And Chief Macha of the Tonga people in Choma says the issue of First lady Maureen Mwanawasa succeeding President Mwanawasa must be left to the public for debate.
Chief Macha told ZANIS in an interview in Choma today that people must be given ample time to debate on whether the first lady can succeed the President or not.
Asked what his stand was on the matter since some chiefs in the country have openly made their stand known, chief Macha said it was still premature for him to take a position.
He said more debate should be allowed as to whether the first Lady could become successor to the president or not.
Chief Macha stated however stated that if the general populace accepted the idea, him as a traditional ruler would have no problem.
He said he was carefully following the pronouncements by various sections of society on the matter.
Meanwhile, The Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) has started using sports to reach out to people infected and affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
MMCI Sports AIDS (SPAIDS) Officer Daniel Chawelwa said sports would be used as an effective tool for fighting stigma as it promotes interaction among members of the community.
Mr. Chawelwa told ZANIS in Lusaka today that MMCI SPAIDS has stepped up sensitization campaigns in communities on Voluntary Counseling and Testing and HIV/AIDS issues through sports activities.
He said sports was a unifying activity that enhances interaction and communication among people of different backgrounds, adding that it was also a source of hope and confidence for the marginalized people in society.
Mr. Chawelwa said the MMCI has also received overwhelming response from communities in which it has been conducting activities.
He said the organizations would continue initiating and facilitating community driven programmes.
And Mr. Chawelwa has urged Zambians to access VCT services in order for them to know their health status and access treatment which could prolong their lives.
He said people on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) were able also engage into productive activities just like those without the HIV.
Also, the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) says the orghanisation is comited to promotiong sport among the youths in the country.
MMCI Chaiperson Naureen Mapala says sports disciplines such as boxing must be promoted in the country in order to diversify sport activities in the country.
Mrs. Mapala said this when she donated sports items to Kanyama Boxing Club.
The donated items include shoes and boxing gloves.
She said MMCI will extend the exercice countrywide after covering compunds in the capital, Lusaka.
Mrs. Mapala noted that engaging in sports actvities especially in peri-urban ares can help curb crime and often importantly illicit activities.
She added that sport among the unemployed youths can also promote the discipline.
Mrs. Mapala has since appealed to donors and other well wishers to support and assist the MMCI promote sports activities effectively.
And speaking after the donation, Exodus Boxing Promotions Trainer and Promoter Anthony Mwamba said there is need for more stakeholders to come on board in order to promote boxing in the country.
Mwamba , who also donated some boxing kits urged boxers to use the sport for self enhancement .
He added that his organization will actively ensure that boxing is well promoted and developed in the country.
Why does this woman think she CAN be president of zambia. does she seriously think she has what it takes . This is just a joke, its a joke.
Who goes to the chiefs to give coverage over Mrs Chuchu’s ambition to mantain plot one?Any way,thanks to chief Macha for your balanced answer unlike chief Mwanachungwala and chieftainess Kanongesha.But the truth is that Chuchu and Maureen kuyabebele ku Teka farms.No third term indirect.Let Silviour Masebo or Inonge go for it if we are looking for a female presidet.As much as Mwanawasa is the president,Nachuchu will exibit corruption of the highest degree if she will use that to mantain plot one
The silence and debate reminds me of the second presidents’ bid for a third term. How uncanny! The silence of lobby groups at the moment can also tell you something; that they do like it or that they do? I would be more inclined to listen to the comments of the following important leaders in Zambia: The Litunga, Chief Chitimukulu, The Mwata Kazembe, and Paramount Mpezeni.
I agree with Think Big. Chief Macha is balanced as he did not give his personal opinion. But i dont think there is anything to debate here, as far as am concerned, we are not a monarchy, therefore succession rules dont apply to our country. so maurreen should start from the grassroots as a politician. She could stand as an MP for example or branch chairperson, and rise through the ranks.this way she will learn alot and gain experience and then maybe in 2051 she can stand for presidency. Wow!!
The Litunga is MMD, The Mwata is PF, Mpezeni is MMD(Chirwa), it’s only Chitimukulu who appears to be neutral. My point is don’t count on these chiefs comments. Most of them are tribalists and will only support those related to them. The rest that are supporting Bana Chipo are doing it because of poverty.
