President Rupiah Banda says MMD members are free to debate growing calls to postpone the party convention until after the 2011 tripartite elections.
Mr. Banda says such a debate is within the party’s internal democratic system.
The President says he is not afraid of being challenged by any MMD member particularly former Defence Minister, George Mpombo.
Mr. Banda was speaking to journalists at the Lusaka International Airport on Monday shortly before departure for the DRC to attend a SADC heads of State and government summit.
He said the ruling party will eventually make a final decision over the matter.[quote]
Mr. Banda wondered why people were more interested in issues surrounding the MMD convention leaving out other parties that have never held conventions.
Mr. Banda will only attend Monday’s session of the two day summit and return home later in the day.
And the MMD has warned that the party will expel its Chilanga MP N’gandu Magande and his Kafulafuta counterpart, George Mpombo, if they continue insulting the party.
Deputy National Secretary, Jeff Kaande says the National Executive Committee has resisted taking action on the two because it is avoiding parliamentary by-elections.
He says the two have for a long time been quoted in the media insulting the party and its leadership.
Mr. Kaande has dared Mr. Magande and Mr. Mpombo to challenge his warning saying he will deal with them after the burial of Local Government Minister, Benny Tetamashimba.
He was addressing hundreds of MMD cadres and supporters who staged a solidarity match in support of former President, Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal by the Lusaka magistrate court.
[ZNBC]
Following FTJ’s footsteps eh! “Let the people debate”. who the hell is Jeff Kaande? is he not the same chap who has a list of fake suppliers he wants paid for nothing….what happened to his case? we got to know, don’t just chase after Kabwela & Fred Mmembe…ala!
Kaande you are nothing like Magande and you will never be close that….!
Can RB clarify the “Solidarity match in support of former President, Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal by the Lusaka magistrate court?”
The MMD chaps think that they can fool “We the People” when we are seeing what is happening in the country.
Bamumbwe, bamambala have regrouped and the plunder continues.
The donors and other interest groups should take note of these happenings and stop the funding of the state machinery of plunderers. The cooperating partners should not watch the country being driven in the direction that Zimbabwe took.
RB and Mugabe are “Birds of the same feathers”.
What´s going on mu Chimunzi chatu? 1 step forward 10 backwards.. Real development. Why not turn around and walk Ruve!
It is in your favour and you it has to run the course, that’s obvious. It could be “within the party’s internal democratic system” but is it within the party’s constitution? When do we learn. Ba Banda mukekala mu ofesi lwisa? On the move all the time.
It’s either you are MMD or their enemies!
Ba Jeff, just keep quiet. Just go on with your morning. You’ve started following the exact footsteps of the late Teta before he rests 6 feet! You think you are more Zambian that any of us!!!
MMD should be heading for serious doooooooommmm!!!
This does not mess with the constitution so RB can easily get away with it unlike Kafupi’s 3rd term one.
He means let them debate as long as they are pushing for the postponement of the so called convention. How pathetic!!!! We continue to see the effects of the precedent set by FJT……..waking people up from their sleep to anoint them as president just like in the middle ages. Talk about selective democracy…….
Our President should guide MMD memebrs to critically look at their party Constitution and do what it says with regard to the election of a party President. As the father of the nation RB should always strive to set a good example and do what is right all the time. How are we going to point fingers at others if we are doing wrong things all the time. Remember the third term debt which the then President said he will not stop because this is a democracy?? Please do not waste time on issues that are not provided for in the Constittion unless you indeed to change the Constitution.
I have been following the decisions that RB makes. I am not sure whether it is because of his old age. He always takes the oppsite and wrong view of things. Zero out of Ten in most cases, if it were an exam. Shikapwa…., is alaways in negatives.I am starting to believe that certain people are incapable of doing correct or telling truth. I am in that state it is even easy to forget when one last told truth. Everything seems to veer of to the dark side. These people live in darkness, really. Now he has to support FTJ even when he knows it will not take him anywhere. Its bizare!!!
