 09 Jan. 2011, 04:02 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda and Vernon Mwaanga have attempted to persuade Chilufya Chishala to withdraw his candidacy for the MMD Eastern Province chairmanship to pave way for the President’s preferred candidate, incumbent Kennedy Zulu to go unopposed. According to well-placed sources, President Banda wants to use Mwaanga to convince Chishala to withdraw.
“The President had dinner with Chishala at Luangwa House on Friday and he tried to make him withdraw from the race, but he refused because even the President has no proper reasons to make this man withdraw,” the sources said.
The sources said there were plans by some top officials from the party to freeze the election for the chairperson so that they start with vice-chairman and ensure that Zulu was maintained.
Another source said President Banda and Mwaanga wanted to use the tactics used in Western Province where Namakando Simasiku’s opponent Charles Mututwa was prevailed upon to withdraw at the last minute and offered a national executive committee position.
The sources said education minister and MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya failed to convince district chairmen that they rally behind Zulu.
“Dora actually met district chairmen at Murphy Undi Guest House on Friday night and told them that the President will have more problems if Chishala wins but the chairmen maintained that they want Chishala. They categorically told her that they have a lot of problems as chairmen because of Zulu who has failed them,” the source said.
The source said it was better for President Banda to withdraw Zulu from the race because in the event that Zulu loses, he was going to be embarrassed together with the chairman.
The sources also said President Banda met district chairmen yesterday at Luangwa Lodge although some candidates, who are vying for various positions, said the meeting might influence the voting pattern.
Zulu is expected to compete against Chishala, Michael Phiri and Jonathan Mazyopa.
And President Banda said he refuses that The Post twists the MMD membership.
Speaking when he saw Chishala, one of the two main contenders for the MMD Eastern Province chairmanship, on arrival at Chipata Airport on Friday, ahead of today’s party provincial conference, President Banda said the people in the province were united.
“I started a long time refusing that the newspaper twists us,” said President Banda.
President Banda’s statement was in reference to The Post’s lead story that he had directed parliamentarians from Eastern Province to back Zulu and de-campaigned Chishala, who is not an Easterner, on tribal grounds.
He said he wanted the will of the people to prevail.
President Banda had hugged Chishala and told him that they meet in the night.
President Banda said he thanked Zambia for having given him the Presidency.
And aspiring candidates for various positions in today’s Eastern Province MMD conference have said President Banda’s scheduled meeting with the delegates before the election might work against them.
In an interview on Wednesday, the candidates who opted to remain anonymous said it would be better for the President not to have a closed door meeting with the delegates because doing so might jeopardize those that were not the President’s preferred candidate.
“Our concern is that if the President meets the delegates before the elections, things may not go well because the President might influence the voting pattern,” one of the aspiring candidates said.
The candidates also said that there were plans by Lusaka Province chairperson William Banda to send his violent group to the Eastern Province conference.
“We are told that there are plans to ensure that the incumbent chairperson carries the day, but we don’t want violence here,” he said.
Asked whether it was true that he would be sent to campaign, William Banda said no one had assigned him to Chipata.
“I haven’t been sent to campaign to Chipata. Please don’t ask me things that I don’t know,” Banda said before hanging up. Banda is expected in Chipata for the party conference.
But incumbent provincial chairperson Zulu said some people were just fearing their shadows.
“This is crazy! The President is definitely going to meet the delegates but I don’t know why people are fearing their own shadows. What do they mean; the President should not meet the delegates? Even Michael Sata is going to meet his delegates before opening to the conference. I think as the going gets tough people are developing malaria,” Zulu said.
Labels: CHISHALA CHILUFYA, KENNEDY ZULU, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
Read more...
Eastern Province party elections divide MMD
By George Chellah
Sun 07 Nov. 2010, 04:03 CAT
PARTY elections have left the MMD in Eastern Province divided. Well-placed sources within the provincial executive committee yesterday disclosed the problems the party was facing in the region.
“In terms of party organisation and leadership, we have serious challenges here. And our provincial chairman Kennedy Zulu has caused all these divisions in the party due to the manner in which he conducted party elections as well as the way he is running the party,” the sources revealed.
“The party has managed to hold just a semblance of elections in all districts except Chadiza and Nyimba. We say semblance because the elections were not democratic and they didn't meet party guidelines. Kennedy was literally filling positions with his own people under the pretext of elections.”
The sources disclosed that Zulu had been planting his own people in most district executives to enable him sail through once the provincial conference is held.
“And it's these manouevres that have left the party in the province divided. For instance, even in the provincial executive committee, Kennedy only works with the chairlady Martha Mulenga and the provincial secretary Ezekiel Mtonga. As for the rest, we are not regarded as part of the executive even though we are bonafide provincial officials,” the sources said.
The sources said the party in the province risked losing some loyal members and sympathisers to the opposition Patriotic Front.
