MMD+not+scared+of+51+per+cent,+Mwape,+Post



=MMD IS NOT SCARED OF 50+1% - MWAPE=


 * By George Chellah**

Post, Thursday March 30, 2006
MMD is not scared of the 50 plus one per cent threshold, Vice-President Lupando Mwape has said.

And South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Dr Blade Nzimande advised that the constitution-making process was a very serious task which needed to be undertaken with caution.

Speaking when Dr Nzimande paid him a courtesy call at his office yesterday, Vice-President Mwape said the opposition were free to enter into alliances.

"We take it that those thinking of alliances will reflect on their ideological disposition and then we will meet into the political field and the best will win," Vice-President Mwape said.

"We are not scared as MMD so even when they say 50 plus one per cent, we are ready. We will take it because we enjoy popularity in the country and not what they have been saying that we are scared of the 50 plus one per cent."

Vice-President Mwape bragged that the scooping of most by-elections by the MMD was a confirmation of its countrywide popularity.

He said the government had been cautious with the manner in which it was handling the drafting of a new constitution.

"We are looking at a situation where we can have a comprehensive surgery of the constitution," Vice-President Mwape said.

He said the constitution-making process could be a recipe for anarchy was not properly handled.

“The supreme law is very important so it should be handled with caution because when the worst comes to the worst, it’s the leadership that has to answer,” Vice-President Mwape said.

“So we want to ensure that we handle it properly because posterity can judge us. We want people to come and say that there lived human beings who resolved this.”

He said there was need for Africa to be mindful that despite attaining independence, it also needed to liberate itself from economic problems.

“Let us remind one another that these challenges won’t be fought by anybody else other than ourselves the black people,” Vice-President Mwape said.

He commended the SACP for being part of the team that stirred the struggle for the liberation of South Africa. He said the government felt privileged by the SACP delegation’s visit especially that it came at a critical time when the nation was preparing to go for polls.

Vice-President Mwape also described the SACP and ANC alliance as a mature alliance.

“We as Zambians feel proud with your presence in the South African government because it has been easy for us to relate to both of you and we see that as a landmark,” Vice-President Mwape said. “We also take great pride that you don’t need a visa to go to South Africa and Zambia, that’s encouraging.”

And Dr Nzimande said his delegation’s visit was historical because it was the first visit since they left in the early 1990s.

“We are coming on the eve of the tripartite elections. We note with satisfaction the continuation in streamlining the electoral process and multiparty politics,” he said.

Dr Nzimande also advised the government to ensure that there was consensus among Zambians during the constitution-making process.

“Constitution-making process is a very serious task that needs to be undertaken cautiously so we wish you well,” Dr Nzimande said.

Earlier, MMD deputy national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe told Dr Nzimande when he paid him a courtesy call at the secretariat that the MMD was hopeful that the nation would hold the forthcoming general elections under a peaceful atmosphere.

“We are all confident that we are going to have clean elections this time around because of the preparations that have been done by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ),” he said.

Maj Kachingwe said the ruling party would bounce back to power because it enjoyed support due to its good policies.

And Dr Nzimande said his delegation’s visit to Zambia had been an informative one.

“We have noticed that there is a lot of talk on alliances among the opposition. I don’t know whether you will form an alliance as well or the MMD is an alliance in itself,” he said.

He described their alliance with ANC as progressive.

“We have built more than three million houses and we have reached about eight million people half of which never had clean drinking water before. We have also stabilised the economy,” Dr Nzimande said.

“Our biggest challenge still remains unemployment and the youths are the most affected. We are part of the ongoing debate on plans and policies of how to get the economy on the right track.”

He said SACP was an active participant in the governance of South Africa.

“Without internal debates, any alliance wouldn’t succeed because it will lack creativity,” said Dr Nzimande.


 * From: http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=8236**

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