Mulenga Sata eyes higher office
By Tilyenji Mwanza
Sun 20 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
MY political ambitions are still very high, says Mulenga Sata. And Mulenga says the MMD's move to sell houses bankrupted councils. In an interview, Mulenga who is Lusaka deputy mayor, said he would love to emulate his father as a good councillor.
"I am dedicated to providing the best service to the people of Lusaka and to Kabulonga as a councillor where my father was councillor," he said.
Mulenga said he wanted to be a good deputy mayor and aspire for higher political positions.
"I try to be a good leader but I have shortcomings. If I am a good deputy mayor, then I can be mayor, if they deem fit," he said.
Mulenga said politics was what he did and would continue doing till he excels to the highest levels.
And Mulenga said late president Frederick Chiluba's move to sell houses bankrupted the council.
"Those houses in Kabwata, Libala and so on were sold for barely nothing and now they are even sold for 10 times more," he said.
Mulenga added that there was need for a better evaluation system to recover land rates.
He said an evaluation of the whole city was needed.
"We need assistance from central government for now. We have about 30,000 cars a year coming in Zambia and the council derives no revenue," Mulenga said.
Labels: MULENGA SATA
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PF is going the MMD way on cadre discipline
By Editor
Tue 08 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
We think the Patriotic Front leadership is making a very grave mistake by allowing the type of cadres that the MMD had in Lusaka to emerge in their party.
What we are seeing is a replica of the type of party the MMD had in Lusaka before the 2011 elections. The MMD had developed a very violent team of cadres that took over the party and its activities in Lusaka.
This group of cadres reigned by violence, intimidation and to some extent blackmail. They became untouchable. No MMD leader could dare go against them. The only person they could listen to, without question, was the party president. They won the support of the president by showing him unquestionable and unwavering support.
And with the support of the president, they created a lot of political space for themselves to manoeuvre without anybody stopping them. They enjoyed themselves - they had the money, they attended any state function even without invitation. The party leadership tolerated them, could not question them or denounce their behaviour because it was too risky politically for them to do so. Tolerating them meant them being seen to be on the side of the president. Not even the police could do anything about their unruly or violent behaviour.
But what the MMD leadership did not realise was that this unruly and violent behaviour of their cadres was costing them general public support needed to win elections. Their behaviour left the public dismayed and disheartened. These cadres became the face of the MMD. But it was a hated face of the MMD. The more unruly, violent and assertive these cadres became, the more the MMD became unpopular with the masses of our people.
Of course, we do realise that most of the PF's key politicians came from the MMD. Most of them only joined the Patriotic Front after the 2006 elections. Some were even MMD parliamentary candidates in 2006 itself. It is therefore not surprising that they have brought with them that type of behaviour into the Patriotic Front.
The behaviour of Patriotic Front cadres in Lusaka is leaving many people, many voters dismayed and disheartened. Generally, the Zambian people want to see politics conducted in a peaceful and honest way, devoid of any violence and slander of political opponents. They want to see political leaders and their cadres guided by the truth, integrity and justice.
It is necessary for Patriotic Front leaders and their cadres to always remind themselves that the politics they are engaging in should be for the good of the country and the people, and not for the political survival of any individual or party. If the spirit of the primacy of the common good were to animate them, we would not be witnessing the unruly behaviour, the violence, wrangling, bickering and power struggling which leaves the masses of our people dismayed and disheartened.
In the present atmosphere of fierce competition and character assassination, it is necessary for the leaders and cadres of the Patriotic Front to remind themselves of the noble goals of political activity.
And as we have pointed out before, there is need for the Patriotic Front to reexamine the type of cadres they have and ask themselves: is this the kind of cadre the Patriotic Front needs or does not need?
The Zambian people want to see party cadres who conduct themselves in a more humane, humble and sober manner. They don't want to see party cadres who behave as if they are all the time high on dagga or intoxicated with alcohol.
