United Liberal Party President Sakwiba Sikota has advised president’s of opposition parties to let MMD’s Rupiah Banda assume the Presidency without an election.

Mr. Sikota says this will save the country colossal amounts of money which can be used for national development.

He said national interest should override ambitions of becoming president.

Mr. Sikota observed that the MMD has majority of members of parliament and that in the event of opposition party winning, parliament would have to be dissolved and elections called.

He said in Lusaka that he is aware of the constitutional requirements for the presidential by-election but parties should put national interest first.

But United Party for National Development UPND Vice President, Richard Kapita said the dictates of the constitution should prevail.

He said in the event that an opposition political party presidential candidate wins, opposition MP’s can be appointed to cabinet like Dr. Mwanawasa did.
[ZNBC]

Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande said democracy prevailed during the exercise to elect an MMD presidential candidate at Mulungushi International  Conference Centre.

Mr.  Magande said even though he was President Mwanawasa’s preferred person to succeed him he had to undergo elections in accordance with the MMD constitution.

The MMD, Friday, picked acting president, Rupiah Banda, as its candidate in the forthcoming president by-election.

Mr. Magande told ZNBC news that he will support Mr. Banda in the presidential by-election scheduled for November this year. Mr. Magande also said the MMD is still united.

And Home Affairs minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, says he has no ill feelings after failing to win an election held to pick an MMD candidate in the forthcoming presidential by-election.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha says he will continue working towards strengthening the MMD ahead of the November by- election.

General Shikapwasha has also dismissed claims that there is acrimony in the MMD following the elections. He told ZNBC news in Lusaka, Friday that on the contrary the ruling party is united.

And local government Housing Minister, Sylvia Masebo, said there are no losers and winners in the just ended MMD National Executive Committee elections.

Ms. Masebo said this was because all the participating candidates belong to the same family. Her comments were also echoed by party national secretary  Dr Katele Kalumba  before leading MMD NEC members in laying wreaths on President Mwanawasa’s tomb in Lusaka, Saturday.

Dr Kalumba said there is no animosity in the party following Friday’s NEC elections to pick a Presidential candidate.

He said the MMD has emerged more united as a party after the polls.

Ms Masebo also said  the MMD will now embark on a vigorous country-wide campaign to win the Presidential by-election.

Dr Kalumba further said that he was happy with the manner the MMD conducted elections to pick a presidential candidate.

Dr. Kalumba said the elections were free and fair and were conducted in a peaceful manner.

He also said the MMD allowed new entrants into the party to aspire for the Presidency because it is a democratic party.

Dr. Kalumba says 19 candidates filed for the MMD presidency through the National Executive Committee.

He however said most of the candidates dropped out of the race after failing to raise the 5 million nomination fees.

Some candidates who withdrew from the race are Health Minister, Brian Chituwo, Cain Mweemba and former constitution Review Commission Chairperson, Willa Mungo’mba.

Seven candidates took part in the elections among them Acting President, Rupiah Banda ,Finance Minister, Ngandu Mangade and Home Affairs Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha.

Others are former Works and Supply Minister, Ludwig Sondashi, Former Vice Presidents, Enock Kavindele and Nevers Mumba.

Dr Kalumba said the MMD is ready for the presidential elections if other parties refuse to forego the poll.

The MMD national secretary, said the party is already gearing itself up for campaigns.

He also says the party is ready to hold consultations with the opposition on how best to hold the elections.

However, the Patriotic Front says it will not entertain any discussions on possibilities of avoiding a Presidential by-election.

PF president, Michael Sata, says his party wants an election to be held in accordance with the constitution.

Mr. Sata told journalists in Lusaka Friday that the PF has not held any discussions with any party or the Zambia Center for Inter Party Dialogue on the matter.

According to Zambia’s constitution, the country is supposed to hold a presidential by-election 90 days following the death of a sitting president.

Mr Sata said the country should not ignore the constitution as doing so would be setting a bad precedent.

Mr. Sata also demanded that the election date should be announced soon to enable all political players to prepare for the polls.

[ZNBC]

Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) President Michael Sata has demanded for immediate announcement of presidential elections.

The opposition leader has meanwhile accused the ruling MMD of creating an impression that the elections will not be held.

