I remain UDF leader – Atupele Muluzi

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Affairs Security, Atupele Muluzi has said he remains the president of United Democratic Front (UDF) and its voice in parliament and cabinet .

Muluzi said UDF has one command structure led by him as president.

“I am the leader of the party, I speak as a leader of the party in cabinet, in parliament. When it comes to the voice, I am the voice as the leader of the party,” said Muluzi.

He was fending off criticism that UDF has lost its voice in parliament since its members have relocated to government benches.

Muluzi said the party’s chief whip Lilian Patel still represents it in the Business Committee of Parliament.

Meanwhile, UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo, chief whip in Parliament Lilian Patel and spokesperson Ken Ndanga led by party president Atupele Muluzi yesterday called for a meeting with the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) to seek clarifications from the the interfaith democracy watchdog and advocacy grouping which has beenf agitating for the removal of its MPs through Section 65 of the Constitution which forbids crossing the floor.

The PAC delegation was led by chairperson the Reverend Felix Chingota.

UDF leaders explained the procedure which led to the decision to move to the government side, including seeking a legal opinion from a private lawyer David Kanyenda before submitting a request to the Speaker to be moved to the government side.

A legal opinion from Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale to the Speaker also cleared the party’s move.

Chingota said he had received assurance from UDF that the party would abide by the Constitution as its president pledged during the pre-election interface meetings.

The Speaker is on record as having said that his office can only act on the matter after being pushed or petitioned.