President Rupiah Banda has said that the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will emerge stronger and united from its national convention which begins on tomorrow in Kabwe.
President Banda said that after the convention the party will continue to preach peace and unity as it has done in the past.
The President was speaking when he addressed thousands of people at a public rally held at new Kapiri Mposhi market grounds on today.
The President said that he wanted this year’s elections to be held in a peaceful atmosphere where people will be free to exercise there rights.
Mr Banda said that even investors who come into the country testify to the peaceful atmosphere which prevails in Zambia.
The President further said that he will not be distracted with his pursuits to develop the country by negative critiques from some sectors of society.
Meanwhile, the president’s convoy and that of the vice president has moved from Kapiri to Mulungushi University the venue for the MMD convention.
Preparations at Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Central Zambia where the landmark Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) sixth extraordinary convention is billed to officially open tomorrow are progressing well.
A check at the venue by ZANIS this morning found work on various sections among them accommodation, health and communication had reached an advanced stage with workers in different categories putting finishing touches to structures.
Security at the venue is tight with people entering the Convention Centre going through the check point formalities while vehicles were equally undergoing screening.
A Media centre was also being prepared while a mobile hospital had equally been stationed to provide health services.
The Convention which is scheduled to be officially opened by President Rupiah Banda is expected to usher in new office bearers for the country’s ruling party’s top leadership portifolios which include the Party presidency, vice presidency, National Secretary, Elections Chairman and various organs of the MMD.
The high level meeting which would run from April 5 to 7 under the theme: Fulfilling The Promise of Good Governance and Prosperity for all Zambians’ was also expected to be attended by eminent figures from various sectors including Zambia’s envoys to missions abroad.
The MMD recently held Provincial conferences in all the country’s nine provinces as a precursor to the Convention to be attended by about 1, 372 delegates. The Provincial Conferences ushered in new executive committees which constitute an electoral college to decide on the MMD’s leadership at the convention ahead of this year’s upcoming Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections.
The ruling party has undertaken various exercises to consolidate MMD structures leading to the convention with the Provincial Conferences being preceded by the national membership card renewal.
The nine Provincial conferences passed resolutions that President Banda be the preferred candidate for the party’s top position which has since been endorsed by the National Executive Committee.
President Banda who has been acting Party President since the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa in 2008 recently filed in his nomination papers for the party presidency at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Other party members eyeing various positions also undertook the exercise.
During a media briefing recently, MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya said that the party was planning to mobilise about K4 billion to be spent at the convention.
The ruling party has also categorically stated that only those in good standing with the party would be allowed to attend the convention in line with the MMD’s constitution which stipulates that ‘’only people who are members of the party and are in good standing will contest for positions and attend the convention.”
This convention is being held six years after the April 2005 gathering where late President Mwanawasa was elected Party President with the position of MMD Vice presidency being frozen following reports that some candidates at the convention engaged themselves in bribery.
Meanwhile, Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) has wished President Banda and the MMD party a very successful convention.
FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo in a Statement to ZANIS today asked God to guide the President and the MMD at the convention.
ZANIS
Yo wina-wina malume.
As long as there is no pact, MMD is in for another 5 years.
I hope there are no bed bugs.
I wish you well in your predetermined convention results.
Be warned though that, your deceitful behaviour will not be tolerated at the general election.
Nizoona with or without pact RB still goes through. What people neglect in their aguement on the strength of the pact is the fact that Sata is not as strong as he was in Lsk, CB, Luapula, Northern and so is HH He has equally lost serious ground in areas like Southern province. RB could have lost some amount of support in Mongu and in N/western prov but generally gained ground in key ares like CB, Luapula Northern etc.
2011 should not be seen from 2008 point of view as so many shifts have been noticed in the political arena Kaya!!!
The climax of the final split of the MMD is here. It is thanks to RB and GK.
#6, classical wishfull thinking. So who will lead the non-GK/non-RB group? lol
atana has started provincial conventions after how many years without conventions. Correct me fellow bloggers is it 10 years ?
who cares bakapili like we are eating the 4billion illegally obtained from the mines natu contractor twenu!!
It is not just a question of holding conventions but to see if such assemblies help in enhancing and fostering the democratic values of any political party.
If any well meaning Zambian looks back at MMD and its convention practices history, there is serious decay and regression in democratic virtues.
Despite its many advantages MMD has lamentably failed to lead the way in intra-party democracy.
This convention is just a facade!
I hope RB will announce the date of the elections soon after this convention. I cant wait to see the political career of that Satanist snake buried once and for all.
RB is an egotistical maniac, narcissist. The man wears clothing imprinted with his own face.
In the above picture he is seen directing police to murder children as they have already done in Mongu, Mazabuka and Lusaka.