The Zambian people want to see party cadres who are selfless and who are not simply looking for cuts or for personal benefits in this or that. Today's party cadres seem to be for hire to the highest bidder. Those who are ready to part with money control them. A senior MMD politician once told us that "wherever you see cadres marching, protesting, beating people and engaging in all sorts of violence, someone has forked out money". This seems to be true not only for MMD cadres but for Patriotic Front cadres as well as for those in the UPND. And this is why our politics are increasingly becoming violent. We are so often witnessing intra-party and inter-party cadre violence. Why? It is simply because there is someone paying for it; cadres are being rewarded for being violent and unruly.
Zambia needs a different type of cadres from what we have today. We need party cadres who are rooted and grounded in society, and understand what their role is in transforming our country. We need cadres who are ready to influence people, communities and structures by their exemplary humane behaviour.
But it is not by accident that things are what they are today with our party cadres. There has been an increasing decline in political morality, ethics and values in the country. And this has caused considerable damage to the moral standing of our politicians and their party cadres.
There is need for the Patriotic Front and other political parties in our country to start paying a lot of attention to the training of cadres. This is the only way we will be able to strengthen our multiparty political dispensation because this can only be done by cadres who are well grounded politically. Our political parties need to make some internal assessments of the way they are operating if they are to positively respond to the needs, aspirations and interests of our people.
Of course, the membership of the Patriotic Front has been growing very fast since coming to power. Why? This is simply because this is where the eating is taking place. And this growth in membership is not reflected in the activities of the Patriotic Front. Most members and some of the leadership, even at central committee level, are not involved in the daily life of the party. The activities of the party are actually being run by elements without any party positions. There is need to assess the members of the party and the central committee members on the basis of their deployments and their work within the organisation. This is the only way they will be able to build a party of activists and not merely members. There is need to invest resources in the development of cadres and ensure that they are being properly inducted and educated on party policies and that there are continuous political education programmes for them.
In order to guarantee that the Patriotic Front does not change its colour, the party must not only have a correct line and correct policies but must train and bring up thousands of party cadres to carry on its work. This is an extremely important issue, a matter of life and death for the Patriotic Front. It is a matter of fundamental importance for the present and the future of the party. And from the highest structures down to the grassroots, they must everywhere give constant attention to the training and upbringing of cadres. They must purposefully train thousands of cadres and hundreds of first-rate mass leaders who are loyal and devoted in serving the nation and their party.
This is important because it is on these cadres that the party relies for its links with the masses. Given the importance of their tasks, such cadres must be free from selfishness, from individualistic heroism, ostentation, sloth, passivity and arrogant sectarianism. Such are the qualities and style of work demanded of party cadres.
Cadres are a decisive factor, once the political line is determined. Therefore, it is important to train large numbers of new cadres in a planned way.
Labels: CADRES, MULENGA SATA, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Sata will handle PF indiscipline - Mulenga
By Tilyenji Mwanza
Tue 08 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MULENGA Sata says party officials should not use him to get to his father. A few weeks ago some PF members in Lusaka sent a petition to President Michael Sata through his son Mulenga, demanding for the removal of Kabimba as secretary general of the party.
The cadres, who had earlier been involved in a fight with another PF group which was against endorsing President Sata for another term, said they wanted Mulenga to talk to his father over going for another term and to deal with Kabimba.
The group had marched to Mulenga's home, where they presented the petition.
The cadres also petitioned Sata's son to have Lusaka district and provincial leaderships dissolved.
Mulenga promised to convey the message to the party leadership including Kabimba, Vice President Guy Scott and his father.
Mulenga was also among officials that attended a consultative meeting in Lusaka that deliberated on Kabimba's issue and which culminated in a resolution to remove the secretary general.
He later said he wanted Kabimba to continue as secretary general.
And in an interview, Mulenga, who is Lusaka deputy mayor, said there were many things going on in the party but they should not be addressed through him.
