McDonald Chipenzi who is Executive Director of GEARS Initiative said his organisation is of the view that the stage-managed protests are very unfortunate, retrogressive and unproductive.
The former FODEP Executive Director was quick to note that the protests are seemingly being done with the blessings of the top ruling party leadership.
“We find the allegations, that Mr. Mutati who is leading another faction of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has been mobilising membership for his party using his government portfolio, can be best described as baseless and against the spirit and letter of interparty co-existence and tolerance and against their political working relationship fostered into during the 2016 General Elections.
“Surprisingly, there has been some deliberate silence from the top leadership of the ruling party, in the likes of the Party President, Vice-President and the National Chairperson, who could probably be very privy to the signed Memorandum of partnership with Mr. Mutati and his group and its terms which the protesting cadres and structures may not be in the know,”
He said the ignorance of the hired cadres was a danger to the partnership of the two parties.
“Not knowing the contents of the political partnership entered into between Mr. Mutati and the PF, it would be wrong to expect that Mr. Mutati surrendered his political rights to the PF.
“GEARS Initiative feels that the calls by some PF structures should not have been entertained by the PF top leadership because it is an act of dishonest and betrayal and consequently might have a far-reaching negative consequences to the formation of credible and trusted future political alliances and partnership in the country and further have national ramifications economically, “he said.
He urged the look at what the positive contribution since his appointment as opposed to politicking.
“Before asking for his resignation or dismissal, PF should have reflected on the positive performances of Mr. Mutati as Finance Minister. Based on the stabilisation of the national economy since Mr. Mutati was appointed finance minister and from a layman’s viewpoint, Mr. Mutati is trying to make the country’s economic performance display signs of recovery and would be erroneously wrong to dismiss him now.
“Reflectively, at the time Mr. Mutati was appointed minister, there existed slow economic expansion, skyrocketing inflation rate at 21% with the national budget deficit at 10%. This was coupled by poor international credit ratings and a weakened Kwacha.
“However, Mr. Mutati seems to have reversed the economic downturn as can be seen by reduced inflation rates to a single digit, stabilised Kwacha, improved credit ratings, retention of investor confidence and projected positive economic outlook among other positives.,” he said.
He adds “in this regard, it will be against the interest of the common and greater good of the Zambian populace for PF top leadership to entertain political hooliganism, bullying and harassment of Mr. Mutati. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has a political and national duty to exercise transparent and accountable leadership towards his alliance partners and to the nation than displaying pretentious attitude towards the goings-on.
“GEARS Initiative finds it politically unfair for President Lungu, as a result of pressure from his party cadres and structures, to decide to recall Mr. Mutati or make him resign, instead, President Lungu must be firm and tell off the bullies within his party that he cherishes national interest as opposed to sectional, party and personal interests.”
Mutati must remain. The people demonstrating are hired ruffians.
DO not mistake the strength of a currency as an economy ding well.
This is a warning.
For now Chipenzi, from his name you can tell he has nothing to offer
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Dullness in PF is now irritating.
Just as there was no treason case for HH, there is no case for Mutati to resign. He is not PF. He is a leader of a faction in MMD, therefore, he has the right to mobilize his faction. PF Cadres are just greedy and ashamed that Mutati being MMD, is one of the high profile members of this government. And PF is being greedy, they want current small economic improvements are attributed only to PF.
Can someone in PF please tame these PF deplorables who are calling for Mutati resignation?
Why is ECL silent on this matter?
How long will LT promote tribalism? By turning a blind to Mushota’s tribal remarks and eventually awarding her, the blog endorses tribalism. They moderate insults but tribal remarks are the ones burning our society to ashes.
@Mushota Chipenzi will be your boss when you start working! Do something useful. Or start ntemba at the Glasgow market!
@Zakeyo you are becoming tribal like Mushota- everything is about tribe or ethnicity! Let’s get over these things that will bring us development!
Mushota are you still on tribal trivialities. Grow up and do something useful!
What does Macdonald Chipenzi want? What is he aspiring for? How does president Lungu come into these protests?
The fact that he is President of a MMD faction is something PF cadres should come to terms with because that is not going away.
well spoken this is patriotism which is lacking in Davies Mwila, actually its Mwila who is suppose to resign becauase he has failed to do his job as SG of ruling party
If they were UPND Cadres protesting over the Minister of Finance to resign, Mr Macdonald Chipenzi would have said that it was their democratic right to do so… but since it is the PF cadres protesting, they suddenly do not have those democratic rights to express themselves…
101% correct, Zakeyo!! upnd cadres were beating up people for not attending their rally in Chilanga yesterday but Chipenzi conveniently forgot to comment on that??? To me this is an internal issue, Chipenzi, who is clearly a upnd supporter (he just was not adopted for a parliamentary seat in last election under upnd ticket!!) is the last person who should be commenting on such matters; HE IS OBVIOUSLY BIASED!!
Why do you people look at tribe to make a point?
