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UDF defends move to government

 

United Democratic Front (UDF) has justified the relocation of 11 of its 14 members of Parliament (MPs) to the government benches in the National Assembly as a decision in the interest of nation building.

In a statement issued yesterday, UDF spokesperson Ken Ndanga said the decision was not made in the interest of an individual, but the party and its membership at large.

Ndanga: We will not stifle debate on the matter
Ndanga: We will not stifle debate on the matter

He said no decision on the matter was made behind the back of the party’s leadership in Parliament.

Ndanga’s justification comes hard on the heels of calls to have the party’s NEC dissolved to pave way for an interim committee by a group of people calling themselves concerned UDF supporters.

The statement said the issue has been in the public domain well before the current sitting of Parliament as a result of the consultation process that took place within the party structures to make sure that there should be no disconnection between the MPs and the party leader.

“The consultation process involved the national executive committee, members of Parliament and also regional and district levels during regional conferences in Lilongwe in the Central Region at  Pacific Hotel, Balaka in the Eastern Region at Sun Village Hotel and in Blantyre at Grace Bandawe,” reads the statement.

He called on all party members to desist from making comments in the media that have the potential of causing confusion in the party.

Said Ndanga: “However, as a party that believes in democracy, we will not stifle debate on the matter by members as long as it is done with civility and within the party structures.”

UDF has 11 MPs on the government side, which has increased the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) numerical strength in the 193-member National Assembly to 63.

The three MPs not affected by the move are the party’s leader in the House Lucius Banda, party president and Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security AtupeleMuluzi as well as Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Clement Chiwaya.

Following the relocation of the 11 to the government side, UDF woke up to the reality of its decision last Thursday when it missed on the schedule of opposition political parties to respond to the State of the Nation Address, which President Peter Mutharika delivered on May 5 2015.

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