Zambia has credible opposition, say VJ
By Allan Mulenga
Tue 03 July 2012, 13:24 CAT
VETERAN politician Vernon Mwaanga says the country still has credible opposition to offer checks and balances to the government. And Mwaanga has urged politicians to desist from practicing politics of character assassination.
In an interview yesterday, Mwaanga, who is former chief whip in the MMD government, said offering checks and balances in any democratic society was absolutely essential.
"There is still very credible opposition to the current government; both the MMD and the UPND offer very credible opposition. They are in a position to provide very credible opposition to the current government," he said.
And Mwaanga said politics of name-calling gave a wrong impression about the way politics ought to be conducted.
"I get worried when I hear politicians calling each other names. I belong to a generation where politics was really not about name calling; it was about addressing issues, policies and programmes. They give the Zambian public the wrong impression about politics when they begin assassinating each other, referring to each other in derogatory terms and I don't think that is really very Zambian at all. I do hope that politicians from PF, MMD, UPND and all the other parties would desist from calling each other names because all what this does is just to inflame tension in the country and they give their followers the wrong impression about the way politics ought to be conducted in the country," he said.
Mwaanga urged politicians to engage in mature politics that would contribute to national development.
"There are so many issues that need to be addressed. We have the chronic unemployment issues in the country which need to be addressed not only in terms of words alone, but in terms of the practical action that needs to be taken to resolve the unemployment, particularly among the young people which has reached crisis proportion in the country. There are agricultural problems, people are burning cotton because of the pricing policies regarding cotton. We have to address issues of infrastructure in the country; roads, growing the economy and we have the issue of the constitution which people want to hear about," he said.
Mwaanga said name-calling should be considered as petty politics.
"Attacking each other's personalities or referring to each other in derogatory terms is very petty, as far as I am concerned. It is petty politics and I do hope that they will see the value of stopping that approach to politics," said Mwaanga.
Recently, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema likened President Sata's governance style to that of a clueless hyena while MMD's Nevers Mumba criticised the head of state's recent travels abroad, saying he was becoming a tourist and a 'Johnnie Walker'.
Labels: MMD, UPND, VERNON MWAANGA
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Nevers Mumba is new MMD President
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, May 25, 2012, 7:46 pm
Nevers Mumba has been elected Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) president with a landslide victory over his closest rival Felix Mutati during the party’s 3rd extra ordinary convention held in all the ten provinces.
Dr. Mumba polled 870 votes in the re-run against 422 votes of Mr. Mutati. Returning officer Clement Zulu declared Dr. Mumba as duly elected president of the MMD at the party secretariat in Lusaka which was the totaling center.
A re-run was inevitable as none of the seven candidates managed to amass the 50 percent plus one threshold required by the party Constitution.
In the preliminary stage, Dr. Mumba outclassed his opponents by polling 548 votes representing 41.7 percent while his closest rival Mr. Mutati managed 366 votes representing 27.8 percent.
Former finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane was third with 280 votes representing 21 percent with Kasempa Member of Parliament Kabinga Pande polling 89 votes representing 6.7 percent.
Other candidates are Kapembwa Simbao who collected 20 votes representing 1.5 percent and Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka managing 5 votes with Enock Kavindele collecting only 4 votes.
And speaking shortly after the announcement of results, MMD national chairperson Michael Mabenga who was acting president said the results reflect the will of the general party membership.
Veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga urged the losing candidates to support Dr. Mumba in reorganizing and rebuilding the party ahead of the 2016 general elections.
The convention also saw the amendment of MMD constitution to allow for two positions of party vice president where one will be in charge of administration and other will oversee economics.
QFM
Labels: FELIX MUTATI, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, VERNON MWAANGA
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Embrace elected MMD president, VJ urges members
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 23 May 2012, 13:37 CAT
VETERAN politician Vernon Mwaanga says MMD members must embrace the candidate that will be elected president at the party's convention scheduled for Friday. Mwaanga said there were seven candidates in the race, all capable of being elected president but that in the final analysis, only one would emerge winner.
"One of them will win and he is to be supported by all of us. That's how democracy works," Mwaanga who is a National Executive Committee (NEC) member said. "What is important is that the process will have to be fair and free and credible."
He said there was nothing new about the concept of provincial conferences, which were being held for the first time.
"…Because even when elections were being held at Mulungushi Rock of Authority, delegates were voting according to the provinces they come from. Even accommodation is arranged in such a way that each province stays on its own," he said.
"It's wider and democratic anyway because the voting will be done at the same time in all the provincial centres and results will be announced on the same day."
Mwaanga said although it was common for people to cry foul even when the process was transparent, those whom the elections will not go in their favour must accept and live by the outcome.
Labels: MMD, VERNON MWAANGA
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Chongwe queries Rupiah's us invite
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 20 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT
DR Rodger Chongwe says he is surprised at Boston University's decision to engage Rupiah Banda on various lectures on democracy and political issues when the former president was a failure at them.
And Banda has insisted that he is a clean man and that the PF government must furnish Zambians with evidence to prove that he is a thief. And Vernon Mwaanga has asked Zambians of goodwill to pray for Banda and to forgive him for what he said on Muvi TV.
In an interview, Dr Chongwe said: "I know he has said he is going to the USA at the invitation of Boston University. I personally don't know what type of democracy Mr Banda is going to lecture at that university, the country known for democracy and the home of Abraham Lincoln who coined the phrase that ‘democracy is a government of the people, for the people and by the people.' These are not tenets that were practiced by Mr Banda when he was president of Zambia. One wonders why the Americans are spending so much money on a person who in fact they should have paid him to go and study at a school of politics and democracy in America so that he could learn something."
Dr Chongwe, one of Zambia's prominent lawyers, argued that Banda was blind to the tenets of democracy.
He said Banda could not talk of good governance and accountability as a leader and he did not deserve such an invite.
"Because in any case, Banda was planning to cheat in the elections. But this time Zambians were too clever. It was impossible to rig the elections and for the first time since 1991, the Zambians were ecstatic with the change of the president," he said.
Dr Chongwe said he felt pity for the recipients of Banda's lectures because the man was insensitive to civility, human dignity and respect for other people's views.
"…Instead of a blind person leading other blind people at Boston University, whoever they are!" he quipped.
Dr Chongwe said Banda was forced to leave office and not voluntarily.
"Banda even at the last moment did not want to leave the office of the president. He was forced by the result. So whoever says he handed over power willingly is lying and secondly he had no alternative from resigning from his post as MMD president because he had already being told by Parliament that the decision to withdraw retirement benefits to Banda was that of Cabinet and Cabinet had in fact decided to withdraw benefits because of his continued participation in politics," he said.
Dr Chongwe said Banda would be remembered as a president who had embraced corruption after he decided to embrace the late Fredrick Chiluba's mode of presidency.
"After assuming office and with all the enthusiasm which he received from the Zambian people, Mr Banda's performance as president became disappointing to most Zambians particularly to those of us who had known him at Munali Secondary School. He made mistakes, many of them were due to his refusal to accept advice and generally lack of experience as a politician," said Dr Chongwe.
Featuring on the Muvi TV's ‘The Assignment programme on Sunday night, Banda challenged the government to present him with details of what he had stolen because they had continued persecuting him and his family.
"I have done nothing wrong. Nobody has ever told me what I have done wrong, so if this is a country of laws they will have to give reasons why they would like to lift my immunity. It's very unfair that if everybody is president they are subjected to having their immunity lifted."
Banda added that if accusations that he was a thief were true, he would have also rigged the elections.
