UNIP leadership squabbles deepen

.. As party disowns Col Miyoba erupted

IT is tantamount to a “coup d’eta” for Henry Miyoba to claim the presidency of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) without going for a convention, deputy secretary-general Alfred Banda has said.

And Reverend Banda has charged that Colonel Miyoba was not eligible to contest any intra-party elections as he ceased being a member of the party when he was suspended for alleged gross misconduct in 2011.

He was reacting to the reported leadership wrangle that had

in the opposition party following a declaration by the party’s alleged ‘interim chairperson’, colonel Miyoba that he had offered to occupy the presidency of the former ruling party because it had been too dormant.

Rev Banda reiterated that Col Miyoba’s imposition on the UNIP presidency was illegal and tantamount to a ‘coup d’tat.”

He accused Col Miyoba of being sponsored to destabilise UNIP and cause unnecessary wrangles.

Col Miyoba is reported to have deposed UNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda, saying that the party had been inactive since it left Government in 1991 and that efforts to revive it had failed.

Mr Kaunda is however also reported to have dismissed Col Miyoba’s claims.

Mr Kaunda is reported to have said that Col Miyoba and his supporters were expelled from the party because they did not mean well for the growth of UNIP.

UNIP lost power to the MMD in 1991 and has remained in opposition since.