“Since Kennedy wants to run the party here like his own construction company, people are saying that they will vote but they will not assist in campaigning for President Rupiah Banda in the province. A good number of our members have vowed that they will let Kennedy campaign alone since he doesn't listen to anyone,” the sources said.
“People are bitter with Kennedy because it seems he is untouchable and no one can even dare to take him on simply because he is the President's blue-eyed boy. Actually, Kennedy himself even boasts that 'It's only the President who talks to me and no one else.' We have tried to raise these issues with senior party officials in Lusaka but it appears they are all afraid of Kennedy because of his close links with the President.”
The sources urged President Banda to moderate Zulu.
“Our advice to the President is that if they don't manage Kennedy well, this party will not perform as expected in the forthcoming general elections. It’s not a secret that PF is breaking new ground here in Eastern Province and internal squabbles being created by Kennedy may lead to failure in certain districts. This region is the President's stronghold and one expects the President to outdo PF next year,” the sources said.
“But with the way things are going, President Banda here is not guaranteed of a landslide victory. Sata and PF's performance might improve if Kennedy is left to do as he pleases because people are frustrated. The fact of the matter is that PF has seriously penetrated areas like Chama North, Chama South and Nyimba. Even Todd Chilembo, Boniface Nkhata and Forrie Tembo who are the MPs in these areas know that there are problems in their constituencies.”
But Zulu said in any election there were always people that complain.
“Of course, they will recover from their losses. I don't expect everyone to be happy because we all have different interests. I know there are people who feel the elections didn't go their way. That's why we say 'Olila siamugwila pakamwa' meaning don't stop one who is crying. Let them remove all the emotions,” he said.
He denied dividing the party.
“We have done elections in seven districts. In Nyimba, we did elections already and we are waiting for Chadiza. We delayed in Chadiza because of funding problems,” he said.
When asked about his decision to sideline other provincial leaders, Zulu said: “Even the President, who is close to him? It's the Vice-President. So even in the province you work with the closest.”
He also said as MMD provincial chairman, he was senior to the provincial minister. “It’s not that I am close to H.E. His Excellency the President. Every provincial chair is close to H.E. because the President works through the chairman. The provincial chair is senior to the minister. When the President is visiting, it's the provincial chairman that receives him, then the minister. That's why the provincial chair is an ex-officio of the NEC,” he said.
Zulu said he has delivered to the people's expectations.
“We Eastern Province have delivered a President, won two parliamentary by-elections and nine wards across the province,” said Zulu.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, EASTERN PROVINCE, KENNEDY ZULU, MMD
Read more...
Mangani’s demotion won’t affect party’s operations - Zulu
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 30 May 2010, 04:20 CAT
EASTERN Province MMD chairperson Kennedy Zulu has said the demotion of former home affairs minister Lameck Mangani cannot affect the party’s performance in the province.
Reacting to concerns by some MMD members that Mangani’s demotion would badly affect the party because of his popularity in the province, Zulu said the demotion of one Cabinet minister could not affect the performance of the party.
“That is entirely not true, there is no way that a demotion of one particular Cabinet minister could affect the performance of the party in the whole province because he is not the provincial chairman. He doesn’t hold any political position, he is just an MP and the President thought it wise in his wisdom that he should appoint him to be a Cabinet minister and the same President, through his wisdom, he thought it wise to withdraw that appointment,” Zulu said on Friday.
He said according to the Constitution, the President had the authority to appoint or disappoint anyone.
“Definitely Honourable Mangani has personal friends and personal friends would cry because they have got personal feelings towards a particular person. But when you look at it politically there is nothing wrong and he has not been completely thrown out, he is still a minister although in a lesser portfolio. All I can say is to ask his personal friends and his supporters to put the party first and not personal feelings when such things happen,” Zulu said.
He said President Banda knew the reasons behind Mangani’s demotion.
“You know government appointments, when you are dropped, it’s not the end of the day or end of the world for you. If you recall Honourable Lupando Mwape was one time dropped as a provincial minister only to be re-appointed as Republican vice-president. So you can see how things can go in politics. Even Honourable Mangani all he can do is to stay cool, recollect and continue supporting the President,” Zulu said.
Mangani once served as provincial MMD chairperson.
Zulu also dismissed complaints from district executive committees in the province that they were not being considered for government appointments.
“This is not true because Chama District chairman is now a district administrative officer in Chama and without mentioning the name there is another district official who might soon get an appointment somewhere. It’s not true that it’s only people at provincial level.
District officials, constituency, province even those who are just our supporters if they have qualifications we say can you help us on this position so that the people can be assisted. We consider everybody who is a party cadre,” Zulu said.
On MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba’s conviction, Zulu said the party was behind him.
Labels: KENNEDY ZULU, LAMECK MANGANI, MMD
Read more...