Gents, Maureen is indirectly campaigning using these cronies. From the blue people are talking about her candidacy? I agree with #3, it’s the same way Kafupi was testing the waters of public opinion over the 3rd term using one Michael Sata! Maureen should do the honourable thing and publicly announce her intentions so that we can scrutinize her credentials. Her silence is worrying, African politicians nimwamene, they are a bunch of clowns!!!
Chi Levy is full of rhetoric, today he’s telling Chirwa he has to go through the ranks of the party, but when cronies are calling for his wife to stand he keeps quiet. Why can’t fat Levy just retire in peace? He’s done a better job than Kafupi and him and his wife can still play the role of statesman/woman going forward. However, these monkey tricks of trying to hold onto power at all costs, is just plain rubbish! I now understand why ka kafupi once procalimed, “I did’nt know power is so sweet!”
if anyone who has LPM’s ear is reading this, please pass this sincere message along: Mr President, either put an end to this debate because it has no substance OR openly declare any interest Mrs Mwanamwasa may have for Plot 1.Mr President remember how FTJ’s silence over the third term issue brought about confusion. I trust we have all learnt from that obvious mistake.Zambians want to unite behind somebody and the population is very sensitive at the minute,please clarify the position sir!
Maureen wont make it to the MMD President with imimbulu like Katele Kalumba lurking in the background.
ALA BAKAMULOWA!
Maureen wont make it to the MMD Prwesidency with IMIMBULU like Katele Kalumba lurking in the background with hiden agendas.
ALA BAKAMULOWA!
Gents, in the corporate world, succession planning is a must for all senior positions. Surprisingly, we fail to do this for the most important job in the land! Levy is making the same mistakes KK and Kafupi made by failing to ‘groom’ a successor in good time. I’m not talking about annointing here, but rather publicy identifying 2 or 3 credible chaps and giving them senior responsibilities prior to 2011 so we can all scrutinize them. Come 2011, we’ll be able to objectively decide.
…not waking up chaps in the middle of night and ‘annointing’ them with the Presidency, Malume this is suicide! Look at the US and the scrutiny Clinton, Obama & co. are having to go through? Atleast that way, the people can tell who is objective, petty, incompetent etc Not ifwe, where every jim and jack including GBM, ati I want to be President…Fellow bloggers, we are all highly exposed manje, this crap needs to come to an end!!!
Tarantino(12)ever heard of African flavoured politics??? In Africa the next president is normally a surprise to the electorate!!Mbeki was long touted as Madiba’s successor and look at the torrid time he has had.
When he was in Mfuwe recently, Ba levy clearly stated that he can’t let ‘democratic forces’ pick his successor, to me, it means that he has someone in mind already. May be he is still playing pikipiki naka piki doli with his lawyer friends?
Madam Chuchu uyo atwale amatobo uko kwina bamuchonga.
Maureen dont cheat yourself u dont have what its to be president.
Thanks u cheief macha, we are the public, Tell her to sit at home.We cannot have a heir in zambia, we have presidents … pleeeaaasse … just continue with the good community work.
Pundit mwana #13, I appreciate the African status quo and indeed Mbeki’s problems are unique given that the grass roots there are still not economically empowered. However, I still believe Zambian’s are now better informed and are demanding greater accountability from their leaders.
Levy’s tenure hasn’t been too bad, atleast he’s brought in a bit of sanity to the Kafupi’s chaos, but the point here is, Maureen, you’ve been a model first family (compared to Vera & Castro), why not just retire and enjoy the respect and goodwill 4rm all of us. Why remain silent when all these shady characters are propping up your name? Hypocrisy has to end, you were telling Chirwa to be a branch official first, ngaimwe, would you call MMCI relevant experience?
Enlightened voters in this country probably constitute less than a third of the voting populace, while the voters with the most weight are those rural folk who vote depending on who bribes them the most. They also rely on their chief’s opinion. How sad. Makes me miss that gallant lady Lucy Sichone who imparted civic education to our rural folk.