He said that if he were given another chance to lead the country, he would still do the same things he did when he was president.
Banda said he did not lose the elections due to mismanagement of the affairs of the country, but that the MMD party on which he stood had overstayed and people were determined to change government.
Banda however acknowledged that the PF had been smarter than him by coming up with the slogan of "more money in your pockets".
"It was clear people were talking about it. MMD had been in power for 20 years and so on and there was a debate going on about more money in your pocket and for the people who are hungry, the young people who are unemployed and so on, obviously they (PF) were much smarter than us. They came up with that slogan and that promise and the people believed them. I didn't believe by the way, otherwise I would have taken that slogan and adopted to say, ‘ I will give you more money'," Banda said.
"I didn't think it was possible that I could give money within 90 days because money is what you have to work for. You've got to entice investors in your country. You have to encourage Zambians, you have to have laws in place for people to invest in your country and from outside."
Banda said given a chance to become president of Zambia again, he would still do the same things that he did because he never noted any weaknesses in his leadership.
"I understood that perhaps our friends just resonated better with the young electorate who were voting for the first time. I don't think I went anywhere wrong, I just feel it was time for Zambians to make their change," Banda said.
Asked if he had ambitions to become president again considering the fact that he was still eligible to stand as president under the Constitution, Banda said that he would cross the bridge when he got there.
"About the next chance, I just stood down I don't want to think about that. I want to think that I must focus on where I am going which is the rest of my life," Banda said.
On Henry, Banda said his son was not on the run and that it was public knowledge that he was in South Africa.
Meanwhile, on the same programme Banda lashed out at veteran politician, Vernon Mwaanga suggesting that Banda's sons and relatives' insatiable appetite for wealth was one of the contributing factors to his downfall in his latest book "The Long Sunset."
"Mr Mwaanga is not unhappy because I stopped listening to him. Mr Mwaanga is unhappy that I didn't allow him to continue to be the campaign manager for my campaign, the last campaign which I lost, probably we would have still lost it if he was there but he took advantage of that to prove that if he was there, we would have won it.
"He was my manager in 2008 and I had been advised several times by my advisers to watch out my connection to Mr Mwaanga. Those who know more about his record where he comes from, what programmes he had and it would impact badly on me," he said.
"Mr Mwaanga has been laid off from being minister by the late president. After I pleaded with the president as the vice-president at State Lodge, I spoke to the president, ‘please give him another chance'. You know the case but it's all past now. When I came, I gave him a job in parliament, he sits in the NEC of the MMD today as my appointment."
But Mwaanga said it would be undignified, inappropriate, unfortunate and out of character for him to respond to Banda who is a brother and a friend of 50 years.
"I would have been a hypocrite and a prisoner of my conscience if I did not say what I said about his presidency, just like I did with all the other three presidents I worked with," he stated.
Mwaanga said he had forgiven Banda because of what the former president had been going through in the past.
Labels: DEMOCRACY, ROGER CHONGWE, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
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VJ can't add any value to PF government - Kabimba
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 20 Jan. 2012, 13:57 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga cannot add any value to the PF government or party because he has a bad reputation, says Wynter Kabimba. Responding to Mwaanga's statement that he was willing to serve in the PF government if called upon, PF secretary general Kabimba said PF would not tolerate the likes of Mwaanga because he had a reputation of a gold digger and came from a party many Zambians had perceived to be corrupt.
Kabimba poured scorn on Mwaanga saying the former MMD chief whip was not what he was claiming to be.
"He does not have a good reputation, he may not be adding value to the PF where the general perception of people is that he has been helping the MMD rig elections," Kabimba said.
"There are people as old as VJ that are certainly better than VJ in advancing the development of this country. What VJ has tried is to feed on each and every government that comes into power because he is incapable of looking after himself as an individual."
Kabimba challenged Mwaanga to demonstrate to Zambians if he was able to survive on private business while in the opposition MMD.
"He has failed, let him see what he can do in private life and I am challenging him that if he is intelligent as he claims , let him go and organise a private business and live in the opposition for 20 years plus like some of us have done," teased Kabimba.
He said the PF would not tolerate manoeuvers for Mwaanga to solicit a job from President Michael Sata.
"There are others that are better than him that can contribute to this nation. We do not want him to start patronising the PF government. We will ask him when we need him. He does not have to scream to the nation about serving in the PF government," Kabimba said.
"Asking for a job is what he has always done in the past. He is indirectly applying for a job through the media now. The fact that he has served in these other governments does not mean since he served all the governments, he is the only person who is better qualified in all ways. What is VJ's academic qualification? He has a certificate in international relations. That is his only qualification so what makes him better than everyone else?
Mwaanga claims to be an election strategist, MMD lost, why did they lose if he is the best organiser. It shows you there are people around now that are better than him in terms of even organising and strategising elections," he said.
On claims that he had a corruption-free record, Kabimba doubted Mwaanga's claims.
"He can't be the only one clean especially if the government he was serving was corrupt. How can he be the only one who is clean in a government of corrupt people? Chiluba was corrupt but he was clean, RB's regime was corrupt but he was clean, it can't be true. He is not talking to small children. The fact that you haven't been caught as a thief does not mean you are clean."
Vernon Mwaanga recently stated that he was willing to work in the PF government if called upon.
Mwaanga who has served in all four past governments said in an interview that he considered national interest above personal ones.
Labels: PF, VERNON MWAANGA, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Mwaanga willing to serve in government
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 18 Jan. 2012, 13:58 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga says he is willing to serve in President Michael Sata's government if called upon. And Mwaanga says he has never been linked to abuse of public resources in his 38-year political career because of his adherence to financial and civil service regulations.
In an interview yesterday, Mwaanga who has so far served in four successive governments, said he considered national interests over personal interests.
Mwaanga served in the immediate post-independence government of first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda, and later in the Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and Rupiah Banda administrations.
He said it was his patriotic duty as a citizen to offer a service to his country.
Prior to elections, the PF suspected that he was behind their loss of previous elections and that Mwaanga had a hand in the rigging process, an allegation he denied.
When asked if he was willing to serve in President Sata's government if appointed, Mwaanga who predicted Rupiah Banda's victory in September last year and President Sata's loss said: "It will depend on what he wants me to do because at the end of the day I believe that our country Zambia is greater and bigger than anyone of us. I have always served this country since 1964, and I've served successive governments over the years. And if I'm asked to make a contribution to Zambia, this is my country I've no other country to go and I've no other country to serve. I've always said that I can never turn my back on Zambia," said Mwaanga.
Just a few days before last year's elections, Mwaanga released his own opinion poll indicating victory for Banda.
Mwaanga claimed Banda would win the September 20 presidential election by between 44 and 46 per cent and gave President Michael Sata between 34 and 36 per cent and UPND's Hakainde Hichilema between 13 and 15 per cent.
And Mwaanga said he had always come out clean on corruption issues because he drew a line between his political office and that of the civil service.
He said while some of the people he worked with had been prosecuted and convicted, he walked head high because of discipline.
"No secrets at all, it's just integrity. There has to be integrity in public service. And whenever I've been in government, I have respected that there are procedures relating to awarding of contracts relating to tenders and relating to retirement of imprest which as a minister or government official I did get from time to time. And I did my best to ensure that I worked within the rules," he said.
"And I think I've tried my best to respect government financial regulations and to respect the procedures; and also to try as much as I can to avoid a conflict between myself as a minister or policymaker and the civil servants because it is civil servants who ultimately run the administrative structures of government."
