National News

UDF pressing on with indaba

UDF says it will press on with its plans for a national convention scheduled for October 31 at Comesa Hall in Blantyre despite attempts by its detractors to stop it.

United Democratic Front (UDF) secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala told a news conference in Blantyre on Friday he had information that the Friday Jumbe faction intends to get a court injunction to stop the indaba.

Jumbe was quoted in yesterday’s edition of Weekend Nation as saying he was aware former president BakiliMuluzi was financing the national convention and his faction would take unspecified action to paralyse the conference.

“Let them proceed with the convention and tell the world that they do not know me and my colleagues and see if they will succeed. We do not want to disclose what we shall do. There are better injunctions than the normal injunctions,” he said.

But at the news conference, the party leaders said money for the convention, budgeted at K35 million (about $117 000), was being sourced from well-wishers, and wondered what would have been wrong if Muluzi wished to be among them, being a life member of the party.

UDF national organising secretary Lillian Patel challenged Jumbe and his group to come forward by way of assisting in funding and participating at the indaba if they were interested in resolving the long-outstanding differences that have rocked the party.

Patel believed that the differences could be resolved at the convention where party members would put leaders into positions and approach the 2014 general elections strong and united. 

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