I don’t support moureens bid for state house but i sense some sexism in some of the coments and as a father of of a daughter I think this is very retrogressive.She must be evaluated on her own potential and nobody said if u married a pres. then u are disqualfied from runing for the office.If she has got suppoters other pipo must just work hard and maybe get someone to support them
Ba Quentin(19),one would hope leaving a legacy of good governance becomes the norm in Africa.Mbeki & Mandela both belonged to the “ruling elite” tribe and the apparent choice of Zuma is a kneejerk reaction to percieved tribal domination!!
Ba Kambi’s(21),our democracies are too young to willingly accept family succession tendencies for Plot1.Some of the more mature democracies accept it because the conditions prevailing are very dissimilar to what obtains in Zambia.
cont’d: the Kabila succession is something i haven’t quite understood though and i hope to be educated by someone on these pages as to how it “apparently” went on smoothly!!All i’ve heard so far are conspiracy theories.The Pakistan/India sucession habits baffle me too!!Politics is indeed a funny game!!
In reaction to Prof. Chilwa’s candidacy declaration, Mwanawasa siad from Mfuwe that he has identified three people who are his possible successors and when the time comes he will tell the nation who they are. This means that democracy means something else to him and I will not be supprised if he endorses Ichibeibe chakwe to take over the reigns.
i can’t wait for the announcement.it will be interesting to see what all 3 have in common,their gender and political ideology.hopefully just from their names and known history we will have all this revealed unto us!!! Are we headed for an early election ??
Zambia needs leadership which can emprove Zambian’s economical crisis.Honestly, what can naChuchu do to develop this country. We need people like profesor Chirwa and others.Zambians, let us stop these people who want to be in power because of their relation to the president.Nachuchu if you will use your first lady previlage to become the president,then it will be called corruption.In Zambia corruption makes some people to have high positions because they are able to throw some few Kwachas to the bootlickers.But this 21st century power must not be limited to those who are previledged by the State house like Maureen but those who have the ability to lead.BanaChuchu,2011,Teka Farms is calling
In all honesty, I think the country has more important issues to debate than Maureen.This is why people think Zambians are too docile.Who is Maureen to be brought into the public spectacle.Just because she is a First Lady does not make her a good candidate.These Chiefs saying she reaches out to the poor are just plain ignorant about the whole picture.She is out in communities simply to fulfill the role that current First Ladies are playing.That does not make her an able candidate.
Define Democracy :- “A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections” (Webster Dictionary). Do any of our politicians understand that it is a privilege to be selected as a representative of the people? Being a politician is not a job, it is a privilege to server others.The last sentence is oxymoronic when applied to current state of politics over the world except it is worse in our country. bah!
we should be hesitant to outright assassinate the allegedly first lady’s ambition to the state house because she hasn’t shown neither publicly declared her future political aspiration,however, even if we have reservation.The first lady is very much Zambian and meets all stipulated reguirement to contest for any political position,nevertheless,like any Zambian hoping or aspiring for any political position, scrutuiny is of vital importance if we need leaders with highest moral standard.People should not be elected on the bases of marital status. no wonder we’ve too many MPs who can hardly draft a bill. we need leaders with substance.
Well Maureen should stand in Lusaka Central in 2011 and then be groomed until she is ready to take over. This way it will be like the way Hillary Clinton did it by going for the New York Senate.
She has clout and that way it will not be seen as a third term since Zambia is not short of leaders. I am inclined for HH to merge UNDP with MMD and for him to take over from Levy.
HH iyee Ku State House
reminds me when monks rushed to vote when they heard mojo was winning 4 unzasu..Maureen will just awake bamimbulu..We are waiting 2 grind her to halt
I am just wondering why all of a sudden chiefs are speaking out on this issue and who is giving them the platform, why are journalists going to these chiefs instead of confronting the owner. Could our journalists take courage and find out the owner’s stance on this issue. We want to get the facts from the horse’s mouth like Kafupi did when he himself said let the people debate. We should not be speculating and we want to be shooting at the real target pls not in the dark.
The Chiefs are not issueing statements over Maureens third term bid but answering to questions paused by Jounalists. The question is, Which media editorial meeting has mandated Jounalists to be asking Chiefs such questions. Are these responses news worth. Some Jounalists are being paid to ask such questions to unsuspecting chiefs. The next thing we will hear will be demands from the MMD members forcing MMD mininsters and MPs to express their opinion to the question.