Mwaanga said if one worked within the rules, one would find that life became easier.
He said he also respected the fact that when money was involved, there were certain procedures which had to be followed.
Mwanga explained that he was also aware of certain procedures which had to be followed in terms of the relationship between ministers and permanent secretaries.
"And that the permanent secretary had wide administrative powers which as a minister I could not interfere with. In the same way they could not interfere with my policy functions. And I always thought of a middle role to play between myself and officials that I worked with. We guided each other along the way and we made sure that government procedures were respected," Mwaanga explained.
"And I think that it is important, especially now that we've had a change of government for the new ministers who have come into government, some of them have never been in government before, to respect this division of labour between the ministers and the civil servants and the different roles which they play. There's a ministerial handbook which was given to us as ministers or officials from the very time when I started serving as a minister 38 years ago. But these have to be read very carefully together with the financial regulations to understand what is involved in terms of handling public funds."
Asked if he had at any time given advice to those he worked with, Mwaanga answered in the negative.
"I didn't because we were all given the same handbook. We were given exactly the same handbook I handled; it's called a Ministerial Handbook.
It outlines all these procedures in their detail in terms of the working relationships, who has the powers to authorise funds and so on. And I respected these powers and these demarcations; I did not interfere with financial division," he said.
Asked why some of his colleagues were prosecuted and convicted although reading the same rules, Mwaanga cited lack of respect for procedure and regulations.
Mwaanga said he always tried to work within the authority given to him.
"And also in the procedures laid down in terms of awarding tenders, whereas that time it was the Zambia National Tender Board, now the Public Procurement Authority, I never interfered with those issues because they didn't follow under my purview. I tried to work within my authority and the authority which was given to me by the president and by Parliament, and by those regulations because unless public officials observe rules and regulations which apply in government, they quickly bring that government into disrepute and it really undermines public confidence in public officials also and in ministers," said Mwaanga.
"My advice is for them to read these regulations and study them very carefully and make sure that they adhere to them; and ensure that they respect the demarcation of duties between their permanent secretaries and themselves because in the final analysis financial matters are not handled by ministers. At least they're not supposed to be handled by ministers; they're supposed to be handled by permanent secretaries who are the controlling officers. These matters don't belong to political leaders, they belong to civil servants, they belong to permanent secretaries who are the controlling officers, who appear before parliamentary committees to answer queries."
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, MMD, PF, VERNON MWAANGA
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Mwaanga reflects on Rupiah's presidency
By Kombe Chimpinde and Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 17 Dec. 2011, 14:00 CAT
Banda's children seemed to have acquired appetite for wealth, greed... VERNON Mwaanga has singled out Rupiah Banda's children among people that were greedy and acquired an insatiable appetite for wealth.
In his latest revised edition of the book; The Long Sunset under the chapter ‘Working With Presidents' due for publication next month, Mwaanga, a veteran politician said Banda had insulated himself with people that added no value and did not serve his Banda's image.
"His businessminded children (not mentioned by name) and some close associates who claimed to own the president did not help his image as some of them seemed to have acquired an insatiable appetite for wealth and greed and who in the process, stepped on the toes of far too many people in the government, the MMD and outside," he wrote.
Mwaanga wrote that although it was not fair to expect any man to do more than his best, Banda would have probably dealt with the excesses committed by his allies and close relations had he stayed longer.
"He may have been the shortest-serving president for Zambia so far and he may not have done enough to cage the excesses which were committed by some members of his immediate family and close friends," he noted.
Mwaanga, however, wrote that history would not deny Banda of what he described as many achievements which rightly deserved to be part of the lasting legacy.
Mwaanga, who had worked with Banda over the years both as a diplomat and when Banda was elected President in 2008, further acknowledged that although Banda properly capitalised on the economic gains made in the Mwanawasa regime by building on them, Banda faced challenges of political management of the country and the party.
Mwaanga also described the outcome of a workshop themed "Strategic Planning Workshop" at Andrews Motel in Lusaka organised by Banda's aid Akashambatwa Mbikusta-Lewanika and Dr Francis Chigunta, where he had observed a lot of incapacities in the leadership of the party, such as Banda's dislike for certain members of the party.
"As I travelled with him to some provincial conferences, it became clear that there were leaders he ‘preferred' who had to be elected at all costs regardless of their political repercussions. He had developed this language of ‘I don't want to work with this person', which I found very disturbing and he made it a point to throw his full weight behind the candidates he ‘preferred'," wrote Mwaanga.
Mwaanga noted that after the elections, Banda made it clear, almost with a tinge of arrogance, that there were a number of elected officials he would not work with. Mwaanga considered that decision by Banda as wrong.
"I had chaired this committee, which saw MMD win general elections in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006. It became obvious that my friend of 50 years had lost confidence in my ability to head his campaign team in 2011 and ended up writing me a harsh and undignified letter," he wrote.
Mwaanga also described how he advised Banda against conceding defeat in the 2008 presidential by-elections, following Mbita Chitala and his team's advice for him to do so.
"I told him that the yet to be announced results from Kapiri-Mposhi, one constituency in Eastern Province and two other constituencies from Western Province would most likely increase his lead to between 32,000 and 35,000 votes…as a result my advice which turned out to be correct, a possible constitutional crisis was averted," Mwaanga wrote.
"Had he conceded defeat, only for Electoral Commission of Zambia to announce that he had won after all, it would have been difficult for the opposition parties to accept such a result."
Mwaanga described Banda as a person who had made Zambians proud by not only attending President Sata's inauguration, but also by taking charge of a relatively smooth and orderly handover of power much to the acclaim and admiration of the rest of Africa.
"Not withstanding some of the poor economic decisions he may have made while in office, he made Zambians proud. He was without doubt the most people-friendly president Zambia had," wrote Mwaanga.
And Fabian Musialela, a former district commissioner for Sesheke, said in an interview yesterday that grassroots MMD members had lost confidence in the party's current NEC.
"I want to ask president Banda, with due respect, to avoid interference in choosing the president for the party, because MMD was founded on democratic principles where the majority wins," Musialela said. "We don't want him to interfere simply because his NEC has lost credibility among members of the party."
He said it would be very difficult for the MMD to win any election with a president appointed under the orchestration of Banda.
"Whoever is going to be appointed under president Banda's influence, whether good or bad, the people in the party will not accept," Musialela said. "He has caused damage to the MMD."
Musialela urged the MMD NEC, as it meets today, to accord party members an opportunity to go and elect a party president.
"This is a NEC which, probably, most of the party members have lost confidence in and which was under the leadership of Rupiah Banda who failed to listen to the advice of the party members and ushered this good party into opposition now," Musialela said.
"As Western Province, we are not for the idea of the NEC choosing the president. We are for the idea that NEC facilitates to have a convention for us to go and elect a leader."
Musialela claimed the MMD was still strong in Western Province and that it lost the previous elections in the area owing to the NEC's poor planning and sidelining of key grassroots members.
He urged all the MMD presidential aspirants to accept whoever was going to be elected as Banda's successor, as long as it was done through a convention.
Musialela also asked the MMD to consider convoking an extraordinary convention in the Western Province so that the position of provincial chairman left vacant by Simasiku Namakando's death is filled.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MBITA CHITALA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
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VJ guides troubled MMD
By Moses Kuwema
Fri 02 Dec. 2011, 13:50 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga says there were excesses committed by some government and party officials in the previous government. In a letter to MMD national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe dated November 29, 2011, Mwaanga stated that MMD members had no reason to feel proud of such excesses.
