Oppostion coalition to sign document January,Oppostion coalition to sign document January
by: Mc Donald Chapalapata,Mc Donald Chapalapata, 12/26/2003, 1:10:29 PM

Eight opposition parties on Tuesday gave themselves a January deadline to produce and sign a memorandum of understanding, spelling out procedures for a coalition.
Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Reverend Billy Gama, who co-chaired the meeting with Reverend Father Phillip Mbeta of the Roman Catholic Church, said on Wednesday the Tuesday meeting sought to hear views of the parties participating in the coalition talks and draw a calendar of events.
“They need to put up a document which will spell out the procedures and how the parties will operate as a coalition. They need to do that first before they choose the presidential candidate,” he said.
Rev. Gama said the political parties will have to work out the document themselves and without involving the church.
He emphasised that churches were invited to the Tuesday meeting only as referees, saying church leaders told the parties that as the elections draw closer, politicians will have to go it alone because “as church leaders, we would not want to be seen as taking sides”.
Rev Gama said Malawi Congress Party was represented by its Secretary General Bazuka Mhango while National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was represented by its First Vice President (Political Affairs ) Viva Nyimba and members Wallace Chawawa and John-Gift Mwakhwawa.
Aleke Banda, Jimmy Koreia Mpatsa, Knox Valera and Jan Jaap Sonke represented People's Progressive Movement (PPM) while Levison Ganiza, Harold Williams, Anthony Mukumbwa and Ben Kautsire represented Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (Mafunde).
People's Transformation (Petra) was represented by Kamuzu Chibambo and Dereck Lakudzala while Clement Salima and Du Mhango represented Mgode and Harry Chiume, Harry Muenza and Kizito-James Kaunjika represented National Unity Party (NUP). Kamlepo Kalua represented Malawi Democratic Party (MDP).
Nyimba said in an interview on Wednesday that the meeting also worked on a timetable towards the signing of the memorandum of understanding and hoped the parties will sign it at the end of January.
He said most of the issues to do with the coalition will be in the memorandum of understanding which the parties involved are expected to sign.
“We must first of all sign the memorandum of understanding to show our commitment to the coalition and see how we are going to operate as a coalition before we start talking of the qualities of leaders,” said Nyimba, disputing claims the meeting discussed qualities of leaders.
Koreia Mpatsa described the meeting as “normal talks setting a calendar of events to guide us in our coalition talks”.
Meanwhile, Rev Gama and Nyimba welcomed the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday which cleared the mist on the political future of MCP President John Tembo and hoped the development would speed up coalition talks.
Nyimba said the case had been stalling the talks “as some parties had not been attending the talks”.
“We should welcome the ruling as a good development because it now means we will be holding the talks together,” said Nyimba.
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Eight opposition parties on Tuesday gave themselves a January deadline to produce and sign a memorandum of understanding, spelling out procedures for a coalition.
Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Reverend Billy Gama, who co-chaired the meeting with Reverend Father Phillip Mbeta of the Roman Catholic Church, said on Wednesday the Tuesday meeting sought to hear views of the parties participating in the coalition talks and draw a calendar of events.
“They need to put up a document which will spell out the procedures and how the parties will operate as a coalition. They need to do that first before they choose the presidential candidate,” he said.
Rev. Gama said the political parties will have to work out the document themselves and without involving the church.
He emphasised that churches were invited to the Tuesday meeting only as referees, saying church leaders told the parties that as the elections draw closer, politicians will have to go it alone because “as church leaders, we would not want to be seen as taking sides”.
Rev Gama said Malawi Congress Party was represented by its Secretary General Bazuka Mhango while National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was represented by its First Vice President (Political Affairs ) Viva Nyimba and members Wallace Chawawa and John-Gift Mwakhwawa.
Aleke Banda, Jimmy Koreia Mpatsa, Knox Valera and Jan Jaap Sonke represented People's Progressive Movement (PPM) while Levison Ganiza, Harold Williams, Anthony Mukumbwa and Ben Kautsire represented Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (Mafunde).
People's Transformation (Petra) was represented by Kamuzu Chibambo and Dereck Lakudzala while Clement Salima and Du Mhango represented Mgode and Harry Chiume, Harry Muenza and Kizito-James Kaunjika represented National Unity Party (NUP). Kamlepo Kalua represented Malawi Democratic Party (MDP).
Nyimba said in an interview on Wednesday that the meeting also worked on a timetable towards the signing of the memorandum of understanding and hoped the parties will sign it at the end of January.
He said most of the issues to do with the coalition will be in the memorandum of understanding which the parties involved are expected to sign.
“We must first of all sign the memorandum of understanding to show our commitment to the coalition and see how we are going to operate as a coalition before we start talking of the qualities of leaders,” said Nyimba, disputing claims the meeting discussed qualities of leaders.
Koreia Mpatsa described the meeting as “normal talks setting a calendar of events to guide us in our coalition talks”.
Meanwhile, Rev Gama and Nyimba welcomed the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday which cleared the mist on the political future of MCP President John Tembo and hoped the development would speed up coalition talks.
Nyimba said the case had been stalling the talks “as some parties had not been attending the talks”.
“We should welcome the ruling as a good development because it now means we will be holding the talks together,” said Nyimba.