"I do not want to speak in the capacity as my father or be used to get to my father. The indiscipline going on in the party will be handled by the big man. I do not want to be used in this. I do not want to be used by anyone," said Mulenga after being asked about the indiscipline that was going on in the PF.
Mulenga observed that with President Michael Sata's return from the US, the PF house would be put in order.
"With the big man back, things will return to order and I expect people to go to him for answers; not look to me for answers. Yes, in the past I was used to take a message of concern to my father but that was in the past and now that he is back, let these things go to him," he said.
Mulenga said he was saddened by the wrangles in the PF and called on the party leadership to address them.
"I am urging party leadership to take up more responsibility. However, I know the party leadership is working on the matter," said Mulenga.
Labels: CADRES, MULENGA SATA, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Mulenga wants Wynter to stay
By Abel Mboozi and Tilyenji Mwanza
Tue 01 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba is my elder brother and I would personally want him to continue as PF secretary general, says Mulenga Sata.
Mulenga, who is Lusaka deputy mayor, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that what was happening to Kabimba should, however, serve as a lesson to all leaders in the PF.
A few weeks ago some PF members in Lusaka sent a petition to President Michael Sata through his son Mulenga demanding for the removal of Kabimba as secretary general of the party.
The cadres, who had earlier been involved in a fight with another PF group which was against endorsing President Sata for another term, said they wanted Mulenga to talk to his father over going for another term and to deal with Kabimba.
The group had marched to Mulenga's home, where they presented the petition.
The cadres also petitioned Sata's son to have Lusaka district and provincial leaderships dissolved.
Mulenga promised to convey the message to the party leadership including Kabimba, Vice President Guy Scott and his father.
Mulenga was also among officials that attended a consultative meeting in Lusaka that deliberated on Kabimba's issue and which culminated in a resolution to remove the secretary general.
Asked to comment on calls for Kabimba to resign as PF secretary general, Mulenga said: "Personally, Wynter is my elder brother, who I would want to continue as SG. What is happening to him should serve as a lesson for all of us from the bottom to the top leadership. I am not taking any sides but working at helping resolve these issues."
Mulenga said there was no need for protests over an issue that the PF could resolve amicably.
"My call to all the PF members countrywide is that we should resolve our wrangles peacefully. We are one family and as such, harmony should prevail," he said.
Mulenga said failure by the PF to deal with internal wrangles had the potential of breaking the ruling party.
He said PF members worked hard to strengthen the party and it was regrettable that the squabbles were now weakening it.
"The earlier we resolve this tiff, the better because if we don't do it now, by the time we realise, it might be too late. This will not be good for all of us," Mulenga said.
He said he was helping to resolve the wrangles in the PF by encouraging dialogue and peaceful resolution.
"I am in my small way trying by all means to resolve the situation in an amicable manner. I am meeting people at the grassroots levels to help them realise that all these protests are bad to the wellbeing of the country as well as the unity of the party," he said.
Mulenga said he deliberately remained quiet over the PF wrangles because he had been actively involved in seeking a peaceful solution.
"The wrangles are not necessary because as a party, we have only been in government for two years, and Zambians are expecting us to deliver and not perpetuate disruptions in production through uncalled for protests," said Mulenga.
And Frank Bwalya says it is very sad to see Kabimba being humiliated by PF members after all his done for the party.
Bwalya, who is Alliance for Better Zambia (ABZ) president said Kabimba was one of the most upright and hard working men in the PF and the treatment he had received from PF members was uncalled for.
"It is not necessary to bruise the man in the manner they are doing, having worked with him, I can say he was one of the most hardworking people even for party mobilisation and it is sad to see how he is being treated," he said.
He said the manner in which the PF were handling the matter would end up destroying the whole party as a whole.
"PF is behaving like a man who sees a snake in his house and decides to set the house on fire to kill the snake. They will burn their house if they are not careful," Bwalya said.