"I regret to say that some of these excesses are already showing their ugly heads," he stated. Mwaanga stated that running government was always a daunting process because of its many diverse dimensions and facets, which were not always complimentary or coherent.
"I am not ashamed to admit that we made mistakes during the time we were in government. Admitting mistakes is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of great strength and humility," he stated.
Mwaanga said that there was no government on earth which did not make mistakes.
"There are also a few of us, in our collective leadership, who may not have observed financial discipline and who may have used their official positions to promote financial self-gain," he stated.
"Some of the recent revelations if they are to be believed, will make people doubt our financial sincerity and integrity. The onus is on us to prove to our citizens that it would be wrong and unfair to condemn us collectively."
Mwaanga stated that elementary justice and the rule of law demanded that every person be held accountable for their actions.
"Collective punishment is tantamount to jungle law and should not be tolerated in a democratic society," he said.
Mwaanga stated that it was absurd and grossly unfair to blame the National Executive Committee (NEC) for the September 20 loss, stating that the NEC had barely been in office for only three months prior to the calling of the general elections.
And Mwaanga stated that the MMD should not go ahead to elect an acting president but instead concentrate on organising funds for the convention.
Mwaanga stated that it was evident that party members wanted a full or mini-convention to elect a substantive MMD president who would have a full mandate to carry out a full reorganisation of the party.
Mwaanga, who is former MMD national secretary, stated that the MMD could elect a president who would have a full mandate and who would feel sufficiently confident to raise funds and carry out reorganisation and re-energisation of the MMD and position it for the 2016 general elections.
He stated that an acting party president who would be subjected to a convention election would not feel sufficiently confident to do any of the above.
"Would such an approach create a vacuum? It is my submission that it would not, because there are adequate provisions in the MMD constitution for the national chairman of the MMD to step up to the presidency in an acting capacity pending the elections of a substantive president. The vice-national chairman can then act as national chairman, opening the way for the NEC to find an acting vice-national chairman," he stated.
Mwaanga stated that he was aware that the party did not have money for a full convention or even a mini-convention in the near future, but they could conduct an election for party president in an imaginative way by letting the party organs which form the electoral college at the convention, conduct secret ballots in their respective areas.
"These areas include constituencies, districts and provinces and these could make provision for NEC members and members of parliament to vote in Lusaka, so that the party electoral commission can tally and announce the results in Lusaka. I do not think that party democracy would be compromised in any way by doing it this way. Let us think about it," he stated.
Labels: MMD, VERNON MWAANGA
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MMD closing in on Rupiah
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 14 Nov. 2011, 14:00 CAT
In what appears to be a move that is going for Rupiah Banda, the MMD has summoned his campaign manager Boniface Kawimbe and committee deputy director Martin Mtonga over the source of the former president's campaign funds.
According to sources, the MMD national executive committee (NEC) has set up a sub-committee to be headed by former defence minister and the party's foreign affairs chairperson Dr Kalombo Mwansa to conduct a postmortem of the former ruling party's performance in the September 20 tripartite elections.
Sources said the sub-committee had instituted investigations into the campaign funds and how the said resources were used.
"So far, Dr Kawimbe and presidential campaign committee deputy director Dr Martin Mtonga have already been summoned to appear before the sub-committee over the same monies. They have been told to suggest the day when they will be available to appear before the committee," said the source.
"But to be honest, many of us who were in the campaign team we didn't know where the monies came from; we were just given cash. So these fellows want to put us on the spot, but some of us are small fish, we know nothing. Perhaps Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga know something and will be able to explain."
Another source said several NEC members wanted accountability in the manner funds that were mobilised in the name of the party were used.
"When Vernon Mwaanga was MMD campaign manager, he used to retire receipts and give reports to the NEC but this time around, these fellows don't want to follow the procedure," the source said. "Even Mr Banda's sons, who were in the campaign team, should explain about the funds."
The MMD and Banda conducted one of the most expensive campaigns. The party bought hundreds of vehicles, bicycles and other goods, which were distributed to would-be voters.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MMD, NEC, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
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COMMENT - More proof of collusion between the neoliberal MMD and UPND.
MMD, UPND enter pact to float VJ as Speaker
By Staff Reporters
Sat 01 Oct. 2011, 08:20 CAT
OPPOSITION MMD have gone into a pact with the UPND with a plan to float former parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga as Speaker of the National Assembly.
According to well-placed sources, the two parties who met at former Siavonga UPND member of parliament Douglas Syakalima's residence in Lusaka, resolved to frustrate some key positions that may be proposed in Parliament by the ruling PF through a voting pact because no party, including the ruling PF had an outright majority in the House.
Under the scheme, the UPND would be allowed to propose a name for Deputy Speaker and be supported by MMD while the position of Chairman of Parliamentary Committees would go to Chifumu Banda.
"The way they handled it, VJ deliberately stayed quiet but he has been using other people to propose. He is scared that this can be reported in the media. But I can confirm that these are the issues that were discussed," the source disclosed.
The two parties have been meeting quietly to take advantage of the ruling PF's lack of a clear majority in Parliament. This may, however, not work as PF has gained some more numbers from its earlier 60 elected members of parliament by co-opting some MMD members of parliament who have taken up some government jobs including some independent members. The numbers will further be boosted by the Presidential nominations.
According to sources, the plan was hatched by Mwaanga, who is now seeking a job as Speaker of the National Assembly after his campaign and wrong projections of the outcome of the presidential election that saw the massive defeat of president Rupiah Banda.
The loose pact between the two parties has been reported with recent events having been the MMD helping to distribute campaign materials for the UPND prior to elections.
Prior to the elections, former president Banda had projected a win for himself but with few numbers in Parliament prompting him to go into a pact with the UPND.
Labels: MMD, UPND, VERNON MWAANGA
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Masebo will tilt the balance - VJ
By Patson Chilemba, George Chellah and Moses Kuwema
Thu 30 June 2011, 04:00 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga says Sylvia Masebo will tilt the balance in Chongwe depending on the party she decides to stand on for the position of member of parliament.
And MMD sources yesterday disclosed that party national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe on Tuesday held an exclusive meeting with all provincial women's chairpersons at the party secretariat and floated the names of Catherine Namugala or Anne Chungu as Masebo's possible successor.
In an interview last Saturday before Masebo announced her resignation from the ruling party, Mwaanga said Chongwe Constituency had always been a tricky area for the MMD. He said Masebo won the seat in 2001 when she stood on the Zambia Republican Party ticket and regained it again in 2006 when she contested it under the MMD ticket.
"Much will depend on where she decides to go. I have noticed she has been very strong. I have been in charge of campaigns in the MMD, I know Honourable Masebo is very strong and has generally the support of the chieftainess and the general citizenry," Mwaanga said. "So whichever way she decides to go, that's where the balance is going to tilt."
Mwaanga, however, said Chongwe was not the only rural constituency in Lusaka Province, saying he expected the MMD to win the other rural constituencies in the province with PF coming second.
He said in the urban parts of Lusaka, he expected the PF to win, with the MMD coming second.
Masebo on Monday announced her resignation from the MMD following President Rupiah Banda's continued hatred and undemocratic tendencies against her.
The MMD had earlier suspended Masebo, who was the party's national chairperson for women affairs.
Masebo had refused to re-contest her seat on the MMD ticket.
When contacted, after Masebo’s resignation, to find out if he still maintained his position on her credentials in Chongwe now that she had quit MMD, Mwaanga said he still insisted that Masebo was a very strong person in Chongwe and the fact that she had served two five-year terms as member of parliament on two different party tickets proved the point he had been making.