He always says obvious things like: education is good for the country and for SADC, I can not fire Kund…,
Mr. RB, if you are not afraid of challengers, then why are you entertaining the postponement of your convention? What kind of democracy are you talking about? You sound like your new best friend, Kafupi. Too bad that you cannot fit into his shoes and suits.
Who is this Jeff Kaande anyway, he sounds like one of those unruly MMD cadres? What does he dealing with Magande and Mpombo mean? I bet that he will unleash his MMD thugs onto Magande and Mpombo. How long are Zambians going to take this nonsense?
RB, anything that is to his advantage is OK!
As though he is going to be there in 2011, atase Kanitundila, aikona kulimonesha ta!
I we man just allow us to convene and choose who we want
Our poor RB has really taken after Chiluba,remember Chiluba’s stage managed third term bid debate.
Anyway it does not bother me as i m not MMD, they can do what ever pleases them as long as they don’t touch the pact.
# 9. Please stop calling a President as ‘father of the nation’. He is not, and he will never be. He is just leading the nation.period.
Bwezani, stop being childish and let the rule of law prevail. Have that convention and allow people to challenge you. Stop behaving like titus kafupi mpundu chiluba. An era of dictators is a thing of the past.
Would be interesting to know whether a sitting president of the country needs to have his mandate renewed. MMD gave overwhelming support to RB last year as their chosen candidate for the elections last year. As I remember, Magande was soundly beaten. If howevr, many in the MMD are not happy with Banda’s tenure then the party members both in parliament and outside should have their voices heard. Other political parties should also try to highlight their democratic credentials by also having conventions especially after they have faced electoral defeat.
How can RB STOP the descusion when he is the sole beneficially of the the debate.Only pipo with morals can do it not BA kanitundila, of the the things how doyou get blessings from a Mokey.MMD Wake up you are slowly going back to UNIP
This man Jeffy Kaande is crown and not up to reality. Threatening to deal with Magande and Mpombo is not the wise way of dealing with those party members with different views. Its better to accommodate such as it brings about internal checks and balances. MMD should not refer to other parties which have not held a single convention its important for MMD to lead by example oz they are a ruling and as such must be seen to be democratic. Of coz those calls coming from pronvinces are stage managed by NEC men. Why should RB allow debate to contunue NO CONVENTION. Mudala ayopa chani. This idea of filling up positions casually is not democratic. Important positions in NEC should be subject to Ballot. This is allowing crowns like Jeffy talking ma rubbish. Democracy is going the drain pa ZED
READ FROM THE ARTICLE ABOVE: ‘Mr. Banda wondered why people were more interested in issues surrounding the MMD convention leaving out other parties that have never held conventions.’
It seems Rupiah does not understand that MMD is the ruling party. People are not interested in other parties that have never held conventions because OTHER PARTIES ARE NOT IN POWER!!! FULL STOP. Besides, they do no have access to the “rigging machinery” that ensures that MMD stays in power for a longer time A very simple reason that RB cannot figure out but this leaves us with no doubt that our president doesn’t invest in thinking before he talks”
Ripiah Banda is worse than Idi Amin.
If I remember very well,the last time MMD held a successfully democratic Election at Convention was in 1990/1991 when Chiluba and people like Athur Wina challenged each other.Since then,MMD has always been manipulated.kaChiluba frauduelently went through in 1995 and he suppred the late Mwanawasa when he stood against him.In 2000/people like Brg.Gen Miyanda,Gen Chris and many others were not allowed at the convention in Kabwe and many of them were beaten by Party Cadres.2005/2006,Mwanawasa made sure that he went through unopposed when Kavindele was banned and insulted when he attempted to stand against him .Captain Chewe tried to stand for the Vice Presidency but was banned and suspended if not expelled.So,Gents,you see,this MMD is full of crooks like Jeff Kande,a fake supplier