"And as a person, I feel for Mr. Kabimba. No human being deserves to be humiliated in this manner, awe, it is not right."
Bwalya added that the current wrangles in the PF were an indictment on President Sata's leadership.
"People are looking at him as having failed to deal with his house. He is failing to handle such a small matter and they will conclude that he does not have the capacity to handle more complicated national issues," Bwalya said.
Meanwhile, North Western Province PF chairman Fabian Chiposo has dissociated the province from demands to have Kabimba leave his post.
And Western Province provincial political secretary Alfred Miyato says Kabimba has a supervisor and it was the responsibility of that person to discipline him if he misbehaved in anyway.
Chiposo said even the people that attended the consultative meeting over the weekend went there in their own capacity and not as representatives of the Province.
"Let me inform the nation that people reported to have represented the North Western Province at the gathering (consultative meeting) went in their own capacity and not as representatives of the Province," he said.
Chiposo said the official position of the Province on Kabimba was that he was still the PF secretary general until the appointing authority, who was President Michael Sata, made a decision on the matter.
And Miyato said Kabimba had supervisors who should discipline him when he misbehaves and it was therefore, not the duty of party members to mete out discipline on him. "It is the responsibility of the supervisor to discipline Kabimba. What those people are doing actually…they are now showing us that the supervisor is not working. In as far as we are concerned, we don't want to be part of that," he said.
Miyato said there was no official notification to the Province for the consultative meeting that took place over the weekend.
"To start with, nobody told us about what is happening in Lusaka. We are just reading about it in the papers. As far as Western Province is concerned, we were not party to that and we are still not party. It is not true to say all provinces were represented,"he said.
Miyato said he had been inconstant touch with his provincial chairman and all provincial officials who were supposed to have represented their respective provinces, but that they all expressed ignorance about the consultative meeting.
"We were not party to that. If there was any from our executive, that person was not mandated by the provincial committee. I being the provincial political secretary, I am not aware, the provincial chairman is not aware. We have not held any meeting to mandate anyone to travel to Lusaka to be part of that gathering," said Miyato.
And Cornelius Mweetwa says Kabimba is being hounded out of the PF because he has shown willingness to fight corruption.
Kabimba on Friday said corrupt elements wanted to take advantage of the absence of President Michael Sata to hound him out of the party.
"Most of my colleagues are busy flying out of the country almost every other week. They are busy doing business in their government offices. They are busy acquiring tenders to prop up their businesses which were failing when they were in the opposition. I don't do any of those things; my concentration has been on holding this party together," he said.
Kabimba added: "My enemies in the party are playing the game of the appeasement, so that they can show their political fortunes. They think that is what it means to be good politicians. I do not think so myself. To be a good leader means to govern a country in the interest of everybody."
And Mweetwa who is African Parliamentary Network Against Corruption chairperson said the PF secretary general was being used as a sacrificial lamb for the ruling party's failures when he had clearly highlighted that there was a lot of corruption going on in the party.
"...From what we are seeing,Kabimba is fighting a lone battle against corruption because this is not the first time he has said his colleagues are corrupt and nothing has been done about it," he said.
Mweetwa said his organisation was concerned with reports of rampant plunder of national resources in the PFas revealed by Kabimba.
He questioned whether the corruption cases highlighted by Kabimba were what the nation had voted for and challenged President Sata to address the matter.
"This is not the first time that Wynter has said this and we did not see any reaction from the President,and the sad part, even the Vice-President said the same thing. Corrupt people should not hijack the PF and the PF government should be the last ones to be involved or associated with corruption," said Mweetwa, adding that the allegedcorruption in government would undermine investor confidence and affect foreign direct investments.
Mweetwa said President Sata should come out strong and address the corruption highlighted by Kabimba.
And McDonald Mulongoti says elements that have risen against Kabimba in the PF merely want to advance their selfish motives that will be detrimental to the survival of the party.
Mulongoti, who is immediate past Chingola mayor, said Kabimba should not yield to pressure from 'bad elements' that had no interest of the party at heart.
