Mwenefumbo blasts ‘out of order’ Msonda
Peoples Party expelled deputy secretary general Frank Mwenefumbo who lost at the primaries and defied the party’s directive not to stand as independent has questioned the party’s move to boot him, saying it has no basis either in national laws or the party’s statutes.
He said it was unfair for PP to fire any PP official through the media and without hearing their side.
At the close of the presentation of nomination papers on Friday 14, February, 2014, PP’s deputy publicist Ken Msonda, who lost the Rumphi East Constituency primaries to Kamlepo Kalua, announced that PP members who lost in the primaries but are now contesting as Independents have automatically lost their membership.
Among the high profile members publicly chopped include Msonda’s former Boss Homphally Makande and former deputy Secretary General Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo.
Mwenifumbo, who is standing in the volatile ‘Benghazi’ Karonga Central Constituency, described Msonda as completely out of order.
“There is nothing in the constitution. There were no any amendments. We did not sign any undertaking to that effect. So which rule did he invoke or assuming the NEC met and made a resolution when did that happen,” he queried.
Mwenifumbo argues that the incumbent MP Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda set the precedent when both of them were in DPP saying he defied an undertaking not to stand as an independent after he lost the primaries despite signing it.
“He stood as an independent and won. Msonda has been avoiding me. I need clarification from him,” he said.
However, Msonda said his pronouncement on the issue is the party’s position and will remain as such.
“I speak on behalf of PP in my capacity as spokesperson. When I speak, the party has spoken and not Ken Msonda,” he said.
Msonda said there was no need for clarification or reference to any statute.
“Some issues are obvious, you don’t need reference. If all laws and rules were written in the holy Bible or Quran, the volumes would have filled a classroom. Have been asked by those contesting to find out?” he said.
In September 2013, PP decreed that all those wishing to stand on its ticket either as MPs or Councillors will guarantee that they will not stand as Independents if they lose primary elections.
The Party’s acting Secretary General Paul Maulidi said then that Independents would confuse the party.
“People should declare beforehand that they will stand as Independents,” he said.
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