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Monday, 18 July 2005





National

Tembo says he declined to be veep


by Bright Sonani, 18 July 2005 - 06:02:40



Main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President John Tembo confessed that he declined the post of second vice president government offered him in exchange for his party’s support for the budget.
This was just days after Tembo told the MCP national executive committee that he had not been approached to become vice president.
Tembo, during a press conference on Saturday in Lilongwe, said President Bingu wa Mutharika sent envoys to his Area 10 house asking him to support the budget and be given the third highest position in return.
“There was one group of people who came here to see me in my house. They said they have been sent by President Bingu wa Mutharika, they said they are messengers on two issues — one you must approve the budget and secondly the President is going to offer you the second vice presidency,” he said.
Tembo said he declined both..
“On the budget I said I cannot say whether I am going to approve it because I cannot do it from my house. Nowhere in the world is the budget approved from home. On the second vice president, I say no because what I am fighting for is not complete. I am happy to continue in the opposition, I don’t want anyone to buy me,” he added.
Tembo said if the President has a problem seeking national solutions he should come out in the open and say he is inviting the opposition to discuss the matters to find a common solution.
He said MCP and the rest of the opposition accepted the budget not because of pressure or the offer, but because government conceded to include a subsidy on fertiliser as well as extended the subsidy to small holder tobacco growers which he described as the main hurdle between the MCP and government.
“Our stand was that we would not support a budget which would not include a subsidy. I was very happy that skills of negotiations between the MCP and government through the Minister of Finance yielded results which we were looking for,” said Tembo who is also MP for Dedza South.
But Tembo warned that passing the budget was not the end of the country’s problems, emphasising that it was up to government to make sure that all that has been promised, including the much talked economic transformation is fulfilled by July next year.
“I will play my part, MPs will play their part as they have always done, but I don’t know what tricks they have to have economic recovery,” said Tembo.
He cited the rumours that government was paying schools fees for Mutharika’s grandchildren and the opening of a K20 million government account which was being drawn by a single person in cash as one of the worrying incidents which are likely to derail economic transformation.
“If it is true then I am afraid to say that we are not yet through with this problem. Unfortunately not all of those people in government are interested in economic recovery, some of them are only interested in personal recovery, they are interested in enriching themselves. Next year we will be there to take stock,” added Tembo.
The MCP president also questioned Mutharika’s choice of cabinet, saying in Parliament there were a lot of able MPs who would assist to run government effectively.
“Do you think Aleke Banda is dull, inexperienced and mbuli? Do you think Malewezi is dull inexperienced and mbuli? In the opposition we have an interesting combination of heavyweights, political and economic heavyweights. Some of those in Cabinet would never be in my Cabinet,” he said.
Commenting on the impeachment, Tembo said the issue has never been on the MCP agenda but said if it is tabled in Parliament the party would examine if the reasons are grave not to be ignored.
“Then we will participate in the debate. I will listen to the debate and do the right thing,” he said.
But he said he has no problems with bringing in the impeachment procedures in the Standing Orders, which he said is normal regardless of who is in power and to also bring the Standing Orders in line with the Constitution that provides for the impeachment of a president.
Tembo also said he would go ahead with the motion to amend Section 65 (1) which was initiated by the former Speaker late Rodwell Munyenyembe to bring sanity into the House.
Commenting on the elections case which the MCP recently lost, Tembo said the MCP would respect the ruling but added that he was disappointed that the party has been denied a chance to tell the nation and the whole world what they know happened during the elections.
Government spokesperson Ken Lipenga declined to comment on government’s offer to Tembo, saying if it indeed happened it was done without the knowledge of some of government officials, including himself.
Political analyst Mustaffa Hussein said on Sunday it was good that Tembo declined the post because if he had accepted the opposition would have been weakened.
“If he accepted he might have been swallowed by the machinery and then compromise what his party wants with the needs of government. However, one might also argue that if he was second vice president he would be able to serve the nation better since he would be closer to power,” said Hussein.
Chairman of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) Rodgers Newa said accepting the post would have eased the political impasse in the country.
“And also considering that there is already Gwanda Chakuamba, Hetherwick Ntaba and Kate Kainja, bringing them on board to work together would be tough for Mutharika,” he added.


 IF EVERYBODY WAS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY, THINGS WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT, AS POLITICS IS A STINKING GAME, LETS HEAR WHAT OTHERS SAY.