Remember Hon: Zukas,Badat, Patel, Harrison and others were harassed for them express their opinion over the third term.
Yeah these journalists ask leading questions. They are instructed to do so and then quote the chief’s answer as if he/she made the statement independently….well we the public don’t wanna debate on the second Mrs LPM been Zed’s ‘first man’. LPM will do better by maintaining the respect we and the wold still have for him before this wife’s agenda drugs him down.
Our president is OBESE, where are his doctors and his wife, check his weight he might die before his wife take over.
I DO NOT THINK THESE CHIEFS HAVE SEEN ANY PRESIDENCIAL QUALITIES IN MOUREEN, THEY JUST DO NOT LIKE THE LOOKS OF THEIR WIVES AND ARE CARRIED AWAY BY BANA CHUCHU`S LOOKS.
THESE CHIEFS ARE SINNERS FOR THEY ARE LOOKING LUSTFULLY AT ANOTHER MAN`S WIFE.
With the kissing i have seen in the papers, i think bana chuchu will sell like hot cake to these villegers.
The media agencies that are going around asking poor chiefs what they think of maureen’s potential as president are the ones behind this scan. The poor chiefs are being put in a tight corner and it is difficult for them to air views that may put them in bad light with chuchu for fear of alienation from the national coffers. So these jornalists/media bodies are the one on chuchu’s payroll. They should be identified!!
Peopple pliz leave aunt maureen alone most of you are just jealous.You know from deep down your hearts that she can make a good president!she will finish the good work her husband started for this country.Long live the mwanawasas!
#37 Rubbish, Rubbish, Rubbish Girl, whats wrong with your eyes or heart, you think this is UK, where the monanch rules for ever, What good presidence have you in in chuchu’s obese wife, when others are seeing rubbish. Whats jealous about pipo expressing the truth – zed is not kingdom to be dynasty. You mean only the mwanawasas can rule this nation one after another. Ma lubishi yenka mwanike ulelabila.
#37, No wonder your comments. You are not in Zambia. You are better placed to comment on Gordon Brown. You are closer to him and not bana chuchu. To hell with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iwe tina #37, what are you talking about, just stay their in the UK ulesamfya abusungu abakote, you have nothing to offer to zedians.
#37 Ulikapuba sana iwe mwaice! You think Zed belongs to family tree of chuchu alone! Zed is for all zedians from all corners the country and there are 11m + zedians from where we can select a leader who can move the nation forward not backwards like the chipumputu leader we have now.
…chiluba’s third term debate…maureen’s debate for presidency! same thing to me. can anyone see a trend in MMD politics?. sata is no better either(recycled).IM CONSIDERING MIGRATING AND CHANGING MY CITIZENSHIP TO A BETTER MORE DEVELOPED COUNTRY AND LEAVE THIS LAND SPAT ON BY SATAN!! SORRY
ba tina mulenga UK #37 naimwe chilishani..aunti maurinho kwisa..mwasuka sa imbale ku mcdonalds,mwasukila kumo na mano ayi.mwitushupa.
#37. Tina Mulenga UK
Iwe Tina, stop lying! I know you and you are not in the UK. I also know that you have no interest in politics, hence, you have a very limited understanding of what it takes for one to be a good president. Can you explain to the blog what qualities Maureen has that would make her a good president of the 11th most impoverished country on earth? And this question goes to everyone who is supporting her. I for one think she is a non starter and discussing her is a sheer waste of time. She cannot and will never be president of Zambia, period! unless all well meaning Zambians have lost their minds.
#44, well said, hear hear !!
Zambians what a short memory we have that we have forgotten how MMD won big in Eastern Province – a traditional UNIP stronghold.Surprise,surprise the majority of the voting population is in the rural areas and all Maureen and her elves need to do is convince those chiefs to get their subjects in line and she will be in office. Talk about Maureen is an indication of the cesspool that is our politics.We lack the ability to govern ourselves thus vulnerable to people who get to have power over us.”Know thyself,Know thy enemy” And then get a govt that protects you.
