POLITICAL stakeholders in the country have expressed mixed feelings over the formation and launch of the political movement, National Movement for Progress (NMP), by former Minister of Finance and National Planning Ng’andu Magande.
United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma has described the formation of NMP as a pipedream and a serious misjudgment of the prevailing political scenario in the country.
Mr Kakoma said in an interview in Lusaka that Mr Magande must have considered combining forces with any of the major political forces in the country.
He said although the UPND respects Mr Magande’s democratic right to vie for any political office, history shows that political parties formed on the eve of general elections have never succeeded.
“There is no doubt that he is doing this out of frustration with the MMD. We respect his decision but history has shown us that forming a political party on the eve of elections does not work. How do you form a political party ‘two days’ before elections?” Mr Kakoma asked.
Mr Kakoma charged that Mr Magande, who was Chilanga Member of Parliament (MP) until he was expelled from the ruling MMD a couple of months ago, has no political base anywhere in the country.
He said that Mr Magande is allegedly trying to use the late UPND president Anderson Mazoka’s strategy of launching the political party in Solwezi.
Mr Kakoma said history will not repeat itself for Mr Magande.
“He (Mr Magande) is trying to repeat history. He wants to make North-Western Province his base but it will not work because he has no political base anywhere in this country,” Mr Kakoma said.
He said that Mr Magande’s NMP has joined a long list of ‘paper political parties’ that do not have a following.
“At the moment, the people of Zambia have settled for three major political parties – the MMD, PF and UPND – and these are the only parties with a following. The people of Zambia will only have a choice of their leaders from these three parties,” Mr Kakoma said.
MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said Mr Magande is free to form a political party in accordance with Zambia’s rule of law and democratic tendencies.
Mr Mabenga said, however, that the formation of his political party is not a threat to the ruling MMD as the latter is a giant well poised among all political parties in the country to scoop the 2011 general election.
He said this in an interview from Western Province yesterday.
United National Independence Party (UNIP) vice-president Njekwa Anamela said the formation of NMP and Mr Magande’s intention to contest the 2011 elections are welcome in a democratic dispensation.
Mr Anamela said UNIP is, however, not threatened by the formation of NMP, saying its launch is a mere addition to Zambia’s competitive political environment.
He said, however, that although it is the nature of multi-partism to have many parties competing, it is ideal to have few formidable parties to enable the majority to make an effective choice.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
WHY DO PEOPLE FEEL THEY ARE POPULAR WHEN ALL WHAT MAGANDE DOING IS DESTROYING THE OPOSITION……HE SHOULD HAVE HAD GUTS TO JOIN EITHER HH OR SATA ……HE IS IN A DREAM LAND AND YET HE KNOWS THAT THE CURRENT GOVT HAS REFUSED 50+1 SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN…. THAT MAGANDE WANTS TO MAKE MMD GO THROUGH AGAIN ….SHAME ON YOU I THOUGHT YOU WERE SMART BUT YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER SELFISH MAN, ANYWAY GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PARTY :d
Some people are foolish, this is indeed the highest level of stupidity for Magande. where on earth can Magande think that he can progress. anyway what can we say? People have rights but they don’t think properly. shame on magande.
Magande’s biggest weakness is his over-sized ego. He believes he is greatest thing that happened to this country.
So whose votes is Magande’s party going to grab. MMD, UPND, PF or indeed UNIP? If Mr Kakoma knows that there are only “two days” left before elections why is it that it is only the MMD presidential candidate in 2011 who is fully campaigning at every traditional and ground breaking ceremony?
Even for NOAH people thought he was mad. Even SATA in 2001 people thought his party will never have a following.Look at what it is today, a great party. Let Magande continue with what he has started.WHO KNOWS? Lets not be too negative.Afterall he had shown good leadership under the late Mwanawasa
New political parties will give us alternative options.
This is the mistake most of our politicians make.lack of dialogue,.Mr Kakoma,the best you could have done is not to wait for Magande to join you.You should have requested for a meeting with him and encourage him to join your party instead of u rushing to the press and complaining about how he has launched his party.It is non of your business.You have actually shut the door for Magande.
And your comments about Magande imitating Mazoka in the manner he has launched his party are very childish
The biggest impediment to this party will be magande’s own personality. He has a certain type of arrogance that will make it difficult for him to win followers.
Congratulations Honourable Magande for forming a wonderful party. The name is real befitting. I sincerely support you and I know we many Zambian behind you. Thumbs up to you, sir. I don’t know why in Zambia we seem to fail to appreciate the essence of forming a party, amidst the so called big parties already in existence. We must understand that any good organisation needs to have goals, mission, vision and must always be focused to attain and sustain these aspects. It is clear that most existing opposition parties (particularly the two major ones) have lost the focus and all well meaning people have actually been discouraged. Perhaps, this may explain the voters registration apathy. There is hope for mother Zambia now!
there goes another loser,can’t seem to understand these people.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight:
Zambia shall be saved, am sure we all know when that will be….Surely the Second Coming is at Hand.
