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| National |
| UDF aspiring MP under threats |
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by
Mc Donald Chapalapata, 12 November 2003
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17:42:22
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Aspiring UDF member of Parliament for Zomba Central Yunus Mussa has accused incumbent MP Andrew Chioza of threatening his life because of his intention to challenge him during primaries for the parliamentary seat.
Mussa said in an interview on Wednesday that Chioza, who is also Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, sent ‘his thugs’ on Friday last week to stop him from ferrying people to Malosa where UDF presidential candidate Bingu Wa Mutharika was addressing a mass rally.
“They told me that I should stop delivering women there otherwise they were going to burn my truck and I stopped,” said Mussa who is also popularly known as “Valentine” in Zomba.
He also alleged that Chioza’s men chased him away from State House gates in Zomba on Saturday where he went to welcome President Bakili Muluzi from Chikwawa where he was addressing a mass rally.
“They told me to leave and I went to Club Gymkana and they followed me there and I went further down to Kandodo shop and they followed me there again and eventually I thought I should take leave. They also told me not to attend the soldiers memorial service the following day,” said Mussa.
He also alleged that Chioza and his men attacked him and his supporters in June this year when he was holding an indoor meeting at Thom Allan Village and reported the matter to police who never took any action.
“Chioza is using racist language against me. And I am very concerned about my life, I don’t want to take part in any violence, if this goes on I would rather withdraw my candidacy. We can’t be fighting each other in UDF,” said Mussa who claims he has more support than Chioza in the constituency.
Chioza said on Wednesday denied intimidating Mussa and insisted that he is the incumbent MP and advised Mussa that if he want to compete with him he should wait for the primaries.
He also denied stopping Mussa from ferrying people to Bingu’s rally, saying it was not his constituency.
On the attack on Mussa in June at Thom Allan Village, Chioza said the issue was ‘discussed a long time ago’ saying he was in Lilongwe attending to government issues when the incident happened.
“Tell Mussa that he must wait until the primaries, that is when the people of Zomba will decide who their MP will be. He can’t fight me through the papers,” said Chioza.
UDF District governor for Zomba urban Linos Maele on Wednesday confirmed the Thom Allan Village incident.
“Mussa briefed me about Chioza boys trying to attack him when he was welcoming President Muluzi on Saturday and I have advised him that this is not a campaign period and he should wait until the primaries,” said Maele.
UDF Deputy Regional Governor for the South Samson Msosa said on Wednesday he was not aware of the incident.
“I have to go to Zomba and investigate what is happening. It may be a similar case which happened in Machinga last week,” said Msosa.
Alleged supporters of Machinga Likwenu MP Rodson Jangiya were reported to have torched a house belonging to UDF Deputy District Governor for Machinga Chikala Masauko Pensulo for supporting aspiring MP Dave Ngulinga.
Police Spokesman George Chikowi said on Wednesday he does not have any information pertaining to threats received by Mussa. |
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