Mulenga Sata, Scott Clash over Presidency Suggestions by Vice-President Guy Scott that President Michael Sata’s son, Mulenga, does not qualify to contest the Presidency in an event of a presidential by-election or when the incumbent likely pulls out of the 2016 race on medical grounds have drawn sharp reactions. Mulenga Sata’s mother is allegedly Malawian and this fact if challenged can disqualify him from the race. The Lusaka Mayor says Scott’s sentiments were divisive and had no strong backing. On Wednesday, The Post Newspapers quoted Wynter Kabimba’s self-appointed spokesperson Dr Scott saying Mulenga, like himself and Kabwata MP Given Lubinda, do not qualify to contest the Presidency because of the eligibility clause in the constitution. Scott said Kabimba was the senior-most-person in the Patriotic Front who qualified to be President. “Me I am not qualified to stand as President because I am excluded by the same amended 1996 Constitution, which excluded (Kenneth) Kaunda and excludes as far as I understand me, Given Lubinda and excludes Mulenga Sata. Both your parents have to be Zambian. So the President is reluctant in my understanding to appoint someone who could be a target of a petition in the courts,” Vice-President Scott said. “If this man is not qualified to stand as President, how can we make him the acting President? He President Sata does not want to have a constitutional crisis, when he is somewhere else. So there is no big deal.” Speaking from South Korea as quoted by Lusaka Times, Mulenga Sata was surprised and concerned at the remarks by Scott. “I find the remarks attributed to the vice president inappropriate, divisive and factually incorrect. The circumstances of my birth are completely different from his,” he said. “My mother was born in the Copperbelt province of northern Rhodesia which later came to be known as Zambia. That makes her Zambian by birth and descent since Zambia was born in 1964. My father is a known element. Dr Scott’s parents were British on the other hand. I cannot comment on others mentioned in the article.” He added, “As far as I’m aware there is a ruling on former president Chiluba’s parentage which indicated that since he was born in a territory which later came to be defined as Zambia of parents’ similarly born he was a Zambian who was eligible to stand for the highest office in the land.” “As a patriotic nationalist I remain committed to the development of my country and the social upliftment of our people particularly our women and youth since they constitute the majority of our population. What we want is leadership that fosters unity in the country across ethnic and/or religious divides, that resonates with the hope of our young peoples and most importantly enables us to participate substantially and substantively in the economy.” “Those are the things we should be talking not idle chatter just because the substantive president is out of the office for a few days,” he said. A succession battle is brewing in the ruling party with Mulenga, Wynter Kabimba (sponsored by the cartel), Chishimba Kambwili, Given Lubinda all ambitious of taking over from Sata whose health status is not the best ally to stay in the position.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 05:44:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015