MMD If you are no threatened why comment. The majority of you outsiders need to also stop commenting, go to Zambia and see what this change is all about. This is the greatest thing to happen in Zambia. We need parties whose presidents deserve to be president. Go Magande.
Number 11, W.B Yeats. Well said.
Wrong move!…congesting a political arena that is already domicile with impaired & cordless parties. Others might agree that this is a selfish & lacking proper advise notion however, the old man gotta his democratic right that he is seriously abusing….every rational Zedian knows the only way to get rid of MMD 2011 election is thru a collision or pact.
this is what is making making me have very big ??s in our zambian intellectuals. they simply can’t reason. magande couldn’t see and reason beyond his torn jacket. he thought people were going to sympathise with him when mmd cadres tore his jacket. if the late Levy Mwanawasa just helped him to rig the through his parliamentary seat, what made him think people were going to vote for him after all the rigging? guyz, mulekwatako ubongo.
What happened to ADEDO-ZAMUFIMOMO. I was hoping that they will reveal their manifesto soon. Now that the elections are getting closer, we have Magande’s NMP formed. I wouldnt be surprised if Mumbi forms his own SUNSHA-BOKOSI party, then Father Bwalya’s BUPUBA- BOBE party, Drum stick’s LONDON-NJIKATA party and Nkalanda’s WINSEKA-NSHILI-MWIPI’s party.
What happened to the former Kasama MP, Saviour Chishimba’s party? Surely, the best way Magande could have launched his party was to participate in the recent Chilanga by-election in the same manner that Milupi did in Luena? What is also telling is the fact that as of yet, there have not been a mass exodus of MMD supporters to his party which would have been an indication of the clout he had in the party. As things stand, he simply looks like a sore loser who could not come to terms with the fact that he lost the contest to take over from the late LPM, which to me is not a sign of a good leader.
So what happens with the post? Will they now dump the old snake and back Magande for plot one?
Go magande,if u joined any of existing party u would ve been at the tale.with a party u can negotiate to join other parties & be given more power in an alliance.Go go.It may be not for the next election but the future since the current opposition after elections if they wont win,they would have failed Zambians and something new is inevitable,Magande is still young and energetic this is future.Magande is a rare talent but Zambians dont appreciate that and think every one can be gifted the same.its about difference in human beings knowing ur strenght and weakness.But for Zambia every one is strong.Itsnot possible.Go Magande……
AFRICANZ, WHAT IS WRONG WITH US? WE AWLYS COPY THINGS WRONGLY,IT IS HIGH TIME WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT WORKS 4 THE WHITES WLDN’T WORK 4 US.OUR DEMOCRACY SEEMS TO BE A COMEDY OF ERRORS.DEMOCRACY HAS FAILED IN AFRICA 4 IT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF WARS,CORRUPTION AND OTHER VICES AND ITS NOT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GOVERN OUR SELVES.WE AS AFRICANS NID TO SEAT DOWN AND COME UP WITH SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK ACCORDING TO OUR AFRICAN VALUES DMOCRACY HASNT BLENDED SO WELL.OUR FRIENDS THE CHINES, THE JEWS IN ISRIAL,THE CUBANZ HAVE GOT THERE OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS AND THINGS ARE WORKING WELL.THE AMERICANS AND THE BRITISH THE PIONEERS OF THE SO CALLED DEMOCRACY HAVE LESS THAN FIVE PARTIES IN THERE COUNTRIES,U WLD TELL ME THAT PIPO IN THESE COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE RIGTHS TO FORM P.PARTIES,THEY DO BUT THEY KNOW…
#14 and #20, good observation, our political institutions are too weak and they ignore our own values and beliefs. Pa Africa we want to impress the western world which thrives on causing confusion in the developing work. As Africans we should come up with our own governance system like Singapore, China, Malaysia and Cuba improve the situation. In as much as I appreciate that it is Magande’s constitutional right to form a party, it ll be difficult for him to market it and win people’s support to dislodge the incumbent President.
Everyone wants to go to plot 1 and be called president.With no chance to be voted into plot 1, now every Jim & Jack Want to form their own katemba party and be called president and travel on diplomatic passport with free tax for any goods they bring into Zed through Lusaka international airport. Welcome to the club prsident magade
I think Mpombo is more popular than Magande
If you were looking for a school for your child and you find 3 schools all populated with dull teachers, would you force your child to go to these schools, or would you rather find another school or build your own school. The ignorance on this forum sometimes is beyond reason, no wonder Magande has to form a party, become president to build better schools and educate some of these so called intelligent people busy saying he cant do this and that when they themselves cant do anything but talk nonesense!