"She has been a very strong MP who is well liked by the local people and she's one that stood on two different parties," said Mwaanga. "So it resignation doesn't really change the position which I advanced when we had the interview earlier. She's a strong member of parliament, she is."
And Mwaanga said the main contenders in this year's elections would be President Rupiah Banda, PF leader Michael Sata, saying UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema had also announced that he would stand.
"You have other lesser parties like Mr Milupi's Alliance for Democracy and Development; I don't even remember Mr Magande's party. I don't even remember the name. UNIP has seen better days," Mwaanga said. "I see it going in favour of MMD. It will be a close election but I still see it go the MMD's way.”
Mwaanga said he anticipated that where the MMD would be losing, they would be coming out as a strong number two.
He said he expected the MMD to win Western, Eastern, North Western and Central provinces while coming out in strong second in the other provinces.
Mwaanga said Luapula and Northern provinces would be contested by the PF and MMD.
Asked on the challenges the MMD was facing in places which had been known to be their strong areas such as Western Province, Mwaanga admitted that there was a challenge, but that it was not insurmountable.
He said every party was facing challenges including the MMD.
Mwaanga appealed to the participants in this year's elections not to dent the image the country had acquired on the holding of peaceful, free and fair elections. He said issues should matter more than insults, saying people should be afforded the opportunity to judge which of the party's was offering better programs to improve the country.
"It is important we all adhere to the code of conduct which will be announced soon and has been translated into local languages," said Mwaanga.
And MMD sources yesterday disclosed that Major Kachingwe on Tuesday held an exclusive meeting with the provincial women's chairpersons at the party secretariat.
According to the sources that attended the meeting, Maj. Kachingwe floated two names as Masebo's replacement for the position of national chairperson for women affairs.
"The names he gave us were Honourable Catherine Namugala and Anne Chungu. And from his tone and language, it was clear that Maj. Kachingwe really wanted Hon. Namugala to take over from Masebo," the source revealed. "Actually, he indirectly indicated that he was only interested in Hon Namugala and not Chungu. But this is confusing because we thought the President wanted Anne Chungu. No wonder he backed her candidature at the last convention in Kabwe. We thought that it was only obvious that Chungu takes over from Masebo but we are now being given fresh indications. We only hope it is the President's wish that Hon. Namugala takes over from Masebo. Otherwise, we have no problem working with either Hon Namugala or Chungu or whomever they will bring forward."
The source said some women thought the process was being rushed.
"It's just that we think it's too soon to replace Masebo. At least they should have waited a little bit before bringing in other people to replace her. As they do this let them not ignore the fact that Masebo still has a following within the party no wonder she was decisively elected at the convention," the source said. "The truth is, at the moment, Masebo still remains the best for that position and we would have loved her to continue. It’s just unfortunate that things turned out this way."
The source said they were surprised with Maj Kachingwe's attacks on Masebo during the press briefing.
"Ba Kachingwe can't be accusing Masebo of being behind the leakages, just for him to please the President. Ba Kachingwe should not mistreat his colleagues when it's convenient for him to do so. Those of us who attended the convention know how ba Kachingwe himself got elected as national secretary," the source said. "The group that supported and campaigned for Masebo at the convention was the same one that also backed ba Kachingwe. In fact, ba Kachingwe won because of VJ. Let him dispute this fact. In short, these people were in league as they were looking for votes from delegates at the convention. But now ba Kachingwe wants to be a champion and talk ill of Masebo as if we don't know what was happening at the convention."
The source advised Maj. Kachingwe not to be too comfortable in his position.
"He is also among the people who are being suspected of being close to Masebo and behind her victory at the convention by the President's inner circle. He is in the category of ba Felix Mutati, VJ, Sarah Sayifwanda, Daniel Munkombwe and Gabriel Namulambe," the source said. "Actually, there are two others who have been added to the witch-hunt list and these are Gladys Nundwe and Lwipa Puma. We only hope the President will halt this harassment, suspicion and cheap and petty gossip within the party that is currently going on."
And the PF yesterday said Masebo was free to join their party if she wished to do so.
In an interview, PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott said Masebo was free to join his party because they all came from the same political academy.
"People have asked me whether Sylvia is coming to PF. Let me say I don't know as the vice-president but if she comes, she will be very welcome because we all come from the same academy; we are all graduates from the same academy, the Michael Sata academy for Zambian politicians," Dr Scott said.
And on Major Kachingwe's statement that MMD would re-contest the Chongwe seat by embarking on an issue-based campaigns, Dr Scott said: "There is no MMD in Chongwe, the development that they have been talking about is not there. The district hospital has no staff there, no beds and there will be no MMD there."
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MMD, PF, SYLVIA MASEBO, VERNON MWAANGA
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Rupiah drops VJ
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 27 Apr. 2011, 04:02 CAT
President Rupiah Banda has dropped Vernon Mwaanga as his campaign manager in this year’s elections and replaced him with Dr Boniface Kawimbe following disagreements on preferred candidates at the MMD convention in Kabwe recently.
A senior State House member of staff disclosed yesterday that President Banda had earlier appointed Parliamentary Chief Whip Mwaanga as his national campaign chairman for 2011 but wrote to him after the convention, informing him that he had decided to reconstitute the campaign team, from which he would be excluded.
“In his April 15, 2011 letter to VJ, the President didn’t state that he had appointed Dr Kawimbe as his replacement,” the source said. “But we are aware that last week the President phoned Dr Kawimbe (who is deputy education minister) to inform him about the appointment. This VJ’s fallout follows disagreements between him and the President over the candidates of MMD national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe and women’s chairperson Sylvia Masebo,” the source said. “VJ is reported to have supported Major Kachingwe and Masebo for the two positions while President Banda preferred Bernard Mpundu and Anne Chungu for the same positions. Major Kachingwe and Masebo emerged victorious at the convention, after both of them decisively defeated their opponents.”
The source said that President Banda was so bitter with these results to the extent that he felt betrayed by Mwaanga, who has been a longtime friend.
“The President has been telling his close aides and family members that he felt betrayed and let down by Mwaanga’s inability to support two crucial candidates of his choice at the convention,” the source said. “President Banda doesn’t want to work with Masebo or just to see her anywhere near him because he complains that she preferred to support Mr Magande for the presidency after the death of our late president Mwanawasa, and not him. As for Major Kachingwe, it appears that initially Dr Chiluba was influencing the President against him. But it seems that the President has now reluctantly accepted to work with Major Kachingwe although he feels that VJ could have helped in stopping his victory.”
When reached for comment yesterday, Mwaanga was reluctant to comment. But after being pressed further, he said: “I have had many years of friendship and brotherhood with President Banda and my loyalty to him cannot and should not be doubted by anyone. I have supported him and defended him to the hilt, even in my sleep, and I will continue to do so. If what you are telling me is true, it is my duty to support whoever the President chooses as MMD campaign chairman because that is his prerogative as party president.”
Mwaanga continued: “Let me hasten to add that provided the decision has been taken for the right reasons, I have absolutely no quarrel with it whatsoever. My conscience is clear and God will judge whether I have indeed betrayed my friend or not. I have no record of betrayal in my personal and political history. Maybe that is the reason why I have consistently stayed in the MMD since 1990 while others have left and come back.
“The victory of the MMD is not and cannot be dependent on one person, be it me or someone else. It is dependent on our collective strengths, resolve and proud record of achievements in so many areas of our national life. I am Government Chief Whip at present and I will continue playing a constructive and positive role in the affairs of the MMD to ensure that my party wins a decisive victory in the forthcoming tripartite elections.”