The problem we have in Zambia is we try to make something illegal to be legal or something black to.be white
Anything with a dubious foundation can not stand when winds start to blow.We all know verty well that Mutati thing is illegal is of RB Project.If our news Reporters were to report from a sound legal view,they could have NOT addressed Mutati as mmd president.If this so-called PF/MMD ‘working alliance was muted in good faith,i don’t think these anti-Mutati sentiments would be there.Now people think a bad thing over time will just go away and embraced by every one.Mutati’s issue is immoral,deceitiful and criminal.He is still expelled from MMD and expulsion ipheld by courts of Law,but still some people immorally insist that Mutati is MMD.You can mock man or men but not God.You…
@ The Priest.–I agree with you.What is wrong is wrong,no matter how long it takes.This Mutati monister was an RB Project designed in such a way to distabilize MMD.Now the Roosters have come to settle,hence,this Mutati frucas now.What has started happening in PF now ECL can not stop it.He can only use the police to intimidate others and NOT these organized old and credible PF Members.Just watch the drama as it unfolds.
I wonder if the guys carrying those placards can even read whats on them..smh.. brute over mind
Kikiki, that’s ndanje khakis for you.
Chipenzi why have you never questioned HH why Upnd has never gone to the convention? You want the president to talking all the time on every issue. As for Davis Mwila the guy can’t tell the difference between an elephant and rat.
A little bit of a hidden agenda, but wholly the best contribution I have ever heard from Chipenzi.
Mr Chipenzi appears to know the contents of the so called alliance between the Mutati MMD led faction and PF regime. Mr Chipenzi would do well to inform the nation what were the core contents of this alliance that has resulted in court litigation betwwen the two MMD factions that is still in the public domain as which is the authentic MMD group. Chipenzi should worry that the effects from the on going squabbles has reduced and weakened the democratic efficacy cherished by Zambians. The so called alliance between PF and Mutati led MMD was only pronounced during the elections. In fact MMD did not have resources to campaign for elections but Mutati was busy negotiating his cut as minister of Finance to the exclusion of everyone else knowledge in exchange for his MMD faction to support PF…
These were dark dirty greedy dealings by Mutati to take care of his pockets leaving his group languishing impoverished with poverty. Chipenzi should come clean as an advocate of good governance that Mutati can not eat with PF regime and dupe Zambians that he is at the same time leading an MMD party. The two parties have different ideologies and his association with PF regime makes him unsuitable to hold any office in MMD. Am not MMD but these are principles of democracy if we are to be reminded by mature democratic societies.
Mwila is just being used. There’s no way he can behave like this without his boss’ support
Ze kapunda (loop hole) must have been sealed, now the lazy df’s are not used to doing business in a competitive environment.
So this is what is happening. The Alpha and Omega Stand Up 2021 Comedy Show continues. PF Archaic Politics at play . What a Shame. I hope the Mwiine Lubemba will now know what is happening in PF. I hope his Royal Majesty wont chase Felix Mutati from the Ukusefya Pang’wena Traditional Ceremony next year. Bwafya.
Ba Lungu mwala lufyana sana fye
Chipenzi why worry about pf instead of asking hh on SA ranting trip?
Total nonsense – how does President Lungu come into this? Is it just everything is looked at the angle of attacking the President?
In a marriage u can reach a stage where relationship has reached a point where couples can no longer live together. The marriage of convenience between Mutati/MMD and the Lungu/PF govt have broken down and divorse is inevitable. Thats what happens when thieves and plunderers are in alliance. After stealing the 2016 Election ,Lungu and his Corrupt criminals now want to eat alone without being spied on by MMD Ministers. In the debt stock issue there was a conflict between Mutati and the PF. Mutati wanted to announce the true Debt Stock while PF wanted to falsify the figure. Crooked PF doesn’t want to tell the Nation the Truth.
ANIMAL FARM INDEED.
Did PF notify police before staging that protest?
If it was UPND protesting, wud that protest been allowed?
If it comes to up nd, it is illegal to bury their loved ones, it is illegal to gather and worship. It is illegal to even have a meeting. WHAT A GOVERNING PARTY!
PF cannot be trusted and is a cruked party.
UPND and Hakainde foresaw the distrust and crucked PF is, that time when they had entered into an alliance. The aim was to swallow and finish UPND. That is why HH opted out early.
PF has a mental foundation of a one party state and so their ultimate priority is to end multipatism.
How can he come clean when his the master mind. Mutati is been pushed out for failing to secure Nkongole from IMF which as usual they want to share. This man thrives on confusion, very soon you will see a press conference at KK airport. Watch this space.
It is simple- mutation has instituted financial discipline in government and this is not sitting well with some well placed people because it stops them from abusing goververnment funds. There is nothing else to this childish development.
Mutati is performing well, why call for his dismissal? I knew he would bring in brilliant ideas of how to put the economy back on track. That’s why I miss the MMD
Am impressed with Mutati’s performance and that is what matters. Those that see wrongs are wasting time. Am beginning to think he can make a good PF presidential candidate and not MMD which has old wasteful ideas currently embraced by PF.