"I am supporting Kabimba due to his forthrightness. I have known him to be an objective person, who is straightforward in his dealings and makes bold decisions," he said. Mulongoti said people should know that those that had risen against Kabimba as secretary general wanted to advance their personal interests or egos.
"They want to protect their businesses because they know that if he remains SG, they will not be ablet to manipulate adoptions for parliamentary seats in 2016," he said.
Mulongoti said Kabimba had always stood his ground that parliamentary seat adoptions should be conducted in a transparent manner and based on merit and not incumbency.
"In 2011, those that were not adopted based on merit as per the circular Kabimba issued campaigned against him; even at the party convention in Kabwe, the same happened. They de-campaigned him, urging delegates to vote for Given Lubinda," he said.
Mulongoti said such events showed how forthright Kabimba was in making bold decisions aimed at building the party, and not otherwise. He said the clique speaking ill of Kabimba was doing so, knowing that the secretary general is a strong and principled man, who makes audacious decisions.
"I have information that the clique will stop at nothing but ensure that Kabimba loses his position because they are bankrolling these protests.
Kabimba should, however, remain strong because he enjoys my support as well as that of genuine PF members who have the party at heart," Mulongoti said.
He wondered why the PF cadres were being allowed to protest with impunity, in some instances even without police permits and yet the opposition was being denied the same right.
"Why is home affairs minister Edgar Lungu and the police applying selective justice by allowing disgruntled cadres to protest against Kabimba and yet the opposition is denied permits?"Mulongoti asked.
He also questioned why protests had degenerated in the absence of President Sata.
"I am wondering why we are witnessing wild protests just after President Sata left the country. This to me shows that the clique is working against the President; it wants to undermine the leadership of the President," Mulongoti said.
He said President Sata should institute reshuffles to his Cabinet immediately he comes back as it had become apparent that some of his senior ministers were behind the protests.
"Personally, I will support Kabimba through and through. I won't abandon him, I know what he has done for the PF and so far, he is the best SG we have ever had in PF," said Mulongoti, adding that Kabimba's contribution to the PF was too immense to ignore.
Labels: MMD, MULENGA SATA, PF, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, POLITICS, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Mulenga Sata is new Lusaka deputy mayor
By Mukosha Funga
Tue 25 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
MULENGA Sata has been elected as deputy mayor of Lusaka. Mulenga, the Kabulonga ward councilor, went unopposed during elections at Lusaka City Council yesterday. The seat fell vacant after Theresa Funga resigned to take up a diplomatic appointment.
The deputy mayor position was initially to be contested by Mulenga and Kamwala ward councillor Joyce Banda who dropped out of the race at the last minute. Mulenga, in an interview, said people were going to see improvement in service delivery because the council was now being completely run by the ruling Patriotic Front.
"I am very excited about the opportunity that has been presented to me to not just be part of a team but to be in a position to be able to influence government to a certain extent the direction that the council takes from here because the LCC has not been in this position since 1991 when we had a ruling government that had a council controlled by its own party.
We had in the last council, a hostile central government that did everything to frustrate the efforts of the council. People are expected to see some real change because you have got 100 per cent PF council with a PF president so they will see significant improvement in the area of service delivery," he said.
Mulenga said he would use his engineering experience to improve on road construction in the city.
"We have a road department which is essentially ineffectual because it has no resources to employ its full complement of staff and labour. I come from an engineering background and I would like to see us taking control of our own programme vis-a-vis roads and rehabilitation and construction," he said.
Mulenga emphasised the need to broaden the resource base for the council.
"As a council, it is of vital importance that we work hard to generate resources and collect the revenue that is due to us so that we can provide some of these fundamental services. I am excited to be in this position and I look forward to working with my team, with the mayor at its head, and I see us achieving great things working closely with the government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing," said Mulenga
Labels: LUSAKA, MULENGA SATA
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