Asked if he was bitter about being removed as head of the MMD campaign team, Mwaanga retorted: “How can I be bitter? It has been an honour and privilege to serve as head of the MMD campaign team. It is not a right, but a privilege. I leave bitterness to lesser persons.”
Asked whether or not he had received President Banda’s April 15, 2011 letter to him, Mwaanga answered in the affirmative.
“I can confirm that I received the letter several days ago, as it now appears that so many other people seem to know about it,” Mwaanga said. “I can also say that I am at peace with myself and can live with its contents.”
The State House source said President Banda’s letter was harshly written and embarrassing to Mwaanga considering where the two are coming from together.
“But for us as senior staff at State House, we don’t mind what has happened to VJ because it is a relief among us. VJ’s close relationship with the President was beginning to undermine our jobs as the President was listening more to what VJ was telling him,” the source said. “This development now means that we will no longer have to compete for loyalty with VJ.”
However, some senior MMD members spoken to expressed surprise and disappointment that President Banda could have taken such a risky and suicidal gamble to sideline Mwaanga in this year’s elections.
The members said Mwaanga was a veteran of MMD victorious election campaigns since 1991.
“Some of us know that although VJ may have supported Major Kachingwe and Masebo at the convention, he never campaigned for them out of respect and loyalty to the President,” the senior member said. “Although we didn’t know about VJ’s firing as campaign manager, some of us saw this rift between the President and VJ and the President dropped VJ from his delegation to Mazabuka last week where he launched mobile hospitals and addressed traditional leaders in the province. ”
The source said most chiefs in Southern Province expressed surprise at Mwaanga’s absence in Mazabuka.
Both Mwaanga and President Banda have in the past publicly boasted about their 50 years of friendship stretching back from their years as freedom fighters. After the 2008 Presidential by-election, which saw President Banda narrowly beat PF leader Michael Sata by 35,000 votes, Mwaanga was accused by the PF and other opposition leaders of having rigged the elections in favour of his old friend Rupiah Banda, a charge Mwaanga has continued to vehemently deny. Mwaanga has since earned himself the tag of “MMD chief rigger” and is hated and feared by opposition parties during elections.
However, Mwaanga says he is not an election rigger but an “election strategist” and that people making those allegations are merely playing cheap politics.
Some opposition members spoken to yesterday said they were happy that Mwaanga would not be involved in MMD campaigns this year and that they were happy dealing with a relatively inexperienced MMD campaign manager in Dr Kawimbe, who is also eyeing a parliamentary seat in Kasama.
Labels: BONIFACE KAWIMBE, CABINET, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
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We don’t rig - VJ
By Staff Reporter
Fri 25 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT
MMD does not rig elections, says Vernon Mwaanga. And Mwaanga said dismissed works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti forgot who appointed and put him in government.
During a press briefing yesterday at the party secretariat, Mwanga, who is the parliamentary chief whip, said those who claim that the MMD rigs elections should present evidence.
He wondered why organisations such as the Anti Voter Apathy were beginning to raise issues over the elections which were conducted in 1996 when they failed to present evidence when the cases went to court.
Mwaanga said those who were claiming that the MMD rigs elections should present evidence to the contrary because the MMD had always conducted free and fair polls.
He refused to comment on Frederick Chiluba’s statement that he would revive his dribbling skills, saying he was out of the country when those statements were made at the MMD card renewal exercise.
Mwaanga also said those who will not follow rules and regulations of the party will get in trouble.
“The MMD has a code of conduct and if anoyone will operate outside the constitution they will be writing a prescription for trouble, disaster. We are not an anarchist party but we’ve rules and regulations and if they are not followed they will get you in trouble,” Mwaanga said.
He said party members who were in the habit of attacking its leadership are playing in the hands of the enemy.
Mwaanga said the electoral college should reject members who have attacked fellow members and those not in good standing with the party.
“The MMD is more important than any of its members. There is no person in our party who is more important than the MMD, the party itself. We have a duty to ensure that we leave the party in a stable condition,” Mwaanga said.
He said he decided not to contest any position at the forth-coming convetion because he wanted to give an opportunity to young people to reconnect and rebrand the party to ordinary members of society.
Mwaanga said he will ensure that the party remains the most dominant in Zambia.
Labels: MMD, VERNON MWAANGA, VOTERIGGING
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AVAP challenges VJ on his ‘democratic benchmarks’ claims
By Namatama Mundia
Mon 17 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga should show the democratic benchmarks he claims Zambia has set, says AVAP. Reacting to Mwaanga’s statement that Zambia has set democratic benchmarks higher than many countries worldwide, Anti Voter Apathy (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo said voter confidence in elections was questionable due to the failure by the MMD to take a lead in observing the Electoral Code of Conduct.
“…2001, 2006 and 2008 elections were associated with vote rigging, vote buying and massive electoral corruption, abuse of public funds and manipulation of public media,” he said. “Worse still, 1996 elections have sets of results showing massive rigging.”
Tembo wondered what benchmarks Mwaanga, who is parliamentary chief whip, was talking about when the constitution making process was manipulated.
“The electoral Act needs to be amended, the Code of Conduct no matter how good it can be, MMD using the party and its government, the boma ni boma mentality will always breach electoral laws,” he said.
Tembo advised politicians to be sincere when talking about laws that govern elections.
Labels: AVAP, VERNON MWAANGA
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VJ happy with Zambia’s democratic benchmarks
By By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 16 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT
ZAMBIA has set democratic benchmarks higher than many countries worldwide, says Vernon Mwaanga. According to Mwaanga, Zambia has an Electoral Code of Conduct that was extensively debated and agreed by all stakeholders.
He stated that since 1991, the Zambian government and the Electoral Commission of Zambia had been working on improvements to the electoral process, adopting and adapting best practices from both the older and new democracies in the world.
“Where problems are observed, these will be addressed and corrected to ensure that our record of holding free, fair, transparent, credible and democratic elections is upheld,” stated Mwaanga, who is parliamentary chief whip, in a statement. “Our citizens must continue to have confidence in the electoral process of their country. Improvements to the electoral process will continue and must be regarded as work in progress.”
He stated that leaders of political parties and NGOs should not alarm Zambians about benchmarks which had already been set and which took into account the ingredients which exist in every democratic country like Zambia.
“Issues of electoral corruption are covered in our electoral laws. This government under the able leadership of President Rupiah Banda has put a number of measures to fight poverty and improve the quality of life for all our people,” Mwaanga said. “These measures will continue bearing fruits.”
Mwaanga, one of the founder members of the MMD, said the ruling party was the mother and father of the democratic dispensation Zambians were enjoying today.
He said he got puzzled when he heard some people claim that democracy had declined in Zambia.
“Where do these people live and where were they in 1990 when the people of Zambia under the leadership of the MMD rose to demand democracy? Let us not forget the troubled road we have travelled to get where we are today,” Mwaanga said.
He said Zambians had invested in building institutions of good governance, democracy and human rights which were the envy of many countries globally.
He urged Zambians not allow the prophets of doom and the enemies of Zambia’s democracy to undermine their path.
“We know that more needs to be done. We also know that there are still many challenges to be overcome along this journey but no one should doubt our commitment and determination to continue working with all those of our people who mean well to take our country forward,” Mwaanga said. “We are determined to continue our economic programmes and address issues of poverty and many others, as the country continues to move forward in this 21st century.”
