Thursday, April 25, 2013

Canisius Banda quits MMD for UPND vice-presidency
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 24 Apr. 2013, 14:01 CAT

DR Canisius Banda has officially resigned from the MMD to take up the position of vice president for politics in UPND.

In letter dated April 19, 2013 and addressed to party national secretary Kapembwa Simbao, Dr Banda said the UPND was his new platform for his long-lived endeavour to serve the Zambians.

In a letter of appointment dated April 12, 2013, the UPND said Dr Banda's appointment as vice-president for politics was a result of a National Management Committee (NMC) meeting held by the party.

"After much prayer and careful thought, and thorough consultations and finding I, in keeping with the existential and developmental values that I espouse such as freedom of inclusiveness, diligence, patriotism and tolerance, wish to notify your office that I have accepted this offer of vice-president," the letter read in part.

"I consulted my widowed mother, wife, son, the rest of my family and friends, among other stakeholders, including fellow members of the MMD, the clergy, traditional leaders and senior citizens."

He wrote that it would be of interest for the party to note that many senior members of the MMD had advised him to take up the position, a thing he found touching.

Dr Banda said he had received the UPND's offer with honour and prayed that the MMD would regain vibrancy and tick again.

Last week, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, who is on record saying that the poaching of members from the UPND was a non-issue, wrote to Dr Banda to inform him of the offer.

"Your responsibilities, among others, will include overall organisation of the party programmes across the country. You will be required to ensure smooth operations of the party activities in liaison with relevant party structures; this entails total commitment and the spirit to cooperate with all party members," the letter signed by Hichilema and secretary general Winstone Chibwe read in part.

The letter, however, did not include the conditions of service that Dr Banda would be entitled to as his position in the UPND is a full-time job.

And Dr Banda said he stayed in the MMD despite it having been terribly traumatised.

"I stuck with the MMD seeking its resurgence. I now leave the MMD in a stable and much healed state than it was just after the 2011 general elections," said Dr Banda.

"It is now time for me to further consolidate the opposition by adding the little value that I possess to the UPND; I am focusing on the opposition because the current order of governance in Zambia seeks to keep people shackled in the chains of poverty. It is causing despair and frustration in the citizens. My overall goal is to see people live in freedom, free of poverty. My passionate desire is to become the people's servant, to participate in delivering to them that which their lives depend upon, that which they seek."

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