Mr Sata said this at a Press briefing at the party secretariat in Lusaka Friday.

He alleged that ruling MMD parliamentarians will discuss the possibility to amend some clauses in the national constitution to form a government of national unity when parliamentary sessions resume.

Mr. Sata dismissed assertions that he is sick and can not contest the forth coming presidential elections following a heart attack he suffered early in April, 2008.

He has declared himself fit and healthy for the elections.

And PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said the party is shocked at the conduct of senior party officials in the ruling MMD who he alleged commenced the campaigns before the late President Mwanawasa was put to rest.

He added that the MMD should have emulated his party that contributed to the amiable environment that prevailed in the country until the late Dr Mwanawasa was put to rest.

Mr. Lubinda challenged Dr. Rodger Chongwe to disclose the credibility of his qualifications.

He said Dr. Chongwe is not qualified to comment on people’s health condition as he is not a qualified medical doctor but instead has an honorary doctorate.

Mr. Lubinda accused Dr. Chongwe of job seeking from Mr. Banda who stands a chance of being elected as republican president in the fourth coming presidential by elections.

The PF spokesperson said this in reiterration to Dr Chongwe’s reported allegations Mr Sata is sick and cannot run for presidency

He also said that PF has qualified membership to deal with the affairs of the party and the country once voted into power.

And PF member Dr. Joseph Katema who read Mr. Sata’s medical report also declared the PF leader as fit and health to overcome the stress of campaigns and presidential office if voted into power.

Dr. Katema said Mr. Sata had suffered limited damage to the heart muscle following his quick evacuation to South Africa for medical treatment by the government.

The fourth coming by-election which is expected to take place in November has been necessited following the death of republican president Levy Mwanaweasa who died on the 19th of August in Paris France and was buried at Embassy park in Lusaka on 3rd September.

ZANIS/CM/ENDS/MM

Zambia’s ruling MMD party has chosen the country’s vice president, Rupiah Banda, as its candidate to contest a presidential election due in November, a party official said.

Banda beat off a challenge from Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande and 14 other candidates for the presidential election to choose a successor to late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Zambia, which became a rare African success story under Mwanawasa, faces economic and political uncertainty as the race to replace him intensifies.

Banda, 72, told officials of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) that he will continue with Mwanawasa’s policies if elected as the country’s new president.

“I want to work with all my comrades in order to unite the party and the country and keep on with our policies,” Banda said.

He drew 43 votes and Magande 11. Only seven of 19 candidates contested the final vote after the others withdrew, MMD elections official Jeff Kande said.

Banda, who was appointed as Mwanawasa’s deputy in 2006, took over as head of the government after the president died last month.

He has held many diplomatic posts, including that of Zambia’s representative to the United Nations, before being made foreign minister in the 1970s in the administration of Zambia’s first post-independence leader, Kenneth Kaunda.

After his stint as foreign minister, Banda served as a parliamentarian between 1978 and 1988.

Magande said he supported Banda for president.

“I accept the defeat because this is democracy. … I will campaign for him in my constituency,” Magande said.

The divisions within the ruling party could cost the ruling party ground to main opposition leader Michael Sata , who narrowly lost to Mwanawasa in 2006 presidential polls,particularly if infighting gets worse.

The MMD candidate will face a challenge from Sata, and Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of the United Party for National Development — which is the third largest party in parliament.

Investors hope Zambia’s new leadership will stick to Mwanawasa’s fiscal discipline, which won him praise from Western donors and billions of dollars in debt relief.

Some of the shine is also coming off Zambia’s economic performance. The kwacha has lost about 3 percent of its value against the dollar since Mwanawasa’s death, mostly due to political uncertainty although also the stronger greenback.

Reuters

Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MCCI) is a hive of activities as MMD cadres from various parts of the country flock to the centre to give support to their preferred Presidential candidate.

A check by ZANIS this morning found scores of MMD cadres chanting and singing solidarity songs in support of Acting President Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Rupiah Banda’s supporters who seem to be dominating at the centre were also seen with placards in support of him.

MMD Ndola District vice Information and Publicity Secretary, Alex Mubanga told ZANIS in an interview that the Copperbelt Province has opted to rally behind Mr. Banda as he has shown maturity and exemplarily leadership since he took over as acting President.