Guys you are just jealous of her.Am in full support of her,Tina is right people,lets give the first lady a chance.Its high time a lady ruled Zambia.Viva Maureen!
hmm ladies and gents im glad that you all realise that the current occupants of the famous house in zambia are playing insult the collective intelligence of the zambians by indirectly campaigning for you know who as the next republican head. the silence exhibited is similar to kafupi’s over the 3rd term debate.abash political manipulation viva transparent democracy. read monday’s 28th january post; lucy muyoyeta’s column its great
#37 you are either a mwanawasa stooge or a relative
#47 To hell with you, just go on cleaning utuputi twabasungu abakote uko ku Canada. You dont know what it it to leave in zed with the family tree ruling, its hell. Only those who are in family trees circles are enjoying the nation cake, the rest of the citizen are in poverty.
Guyz you are busy saying that aunt maureen cant be president of our country.And also you are all against me.Well have lived in Zambia before and am a zambian living in the Uk.Guyz male presidents have failed us, so this time around lets try a woman.And i think i have seen those good qualities in her.She came to the Uk and I saw sense in what she was saying when she was addressing Zambians living in the UK.She really has a heart for the Zambians.The problem with you people is that you have never liked mwanawasa from the beginning.Viva aunt maureen
ok guys just face it,she has the charisma and qualities.i just left for canada 2 years ago and i know the economical status of zambia.How do you know she wont make a good leader? can someone tell me why they think she is incapable.
#51 My dear Tina, we are not short of women candidates, who have a hearts for mother zed. The likes Inonge Mbikusita, Petronela Chisanga and others. Just becoz you saw her once in UK for two minutes, you think she can be a good presdo, a person can pretend or be what she is not for a short while. She is a snake in the grass becoz even now she is the one ruling this country, becoz her hubby is a garbage. So my dear take my advice and concentrate on cleaning faeces of old muzungus.
I think Zambians ought to change the way we choose leaders. It should not be about wheather one has got a heart for others or not. We should look at what policies they plan to emplement that will bring meaningful change to the people, not just the elite few. I think the constitutional review commission should look at making presidential debates mandatory so that everyone should be made to lay their economic plans on the table and explain how they intend to fund and sustain those plans. Every Zambian feels for the country but being a president demands far more than just a good heart. We should learn from the US process where candiates’ strengths & weaknesses are exposed through public debates
why should we waste time and money debating a topic which is a none starter. Unfweni bane, the moment she anounces that she will contest the MMD presidency, all cars should hoot at 17hrs on that day. Remember the 17hrs hooting every friday as protest against the 3rd term? Shhhhhhhhhhhhh, just pass on the message quietly.
that woman should just realise that her end will be bad to look at,if not both with her huby.But pa Zed why do we even tolarate such nonsense, when are we going to learn?and those cheifs surely you mean they dont have other important isues to adress than taking about such nonesense.
Where is the intergrity of our cheifs or this is also the NEW DEAL CHEIFDOMSHIP. FOOLISH……………………
#52. lindsay- CANADA.
Because the has no track record, execpt the trust the runs full of boot lickers. Running a charity is totally different from running a country.
Pleas lets have people with proven track records. At least PLM was in goverment before.
Ba Tina naimwe ikaleni fye nomunenu wa ku Canada.
Ya! Responses to #37 are so funny. People, we are all angry at the turn of events, so when a useless comment comes from a person, do not insult the nations where a persons says they live, and what they do. For instance, Tina Mwamutika saana, ati go clean old people’s bums!! God ooh Mighty, have mercy. In fact Tina is just winding you people, and so is the Canadian #44 I think. That said, LusakaTimes.com is the place to be. So so funny. God bless
I hope all of you who are enraged about Maureen’s possible candidature are REGISTERED VOTERS and are prepared to go and vote into office the people of your choice. Your ranting here and insulting people of different views like Tina will not stop Maureen going to replace her husband if MMD adopts her.That is the reality of zed my friends
Interesting reading indeed, but let’s also have suggestions on who would make better candidates. DEFINITELY NOT SATA!!!!
What makes this discussion a farce is that most of the so called bloggers have a fetid dislike of Mwanawasa and hence the strong language. Clear minded Zambians (who also do not support Maureen’s candidature) can thankfully also see through your thinly disguised eagerness to return your own to power. It will never happen again!!!!!