He said development and poverty eradication were not a one-day wonder but a process which would take time and resources.
“We are irrevocably committed to continue making Zambia a better place for all by growing the economy and increasing our resource base,” said Mwaanga.
Labels: DEMOCRACY, VERNON MWAANGA
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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
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We are talking with UPND - VJ
By Patson Chilemba and Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 03 Dec. 2010, 04:02 CAT
We are talking with UPND, says Vernon Mwaanga. In an interview in Lusaka on Wednesday, Mwaanga, who is MMD Parliamentary Chief Whip, said discussions have commenced over the formation of an alliance between MMD and UPND at the lower organs. Mwaanga said he stood by his earlier statement that people preferred an alliance between the UPND and MMD to the current PF-UPND pact.
“The statement I issued is the one I stand by. I said discussions are at the lower levels between our members,” he said. Mwaanga said the lower organs would state how serious the negotiations were.
Asked how confident he was that there would be an alliance between MMD and UPND before the 2011 general elections, Mwaanga responded: “It is not me to say that. It is according to them lower organs. They are the ones who are talking about it, so it will be up to them.”
Asked if he would welcome an alliance between MMD and UPND, Mwaanga said the MMD welcomed alliances with other progressive parties that believed that Zambia must go forward.
He said the MMD was ready to go into an alliance with political parties that wanted an alliance.
In May 2010, Mwaanga said his trips and meetings with Southern Province chiefs, the business community and other stakeholders revealed that people wanted an alliance between the MMD and UPND.
Mwaanga said Southern Province could only successfully produce a Republican president in 2016 through an alliance between UPND and MMD.
And MMD elections chairman, Mike Mulongoti said the door remained open for the UPND or any other political party to be in an electoral alliance with the MMD.
In an interview yesterday, Mulongoti said the MMD believed that leaders of competing parties had the objective to develop Zambia, either as individual political parties or through an alliance.
“MMD as a political party was formed from an alliance of unions, churches, political parties, etcetera and because of that, the MMD does not close doors to anybody. If anybody wants to be part of that alliance with us, they are free,” said Mulongoti, who is also works and supply minister.
He said if any opposition party regarded forming an alliance with the MMD worthwhile, the ruling party would welcome them.
However, Mulongoti said the MMD was not actively pursuing other political parties for an alliance.
“But, as an alliance, we keep the door open to all those who would want to come in including the UPND and everybody. I don’t want to just target UPND but all political parties, even FDD, New Generation and whoever,” said Mulongoti.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, MMD, UPND, VERNON MWAANGA
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Alliances based on regionalism
By The Post
Thu 25 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
Virtue must be nourished but vice springs up spontaneously like weeds and grows by itself. If we do otherwise, while nourishing virtue, we are simultaneously paving way for vice. That’s the reality we must not lose sight of.
What are things coming to? For a man like Vernon Mwaanga who has fought so much against tribalism and regionalism, on the one hand, on the other to be promoting them, it raises a lot of questions about the state of our country’s politics. But there is a sort of chain of events here.
For if good ideas foster other good ideas, bad things can foster on the other hand, other bad things. Today, Vernon is calling for an alliance between the MMD and UPND on the promise that in 2016, they will back someone from Southern Province to be president. There is nothing wrong with political alliances or coalitions.
In fact, wherever there is a good basis for them, they should be encouraged because they will help strengthen the positions of our political parties and improve the stability of our politics.
But these alliances should be based on principles that are opposed to tribalism and regionalism.
We say this because tribalism and regionalism have been weighed and found wanting and as such cannot be the basis of a sound political alliance.
The obligation that all our political parties have is to stand up for what is right.
They don’t have to accept our country as it is, they have the right to seek to make our country what they want it to be.
But the society they seek should be a more fair, just and humane one.
The imperfections of our society today should move our politicians and inspire them to struggle for a much more superior society and not to deepen or worsen those imperfections.
If there are any elements of tribalism or regionalism in our politics, these should not be deepened by forming alliances that strengthen them or perpetuate such outlooks.
Constructing a better society has never been an easy undertaking for anyone, for any nation.
And if we are honest with ourselves, we should realise that this will require a lot of work.
And there are times when it seems that a better society is an impossibility – days when our opposition and the imperfections that we daily live under may tempt us to take an easier path that avoids our responsibilities to one another.
But this calls for sacrifice if we are to see the triumph of principle over mere power.
Winning an election can be an easy thing. What is the difficulty in forming tribal alliances that bring together a motley assortment of contradictory elements simply to win an election?
The dishonesty of men like Vernon is very disheartening. This is a highly experienced man who was given maximum exposure by his people at a very early age.
But what type of experience Vernon has raises a lot of questions.
And as it has been observed, “in judging our progress as individuals, we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one’s social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education.
These are, of course, important in measuring one’s success in material matters and it is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these.
But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing one’s development as a human being.
Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others – qualities which are within reach of every soul – are the foundation of one’s spiritual life.
Development in matters of this nature is inconceivable without serious introspection, without knowing yourself, your weaknesses and mistakes.
Never forget that a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying”.
We wish, above all, to recall the past, so as to foresee and plan the future better. Vernon knows very well what happened at the UNIP congress of 1967 when regional alliances were created around Simon Kapwepwe and Reuben Kamanga.
UNIP, probably, never recovered from the wounds of that tribalism and regionalism infested congress.
Kenneth Kaunda was extremely disgusted and disappointed with the tribalism and regionalism that was unleashed out of that congress and resigned as president of the Republic because he was not ready to lead a tribally and regionally divided party, government and country.
It took a lot of effort to persuade KK to change his mind. Vernon knows all these things very well.
If today Vernon is promising an alliance that will deliver the presidency of this country from one individual or group to another on the basis of tribe and region, then he is unleashing a force in our country that he and his friends will not be able to control.
What this will mean is that the country will not have one tribal or regional alliance – we are bound to have more and more of these.
And there is nowhere in the world where tribalism or regionalism has been the basis for national unity, peace and stability.
They have always been a recipe for tribal or regional conflicts or strife.
Vernon knows very well that the struggle to defend and consolidate unity after independence demanded permanent vigilance and action to neutralise and eliminate the manoeuvres of political opportunists who were ready to use the tribal or regional card.
And by defining tribalism and regionalism as enemies to be fought against, just like colonialism, this deprived the opportunists of their chief instruments in their anti-people manoeuvres.
It is necessary to understand the grandeur diversity and complexity of our country.
Knowing this complexity means studying the divisiveness in our country and the ways of combating it.
Why is there this blindness to all this reality?
Why is there this inability to reckon with the moral and spiritual facts?
Why is there this forgetfulness of the ideals by which our Republic was inspired?
If one promises the people of Southern Province that come 2016, the president will hail from there, they are creating a very big problem.
There is nothing that should stop anyone hailing from Eastern Province to be president of our country next year and another one from the same area, even the same town or village to take over from him in 2016.
What matters is not where one hails from but what type of leadership that person is able to provide our people.
What difference did Frederick Chiluba’s presidency make to the lives of our people who hail from Luapula Province?
And is the president going to be allowed to use national resources to prop up one region of our country – the area where he comes from – at the expense of the rest of the country?
Are the Zambian people going to tolerate such abuses? Kaunda hails from Northern Province.
But can anyone, in all honesty, accuse him of having done one thing in that region of our country simply on account that he hails from there?
Chinsali is as poor as any other part of our country, notwithstanding the fact that it is KK’s home district – a district that has produced many heroes of our independence struggle.