Mr. Mubanga noted that MMD members in the province have assessed and screened all the aspiring candidates adding that Mr. Banda is the only one who was found as a credible leader able who will be able to continue with the programs left behind by President Mwanawasa.

In a separate interview, Nelly Mumba an MMD cadre said all the women in the party are in support of Acting President Rupiah Banda adding that they will campaign flat out for him to ensure that the MMD scoops the Presidency.

The Presidential seat fell vacant after the death of Dr Mwanawasa last week on Tuesday, 19th August, 2008, at Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France.

Mr Banda is among several party members that have applied to be considered as Presidential candidates in the forthcoming presidential election.

Dr Mwanawasa’s second term and final five year term of office was due to end in 2011.

The Ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) National Executive Committee (NEC) is today expected to disclose the Presidential candidate who will represent the party in the forthcoming presidential election.

NEC which is the highest organ of the party is currently meeting with the all the Presidential aspirants at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MCCI) where a decision on who will represent the party is expected to be arrived at.

ZANIS/YK/AM/ENDS

Health Minister Brian Chituwo has pulled out of the race for adoption as MMD Presidental candidate in the forthcoming bye-election.

Dr. Chituwo’s withdrawal came a few hours before the National Executive Committee meeting to select the party’s candidate at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in the Zambna capital, Lusaka.

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba confirmed the development to ZNBC News at the party secretariat Friday.

Another candidate Cain Mweemba has also withdrawn from the race.

In his letter to Dr. Kalumba, Mr. Mweemba said his decision was done in the best interest of the party due to the limited time available before the presidential by-elections.

He challenged other presidential applicants to demonstrate selflessness by withdrawing from the race.

On Thursday, former Constitutional Review Chairperson Willa Mungomba announced his pull out from the race.

Thursday night Dr. Kalumba announced that five candidates had withdrawn from the race but refused to name them.

MMD National Publicity Secretary Ben Tetamashimba has disclosed that members including the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in the eight provinces have so far resolved to support acting Vice President Rupiah Banda as the party presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential by-election.

Mr. Tetamashimba said the NEC members from the eight provinces will be the same NEC members that will vote in tomorrow’s NEC elections for the MMD presidential candidate for the imminent by-election.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Tetamashimba said the eight provinces that have endorsed Acting President Rupiah Banda’s candidature are Eastern, Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt, Western, North Western, Southern and Lusaka province.

He said the NEC members have resolved to support Mr. Banda’s candidature in order for him to serve the country from were the late President Mwanawasa had left.

Mr. Tetamashimba said the MMD constitution does not call for a convention to choose a presidential candidate and as such the NEC can only do so if there has been no direction from the provinces to choose a presidential candidate.

He said it is not a political norm to start searching for a candidate to stand on the MMD ticket adding that Mr. Banda is supposed to be an automatic choice.

Mr. Tetamashimba said Mr. Banda qualifies to be an MMD candidate in the forthcoming presidential by-election because he has been in the MMD and NEC as a member since 2005 contrary to assertions that he is not eligible.

He said allowing Mr. Banda to become MMD presidential candidate will also ensure unity both in the party and the nation as he had worked closely with President Mwanawasa as republican vice president.

Mr. Tetamashimba said added that Mr. Banda was the most preferred candidate culminating into his appointment as vice president contrary to insinuations by some named politicians that they are the preferred presidential candidates by the late president.

He also noted that President Mwanawasa had written a letter to vice president Rupiah Banda appointing him as acting president before he left for Egypt where he suffered a stroke and was later evacuated to Paris, France were he subsequently died.

Mr. Tetamashimba said the President’s decision can not therefore be challenged by people who did not challenge it when he was alive and made the decision.

He said the Zambian people expect Mr. Banda to follow the economic footsteps of President Mwanawasa’s footsteps of building the economy and fostering national unity after the presidential by-elections.

The ruling party’s information and publicity chairperson has since called upon MMD members and NEC members to continue rallying behind acting president Rupiah Banda in tomorrow’s elections for the party’s presidential candidate.

Scores of MMD party officials and some cabinet ministers and members of parliament attended the media briefing which was dubbed “should the acting president Rupiah Banda be the MMD Presidential Candidate”.

ZANIS/CM/AM/ENDS.