Governance activist Bonny Tembo has said that the move by the opposition MMD to call back its members of parliament serving in the PF government is welcome as it will strengthen democracy.
Mr. Tembo, who is former Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director, said that constitutionally, any member of parliament can be appointed to serve as a minister but noted that politically, it undermines the opposition.
Mr. Tembo told QFM that it is difficult for the appointed MPs from the opposition to serve two masters without friction.
He noted that the MMD had set precedence when opposition MPs were appointed as ministers during the reign of late Patrick Mwanawasa, of which the affected opposition parties then, the UNIP and Heritage party took it as a ploy for the MMD to weaken the opposition.
Mr. Tembo stated that the MMD now in opposition has known the evil of appointing opposition MPs and have realized that the party is increasingly losing numbers in parliament.
Mr. Tembo said that the ruling patriotic front has a lot of backbencher members of parliament who can replace the MMD ministers.
However, Pezzy Kudakwashe reports that intentions, by MMD, to expel party MPs serving in the PF government, in deputy minister positions, are bad and retard the growth of democracy.
Zambia Rainbow Coalition President, Cleophas Phiri, said Dr Mumba’s move risked weakening and dividing the country’s largest opposition political party.
Mr Phiri also pointed out that, although MMD was the largest political movement in Zambia, it currently does not have the financial capability to handle nine unnecessary by-elections adding that Dr Mumba’s expulsion intention, was a waste of the tax-payers money.
Mr Phiri was responding to a question on whether Dr Mumba was in line to threaten nine MPs with expulsion, for serving under the Patriotic Front government. He was speaking on Zambia Blog Talk Radio.
Mr Cleophas Phiri said while it made sense that Dr Mumba was trying to assert his authority on the party, he may be going at it the wrong way.
“Dr Mumba needs to understand the chemistry on which the MMD was formed, yes, MPs need to be loyal to the party but it is important to co-exist for the good of the nation”, said Mr Phiri.
He said appointing opposition MPs to serve in government was not new to Zambia adding that Mwanawasa was the first to appoint MPs outside the ruling party.
Mr Phiri said Dr Mumba was brought into the MMD under similar circumstances when late President Mwanawasa appointed him vice president while he was president of opposition National Citiizens Coalition.
QFM
These Mps must go.
People are divided on this one.
The chickens have come home to roost.
Yes….9 bye elections will give a litmus test for the current political mood in the country!
Agony is ” when you are in opposition but get appointed to full cabinet minister and can’t decide whether to reject the appointment and stay loyal to the opposition party or accept the promotion and get paid well and be treated like a king”
Its sad that during the recent bye elections the 9 MP’s even failed to assist MMD campaign because they can’t say anything bad about their other master.
But let’s be honest, how much does a deputy minister get???
As an MP sponsored by MMD they already get K28million plus car loan and gratuity, why fight so hard to betray ur party yet u may lose all that if u lose the seat or don’t get adopted!
And in th current ministries they are, they are being treated with lots of suspicion.
Bonnie Tembo your big nose, you speak silly how can recalling opposition members of Parliament who are serving in Government strengthen democracy, shame your big nose.
MMD under Mwanawasa killed Heritage party and Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s political fortunes by poaching all its MPs into govt.
Today Nevers is really nervous at the prospect of facing the same political demise. The trouble is it (MMD) set a horrendous precedent and today its paying for its temerities…. Talk of tasting your own concoction
If MMD mismanaged the affairs of the country why appoint MMD parliamentarians to ministerial positions.Lets say PF continues failing delivering its promises,they will continue pointing fingers at MMD chaps in positions as responsible for their failures.Each party must own up.Even though Levy did it we cant continue with the same mistakes.Lets have Pure Breed PF members of parliament to be appointed in ministerial positions.
Does the constutution say the president can appoint any mp or only those from the mmd? Let sata also appoint those from the upnd
How can he appoint any UPND MPs when they (upnd) have made it clear that they will not co-operate?
But isn’t the threat of expulsion in line with the spirit of appointing Ministers outside Parliament, in accordance with the many submissions made to the various Constitutional Commissions before? Somebody to shade more light.
Nevers Mumba is exhibiting arrogance. How he handles party affairs is how we will judge his capacity to handle national affairs. Good luck MMD. You will need it, because apparently you have elected your own HH.
welcome move..let them be expelled..we need the opposition to be strong..
Both HH and ka Nevers Mumba never built those parties from scratch and thats why their actions are not surprising at all. HH has managed to destroy what was Zambia’s biggest opposition party a decade ago and now Nevers equally wants to do the same. The truth is MMD cannot afford to reduce numbers now.
Why is it that Sata is appointing only Mps from the MMD? These MPs are job seekers.During the past by-election these MPS failed to campaign for MMD.They should be expelled.
Dr Mumba we are behind you.
When is Mr SATA holding his first Press conference since ascending to power?
What is the point of having 9 MPs in parliament that MMD cannot utilise fot its benefit? These MPs are irrelevant for the party. Let them simply resign on moral grounds and re-contest their seats.If MMD is corrupt why is SATA appointing its Mps?
This shows a lack of understanding what gvt compresses of. The opposition are also part of gvt when they are office bearer MPs. . Should the gvt be made up of the ruling part, corruption will be rife . Here in Finland the gvt is full of both ruling and opposition MPs (teamwork) – working together for the betterment/development of the nation.
MMD will never come back to power it’s like UNIP. Let’s just think of other parties.