How can a Christian nation condone idol worshiping by letting people wear clothing imprinted with the leader’s face.
This year MMD is expiring and will be in worse condition than UNIP is at the moment in a couple of years or three. We are already training 12000 election agents so rigging this year will be a little bit more difficult than previous polls.
MMD always holds p[roper conventions. even if it may not be to your liking the fact is MMD is democratic. not like PF which has never held any convention and no leader has ever been elected. all PF Central Committee members are appointed by sata, is that what you call democracy? be serious man take out the log in your own eye before removing the little speck in others
what 12000 agents and then you will fail to pay them like it has always happened
Actually, tribalism is an extension of corruption. We therefore make a clarion call to all our Bemba -speaking people to fight this emerging dangerous Bemba tribalism being championed by Sata and his minions.End Quote of Mmembe on his demi god Sata.
As for PF-sponsored bloggers, you have no business to shower undignified comments on MMD Convention to be held at Mulungushi. Develop honesty to live by your own conscience. The best you can do is to pray that the dual owners of PF Co. Ltd, Sata and Guy Scott ,can agonisingly and realistically accept to subject their PF Party to a democratic process of electing authentic leaders through a secret ballot box. Meanwhile shelve your insulting language and merely watch events “cost-free” from Freedom Hill in Matero. This will be a painful period for The Post too.
Mr Banda looks too old and weak (in the picture) to rule the country for nxt 5years. Honestry at this age are there any ‘developmental’ ideas left in his head? No wonder that when he talks about agriculture, he only think of supplying fertilisers, no effort is spent in research and development nor innovation. Its a pity my country will forever be backward. U canot seperate development from research. To make matters worse, all the ministers are njst a bunch of cadres, ‘praise singers’ to the president. Its hard to vision a developed zambia with the status quo.
# 19, age is not a crucial factor in political leadership as we have a living legend in Mandela. if so, then we need to scrutinise the validity of research findings that prompted Sata’s wisdom (as another equally old man) of introducing the culture homosexuals from Denmark into Zambia.
#20: Ba Malama,
How about you discussing his ideas or policies instead of comparing him to world distinguished leaders like Mandela? Also I didnt mention Sata in my comment. Thats the problem with cadre mentality, it appears to u life begins and ends with President Rupia Banda. There is more to development than just touring the world (with 10 member delegation at the expense national development), there is more to agricultural development than just subsiding inputs (how about deteriorating soil fertility, crop and animal pest (and diseases) specific to zambian conditions), poor infrastructure etc etc. The western world is developd primarily due to direct link between research in universities and problems affecting their nations. This is still a dream in zambia today.
I remember when Mr Banda and his group came back from Brazil, one thing he mentioned was he and DaSilver had signed alot of ‘developmental’ (who ever taught him this word) agreements, and that he would soon implement them. He made similar empty promises when he and his team came back from Egypt. Cadres were just dancing and singing on hearing that (because thats what they wanted to hear). Ask mr Banda today about his promises, Im sure he has even forgeton that he even said those words.
“FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo in a Statement to ZANIS today asked God to guide the President and the MMD at the convention”.
Is this what we call the opposition in Zambia? Ifisushi fyekafyeka. I think Barrack Obama’s re- election campaign will be more interesting to follow than our clowns.
FPP, useless NGOs, who funds all these tu Ntembas?
RB has no agriculture muscle and can one day starve the nation to death. How can you have a bumper harvest and the maize gets rotten? These are issue MMD hide and they buy maize at a k65,000 and sell it at K35,000 and K40,000. What nonsense
we know the homework has been done to remove the real opposition within the party. Sad that such backwardness is still supported.MMD is not democratic, therefore, I dout we shall have free and fair elections. If the overseer of this years elections are under the guidance of MMD. PF give us your position on eduaction and agriculture. We need to know in case you win
The MMD are holding a Convention to ELECT themselves. How boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘Poor Zed people’, don’t make comments if you have no time to read. Albeit its gaps, the PF manifesto is now in public domain for ppo to critique.
Where do I find that manefesto? give me the website. # 28, I see no reason why you have commented in the way you did. I only asked for the manifesto? that is not crime, is it? Please avoid being emotional.
On surface yes. But in side a lot people are not happy with you old chap. They only fear you because you hold the money and power. Just wait, when signs are there that you are losing, you will how the leeches will disentanle themselves from you. Ask Gaddafi, Mubarak etc. By the way those shirts would look better on a Makishi Dancer
#29 The Manifesto has been out for weeks now.
MAY THE DEMON OF CONFUSION ATTACK YOU, SO THAT WE, THE INCOMING PF GOVT CAN HARVEST FROM THE DEFECTIONS……………SINCERELY YOURS, DONCHI KUBEBA ………