Chiefs should always be impartial on matters to do with politics – Madzimawe
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 04 Apr. 2010, 04:01 CAT
HOUSE of Chiefs chairperson chief Madzimawe has described Eastern Province MMD chairperson Kennedy Zulu's sentiments that the party would consider Milanzi chiefs' recommendations in the adoption of their candidate as mere politicking.
And Milanzi by-election MMD campaign manager Dr Eustarckio Kazonga said MMD would embark on issue-based campaigns in the area. In an interview last Thursday, chief Madzimawe said traditional leaders should always be impartial on matters to do with politics.
“I think the PEC MMD provincial executive committee chairperson was just politicking when he issued that statement. I think that message was targeted at other political parties like the opposition trying to scare them that they MMD have the backing of the chiefs but chiefs are non-partisan and they are supposed to be impartial,” chief Madzimawe said.
He said chiefs only advocated for better candidates who could represent the people well once elected.
“All the parties should present better candidates so that they could be able to represent the people better in an event that they are voted into office. I think what chief Kathumba said on this issue was very good because people need a credible representative,” chief Madzimawe said.
He urged political parties taking part in both the Milanzi and Mufumbwe by-elections to conduct peaceful campaigns.
“You know people should realise that although they belong to different political parties they are brothers and sisters, they are members of the same family and so they should embrace each other. We don't want anybody to preach violence in these areas during the campaigns,” chief Madzimawe said. “They should leave these places the way they will find them. We don't want any damage to property and other bad things to happen.”
And Dr Kazonga, who is also local government minister and Vubwi member of parliament, said the MMD would base their campaign on issues.
“We are going to explain our programmes that we are carrying out that we are going to present to the people of Milanzi. Ours is issue-based campaign, government has done a lot in that area and we are going there to explain what government is doing,” Dr Kazonga said.
He said the people of Milanzi were able to see what government was doing.
When asked to comment on White Banda who was adopted on the MMD ticket, Dr Kazonga said he had not yet officially received the name of the candidate.
“I was out of office so I have just reported to the office today. I haven't received the name of the candidate officially but I am the campaign manager,” Dr Kazonga said.
Dr Kazonga denied reports that his ministry had called chief Kathumba of Katete to Lusaka because he was seemingly opposed to the MMD candidate.
Sources said some traditional leaders in Milanzi preferred 2006 Sinda losing MMD parliamentary candidate Zebron Banda to White Banda.
Earlier, chief Kathumba said it was not his preoccupation to take part in the selection of political candidates.
Chief Kathumba advised all the parties taking part in the by-election to adopt credible people.
UNIP has adopted Musa Banda, MMD has adopted White Banda while PF-UPND has adopted Albert Banda.
The Milanzi by-election is slated for April 29.
Labels: CHIEF MADZIMAWE, CHIEFS, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, KENNEDY ZULU, POLITICS
Read more...
Those insulting Banda have an agenda based on jealousy – Zulu
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Monday, March 30, 2009 7:03:05 AM
PEOPLE insulting President Rupiah Banda have a different agenda based on jealousy, Eastern Province MMD chairperson Kennedy Zulu has charged. And Zulu said it is surprising that expelled Katuba member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa and his Mpulungu counterpart, Lameck Chibombamilimo, are trying to challenge their expulsion but did not care when they where insulting the party.
In an interview last Saturday, Zulu said President Banda had done nothing wrong.
“We don’t understand some people that can wake up and start to insult the President but in my opinion, it’s very wrong to do that, I can only suspect that maybe some of them expected to be appointed...or others were frustrated because at one time, they were not adopted as members of parliament. You know jealousy creeps in politics just like anything. Others, it’s just jealous that this old man is now our leader. It’s just jealous,” Zulu said.
He said President Banda was trying his best under very difficult economic situations that were not only affecting Zambia.
And Zulu said it was very funny that Shakafuswa and Chibombamilimo were fighting to get back into MMD.
“What surprises me is that these people at one time, they were insulting the party like they didn’t care to belong to MMD, like they didn’t care to be disciplined, they didn’t care that maybe they might lose even their parliamentary seats, but now the party disciplines them, it gives them the freedom to do what they want but they are fighting to get back into MMD. It’s very funny, am very surprised myself. The best thing for them was to say okay since you have set us free, either we join another political party or we stay out of politics that’s what I can comment over those two gentlemen,” Zulu said.
He said the best that Shakafuswa and Chibombamilimo could do was to apologise to the people of Zambia over the bad comments they made about the MMD and President Banda.
“There is no need for them to fight because they will be losing their money to pay for lawyers and so on. If anything, what they are supposed to do is to say we are sorry for the bad comments against the President, against the party, against the people of Zambia because you see, to be President is God’s choice at the bottom of it. There are others who have been fighting to be presidents since 1964. It shows that God plays a part in the choosing of a leader at a certain time so if you start insulting that person, what you are saying is that God made a mistake which is not possible,” said Zulu.
Labels: KENNEDY ZULU, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