# 61 and #62, spot on! I could not agree with you more..There is some very strong language here that reminds some of us of what Zambia has already been through and is very unilkely to go back to. Maureen has not even said herself that she is standing although the conspiracy theorists have already gotten their machines working. I dare say, even if she announces – which she has a constitutional right to do – her vehement opponents had better have an alternative and the whererwithal to get their person to No.1 Independence Avenue.
It is my belief that we do have,in Zambia, a number of estalished opposituon parties capable of offering able candidates of different backgrounds and so forth. Why this obsession with a woman who leads no party and has not stated her intent to run?
what’s wrong with these chiefs kansi? Why are they being used as “weapons of mass destruction of MMD propaganda/campaign? Let Maureen say it whether she wants to stand or not, why should we debate anyway? sindiye vamene enze kuchita Chiluba ati “let the pipo decide”, wanting to use the victims as scapegoats!?
#64, common sense is not common, what is common is the otherwise. Did LPM ever say that he wanted to stand or FTJ did the math ALONE? Do people in Zambia choose presidential candidates[hint : NO], they vote for candidates on that sheet of paper. So it would be very advisable to see to it that no extra space is used on that thing , the ballot paper, :))
If Chuchu’s wife has morals she should enumerate VERA who only stood for as MP long after she left state house period.
Give this a rest. Maureen is a zambian citizen whose marriage to Levy must not be used to rob her of her contitutional right to seek any electable position in Zambia. The woman has an LLB from UNZA, is an advocate of the High Court of Zambia, has spent a good deal of time in legal practice and is now in the middle of an MBA program with an Australian university. Love her or hate her she has more credentials than a lot of people who are putting her down and she is setting a standard that must be encouraged for any aspirants of high office. Zambians, lets do something different. Instead of lynching this ambitious woman, let us come up with competition to challenge her and raise the bar.
Please Zambians tell the truth, I hear stories that Zambia has really changed and improved. Is this true? I am in diaspora. My relatives are telling me the same stories, I am still sending dollar power. This is conflicting new. Does improvement only mean the coming of the white Rhodesians from across the border. Do you trust the Rhodesians. Will they treat you better than Bob? So, has LPM really improved Zambia?
#69, it won’t hurt seeing it for yourself, i suppose you have enough resources to visit Zambia, take a risk and overcome your curiosity, :))
#68, do u know how Bob’s wife got her “Degree”? Please check the archives, let not papers deceive you.
… ” ambitious woman “… pretty much “insight” … i wonder in the world what that’s supposed to be …
Let her quickly refute than leave people guessing that Zambians cannot allow to be under piticot govt.
#71 critic,Maureen graduated from the university of Zambia at Great East Road campus and then went to NIPA before being admitted to the Bar so lets skip the archives bit shall we..
Those who are calling for Maureen to stand are just protecting their jobs because they don’t understand how pipo are suffering since them are enjoying our tax payers money.
why are people afraid of Maureen?? just let her stand and challenge her people!!!!
Each person has the right to decide what they feel they can do, where they can fit. We people of Zambia lets live maureen choose herself. We can debate on this issue of which none of us has the right to point out who should stand as a presidential candidate and one thing whe should realise is that maureen has the right to choose if to stand or not and let the people who would like to vote for her do so or if they dont want. even if we can debate on this issue the whole secreat lies when it comes to voting and is from the results are the ones to show if people really debated or what. Debate dosen’t matter the who secreat is in voting cause your vote is your secreat.
I think I know why she is so quiet about the whole thing. She wants chiefs, Ministers and other well placed people to speak on her behalf then she will in the end come in saying “the people have called for me to stand so I will take the challenge”
I really appreciate the various view points different bloggers express on this site (I find the site brillant!) I am just disappointed at some of the strong and degrading language used by some to express their opposing views
this is a joke Maureen 4 presdo! Zambia has not reached a stage to lead by Women not even Maureen.
she has being ruling through the husband and some people what to give her a third term,if she wants this badly let them leave plot 1 and revalve her political career after a year. Leadership is some thing you are born with not becoz your husband is in leadership and you think you are now him. were was she in 1999 when zed needed a presido so badly?
chachine mudala