If this is the alliance Rupiah Banda wants with UPND, let it be.
But the Zambian people are not fools to support such a backward and nationally divisive political alliance.
And we have no doubt that those who engage in such an alliance will in the end be smeared with their own offals.
An alliance between the MMD and UPND that is simply premised on making someone who hails from Southern Province a president will not do.
Let them find many noble and more acceptable reasons to justify such as alliance.
There are many serious challenges and problems facing our people.
There is no need to create unnecessary ones for them – tribalism and regionalism just to benefit a few selfish and greedy politicians seeking power for themselves.
We cannot encourage tribalism and regionalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought and in action.
Advocating tribal and regional political alliances is being narrow-minded, being narrow in thought and in action. We must hold together.
Unless we face this fact, we shall pay the price that must be paid by all those who trade principles for political expediency.
We need to pay a lot of attention to the politics of our country.
We say this because judging by the record of the past, the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of our democracy will be economic development and political leadership.
We say this because economic development makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real.
Labels: REGIONALISM, VERNON MWAANGA
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VJ mustn’t champion regionalism - Mwale
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 25 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga must not champion tribalism and regionalism for political mileage, a pro-democracy activist has advised.
Commenting on MMD parliamentary chief whip Mwaanga’s statement that an alliance between opposition UPND and ruling MMD would be good because the former could support a candidate from Eastern Province Rupiah Banda in 2011 and that would in future enable the Southern Province to produce a head of state, Michael Mwale said Mwaanga must encourage people to vote for credible leaders and not on the basis of the region where a particular candidate hails from.
“People should look at the credibility and what someone can offer and not looking at the tribe or province where someone comes from,” he said.
Mwale warned that Mwaanga’s approach to political campaigns had a danger of causing ethnic conflicts in Zambia.
“If Zambians will continue to campaign on tribal lines, at the end, it will bring ethic problems and people will be fighting each other that ‘this one is a Bemba, a Nyanja, Tonga…’ and that will cause anarchy,” said Mwale, who is Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) co-ordinator in Luapula Province.
“Vernon Mwaanga should not champion that for political mileage. Let him allow people to choose a leader who they think is credible and can address their aspirations,” said Mwale.
According to yesterday’s Times of Zambia, Mwaanga encouraged a formation of an electoral alliance between the UPND and MMD.
“We have a President from Eastern Province who came in to complete the mandate of his late brother Levy Mwanawasa, but the current President is entitled to his own tenure of office so that thereafter, we include the Southern Province and they can be supported. This idea is attractive,” Mwaanga was quoted by the Times of Zambia as saying.
He said the idea of an alliance between the two parties was overwhelmingly supported by the people of Southern Province as they had realised that it was an opportunity for somebody who hails from there to be head of state.
Mwaanga said after supporting the MMD candidate in next year’s polls, the MMD would gladly support an individual from the Southern Province wishing to contest the presidency.
Labels: MICHAEL MWALE, REGIONALISM, VERNON MWAANGA
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Chongwe backs Sata’s meeting with donors
By George Chellah
Thu 14 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
Lusaka lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe yesterday observed that PF president Michael Sata is not quarantined from international contact. And Dr Chongwe asked whether it was not understandable for diplomats to seek to meet opposition leaders since President Rupiah Banda is rarely present at the seat of power in Lusaka.
Commenting on Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga's warning that some diplomatic missions should not be surprised if diplomatic sanctions were imposed on them for meeting Sata without government's knowledge, Dr Chongwe stated that Sata was clearly the leader of a very large political movement in Zambia today.
"I would like to draw the attention of brother Mwaanga to one of the articles he told us he wrote himself that was published in The Post in his own column.
In this article, he expounded on the state of Myanmar formerly called Burma, in the process touching on Nobel Laureate and elected leader of the Burmese people, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been locked up for many years by the generals running that country,” Dr Chongwe said.
“She is not allowed to receive members of the public or the diplomatic community without permission of the generals. She lives under a military dictatorship in which Zambia is very different from Myanmar.
"Agreed, Mr Michael Sata who is our mutual colleague from the days of campaigning for multi party democracy in 1991 is neither as saintly or beautiful as Ms Aung San Suu Kyi. Mr Sata is, however, clearly the leader of a very large political movement in Zambia today. Today it looks much larger than the MMD and in our system, Sata and his colleagues are not quarantined from international contact."
Dr Chongwe said that according to Mwaanga, the normal diplomatic channel was for diplomats to make their requests and contacts with various groups through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"It would appear Mr Mwaanga did not disclose the nature of the sanctions that his administration has in mind against the so-called wayward diplomats. The warning, however, comes soon after the President told the diplomats to pack their bags and leave Zambia,” Dr Chongwe said.
“At the time of the President's remarks, some of the diplomats had questioned why the government did not seek return of the money taken by former President Chiluba, now a confidante of the President whom the English Court found had misappropriated over USD 46,000,000 belonging to the Zambian State.
"On the face of the statement by Mr Mwaanga, one would have no qualms in accepting it if it came from the mouth of a politician who practices what he preaches. But this is not the position with Mr Mwaanga.
Why? Mr Mwaanga was the party member in charge of International Affairs in the early days of the MMD in 1991. He was also a former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Kaunda administration, but these credentials notwithstanding at the time he had no qualms in arranging meetings for us as MMD leaders to meet foreign diplomats accredited to Zambia.
"Neither did we wait for him to arrange these meetings. One has in mind meetings that took place with the former ambassadors from the United States, Canada, France, Germany and etc.
There was no whiff from Mr Mwaanga as to the diplomatic impropriety of such meetings. I was myself leader of the Opposition Alliance from 1996 (until shortly after I was shot at in 1997) comprising 13 opposition political parties in Zambia. My colleagues and I met foreign diplomats accredited to our country without any prior permission from the Minister of Foreign Affairs."
Dr Chongwe said when he returned from Australia in 2003, he met foreign diplomats in Zambia without prior permission from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"I am sure that there are many more former political leaders who were and have been in a position to meet foreign diplomats without the permission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. What I am driving at is this that in this country a political leader does not need, taking into account past practice, to get the permission of our Foreign Ministry to meet a diplomat either at his home or in a hotel over a meal or a drink or elsewhere," Chongwe said.
"Mr Mwaanga, as far as I am aware, is not himself the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and I am also aware that there are other Zambians in the Foreign Ministry whose responsibility is to deal with issues on which Mr Mwaanga has given himself the authority to expound."
However, Dr Chongwe stated that Mwaanga's behaviour could be explained.
"His behaviour gives credence to what must already be obvious to most thinking people in Zambia; this is that the Zambian government's administration is dysfunctional. Institutions of the state are dysfunctional. The executive is dysfunctional; neither does the institution of parliament nor the judiciary function properly," Chongwe said.
"This may explain the desperation by representatives of the international community in seeking out the opposition. The opposition, according to our own Constitution, is part of the system of government. In any case, if diplomats are unable to meet the President because the incumbent is rarely present at the seat of power in Lusaka; is it not understandable that they should seek to meet the opposition leaders instead?" Dr Chongwe said that Zambia had a multi party system of governance.
"It is very imperfect and has been much undermined in its democratic practice and we all know it. Yet it was something we sought and campaigned for and in which Mr Mwaanga was much involved but ultimately the multi party system was achieved by the overwhelming will of the people of Zambia. Like our lives and our votes, it does not belong to any one individual or group to give and take at will," said Dr Chongwe.
Labels: DONORS, MICHAEL SATA, ROGER CHONGWE, VERNON MWAANGA
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