Losing MMD Presidential aspirant and Finance and National Planing Minster, Ngandu Magande, still insists that he is the rightful candidate to succeed the late Zambian republican President, Levy Mwanawasa had the National Executive Committee (NEC) members settled on him.

Yesterday, Mr. Magande lost by 32 votes to guarantee Mr. Rupiah Banda who is also the republican Acting President to scoop the MMD candidency that was heavily contested by other MMD presidential aspirants.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Magande claimed that he is clean and Dr. Mwanawasa entrusted him as Finance Minister because of his prudent accountability to public resources.

He said for many years he had worked with Dr. Mwanawasa, he never stolen a single ngwee from public the coffers.

Mr. Magande, however, said he will throw his weight to the newly elected MMD President, Rupiah Banda, and described the MMD elections as democratic and free and fair.

He declared that he has always been ready to succeed since he was assured byDr. Mwanawasa because he and the late president wanted Zambia to become a prosperous and rich nation in 2030 because government planned for Vision 2030.

He further called for unity in the party in the interest to foster national development if the legacy of the late President Mwanawasa is to live on.

And MMD Deputy National Chairman, Kabinga Pande, has urged the MMD to support newly elected MMD Presidential candidate, Mr. Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Pande says Mr. Banda alone cannot deliver without the support of all party members.

He says NEC’s decision to pick on the acting Republican President was arrived at from the cries of the people because MMD is a listening party and also a listening government.

Yesterday, Mr. Rupiah Banda scooped the MMD Presidential candidature that was heavily contested by other MMD presidential hopefuls. He polled 43 votes to beat other contestors.

He said it is the wish of the ruling party to see to it that Mr. Banda is elected republican President who will take over the developmental projects initiated by Dr. Mwanawasa.

He charged that one way to honour Dr. Mwanawasa is for the MMD to vote for Mr. Banda so that the legacy of the late Zambian leader lives on.

The MMD Deputy National Chairman further called on the nation to vote for the acting President, Rupiah Banda, because he has shown leadership qualities and maturity to govern the nation.

ZANIS/ENDS/KC/EB

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