N’gandu Magande has every democratic right to choose his own political path, that said, he should also have the brain to see through his decision and what that does to the opposition and indeed the MMD especially after the rejection of the 50+1 %. In my view the very MMD he is trying to dislodge is being strenthened by his descision which I belive he did not think through enough, he has a lot of examples to look at eg Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda who is not a bad person but decided wrongly politically hence gradually failling in his political career.
Go magande we ar rallying behind u. i am sure your consultations have been concluded as you promised. You can make a good leader and your party will grow remember what happened with Sata in 2001 i personally didnt believe his party will grow but where is it now today. You can even do better. Your party can be launched anywhere in the country even in north western province or luapula let not charles challenge you. Its a one zambia one nation. your principles and vision will create a background for you not your origin
Pa Z ma politicians don’t invest in research to make correct judgements. Anyway, more parties, more income in the pockets of citizens during elections (Libala lya bonse). Viva Africa.
Waste of time !!!!!!!!!
Magande served as Minister of Finance. His next target as an individual is the Presidency. But It will not work. Magande has nor charm nor charisma needed to win a Presidential Seat. he has check mated himself.
29: and RB has Charisma? what has that got to do with developing a nation anyway.
Magande’s got the right to form his own party but I honestly think he’s one of the greatest things that have happened to the MMD lately.
If the Movement selects Magande as its candidate …he brings with him experience, integrity,fiscal discipline++++ to the “Office of the President”. All the best
# 30 Sanshi
This is Africa my friend. A land full of vernomous snakes, crocodiles and rigged elections. The charm and charisma is needed on top of being brainy. Example Obama had the Charm and Charisma. FTJ had them as well before he became a little BIG thief.
Magande is intelligent but for the Presidency it’s a tall order for him.
For your question on RB. Well RB has no charisma. I dont even know what “people” who voted for him saw in HIM.
Waste of time and resources.Votes for NMP will come from wife and children.Let’s hope you will not fail to raise the number of supporters at high court like other people we know.Last minute parties are there to devide people’s attention.They just split votes and strengthen the ruling party.MMD will continue being in power owing to selfish political parties that cannot agree on a common goal.Another,party for what?Yes,it might be your right to form a party but it what value will it add?
What made Magande to assume such high opinions of himself? Wouldn’t Zambians die of yawning given the impossible chance of him becoming President. Some people have so much time on their hands. President Magande, what a joke.
My sympathies to Magande for his ill conceived ideas which will now earn him the status of clown.
If he has to keep his mouth open as he does, let him at least say something, than keeping silent with only inaudible mumbles which only help to make him look silly.
My sympathies for the torn jacket President Magande:d:d
At least no one can accuse him of lack of ambition
zambians election are now about the least evil. i think magande ranks the least evil lets rally behind him and vote for him.
If Mr Sata cannot dissolve his party and join UPND, what is wrong with Mr Magande forming a new party? What makes you think that Mr Sata is the only one annointed for Plot 1?
Look out for my posts…only classified info
# 30 PIPO were voting for MMD
There we go again. Magande at it. I remember when the Late great son of this nation who only Chiluba single handedly destroyed to his grave, Anderson Kambela Mazoka formed UPND after falling off with the inner circle of MMD ( the same the knows were went Shimaponda, Penza, Tembo, Nkumbula), sceptics thought he was wasting time. When the tide picked, there was no turning back. Today it would be befiting to include him on the list of President of Zambia and strike off corrupt Kafupi. Magande could be the saviour. The vernom of the cobra is too gastly to contemplate. We will realise too late. HH seems to be in pasive mode, we dont wat the young man is up to. Zambians, here is my permutation, why cant HH, Milupi, Magande, Prof Chirwa, Prof Hansungule, Muna Ndulo etc come together to liberate…
:)>-:-\”:x
I think Magande formed his party so that he can join the pact as an equal member and try out for the candidate for the presidency in 2011.
I’m avaliable to be Youth Chairman in your party Mr. Magande, our prezido.
It was expected,slashing-off of presidential nomination fees to 50%,no proper conclusion of the 50 + 1%……..hope pact wont be divided….
PIPO.
THIS MAN IS VERY SELFISH.
KWAMANA.HE CAN NEVER EVEN WIN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY ELCTION ANY WHERE .EVEN IN SIUTHERN PROVINCE.
SHAME ON YOU.
COME TO SOUTHERN PROVINCE SO THAT WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW WE DO POLITICS THERE.
why overate yourself too high magande, i feel you have one problem which is visible to every zambian . You cheat yoself that you are the only educated zambian out of 14million zambians. I feel your tonga accent will the first factor will check of you.