THE MMD has frozen the position of vice-president for the second time, following a similar decision prior to the 2005 party convention during President Mwanawasa’s reign.
In 2005, the MMD froze the position because the leadership feared that the stiff competition which it attracted could compromise party unity.
According to well-placed sources in the MMD, the position of party vice-president is causing a lot of confusion and some people erroneously believe that the victorious candidate would automatically take over from the incumbent republican President.
“Some senior members of the party have said we need to get rid of this position because some people think that when they are elected vice-president, they will automatically take over the presidency. The argument, however, is that this is not automatic because maybe the vice-president could be a wrong person for the position of president,” the source said.
The source said good leaders can emerge from any position in the party hierarchy.
“In 2001, we had Enoch Kavindele as party vice-president but he couldn’t automatically succeed former President Frederick Chiluba. Instead, President Mwanawasa was picked. This position has been misunderstood in the past, and that’s why we have so many people fighting for it. We feel there should be a level playing field so that members choose the right person,” the source said.
Another source in the MMD said some members have suggested that the vice-president should be nominated by the party president.
Republican Vice-President George Kunda and former Minister of Works and Supply and chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti declared interest in contesting the position.
And according to a document on proposed amendments to the MMD constitution to be tabled at the extra-ordinary convention in Kabwe, one of the proposals is that article 44 relating to the functions and duties of the vice-president be deleted.
It has also been proposed that article 45 (1) and (2) be amended by the deletion of the words “vice-president”.
There is another proposal that article six be amended to read that a person who resigns from the party but wishes to rejoin it may be considered for readmission upon re-application in the same way that new members are admitted.
Members have also proposed that a member who is expelled from the party may be considered for re-admission upon re-application to the national executive committee (NEC).
It has also been proposed that casual vacancies other than that of president in between conventions will be filled by the NEC through a secret ballot until the following election.
Members have proposed that article 19 be amended to deal with disciplinary matters of all members for serious misconduct or violation of the constitution and where necessary, expel any member from the party.
And MARTIN NKOLOMBA reports that Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Felix Mutati has declared that he will contest the position of MMD chairperson for Commerce, Trade and Industry at the party’s national convention.
Family spokesperson Emmanuel Mutati said in a statement released on March 24 that Mr Mutati has declared his intention to contest the position following extensive consultations with his family, friends and associates.
Mr Mutati said the Mutati family has endorsed the minister’s declaration to contest the position of chairperson for Commerce, Trade and Industry.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Ati Democracy ! This RB chap is UNIP minded. Why even hold a convention when positions are predetermined. God what have we done to deserve such leaders kanshi. ! Pa Zed it is joke !
reinstate Mike Mulongoti if you are really democratic
Instititutional decisions are made out of convenience and best interest. The Party has functioned well since 2005 without party VP. IF President, NS, Chairman, Provincial heads and other auxillary wings exist, the symbolic post could as well remain irrelevant.
I also sympathize with Derick Chitala getting more disoriented after betraying late Dean Namulya Mung’omba on trumped up charges for crams. To make matters worse, the turmoil in Tripoli has left him more disoriented with his goldfather of United Africa Now not sending more tipends to survive.
Nationally established and galvanized people’s ruling MMD is the only party that is entrenched in systemic democracy while no model party exists to parallel the progressive approach, the rest are regional cell groups headed by tribal warlords not and incapable of gaining a national posture.
SHOW ME A COUNTRY WHERE THE POSITION HAS BEEN FROZEN?
Remember how Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak scrambled to unfreeze (after 30 years!) the republican position of Vice President after the cumulative pressure that came to bear down on him. Now, lest you say I am comparing republican to party matters, it is basically the same thing. Democracy should start from party structures and then influence government. If the party cadres (bless the few who actually throw intellectual stones, and not physical ones) suddenly decide enough is enough it may be too late to even put concession. I keep saying let’s move with the times – we are no longer the preserve of information, progress and authority. The people now truly are!
UNIP mulilo… Waikatako wapya. Kwena the dogs havwe really come to mmd (feel even embarassed to write in captal letters)
Thanks to MMD for the good governance!
what a party. first the president himself is not party elected, now the vice should also hand picked.this is UNIP shortened to MMD
Senior Citizen, Ulinshimbi, i loveyour comments. If u have daughters, i would love to have such in-laws with massive wisdom.
Now that the Positions are pre determined,just call off the convention and save money for your campaigns!
And just to go a step further,re instated Mulongoti for arguments sake!
There is just too much freezing around. Libyan assets have been frozen, I also have a lot of frozen ice cubes in my fridge, and now the position of Vice President for MMD is frozen. Its like everything is moving to freezing point.
There is too much competition also for the position of the presidence for MMD; they shpuld freeze it too.
What a country…!
#13 better frozen ice bags as an Tsunami, flash back check which candidates were vieying for VP position in 2005. crap most corrupt people
Ba MMD sure why have you allowed UNIP to bounce back like this? So its true UNIP is really back? too bad no democracy in Zambia for sure.
I wonder where this country is heading to ? what a shame
@13 and 14….lol you have made me laugh, yes we are in the Ice age for sure.
Mulongoti is, no doubt, better than Kunda. However, he was careless in his statements. At times you don’t have to tell people how good you are. Humble yourself and offer your services in a dignified manner.
On second thought, perhaps RB should have just rebuked Mulongoti but allowed him to challenge Kunda…
we need to mature as a democracy and we are taking too long(20years). may be we need this bunch of old and selfich politicians to leave the platform for real reform to come. and i do not mean HH and upnd coz they are equally undemocratic and intolerant as the mmd bunch.
This is good news, MMD needs all the confusion they can get in their camp. Mutati is among the best brains this party has. Because of they have no vision, if they have it is one towards failure. they are blocking people who can win the elections with no much trouble. Viva confusion in the MMD camp
All the individuals that have shown interest in the position of MMD vice presidency have proven and clear understanding of the functions and the difference between Party and republican vice presidency.
Typical political expedience by rupiah to deliberately stifle intra party democracy embellished and galvanised with catatonic thoughts
Stop this garbage iwe kabalwe rupiah twapapata
THAT IS INCREASING RUPIAH’S POWERS OF APPOINTING.RUPIAH THE ABSOLUTE RULER OF UNIP HAS TAKEN OVER THE SLEEPY TRUE BLUES.CHITALA,MULONGOTI, SHAKAS,MPOMBO AND MANY OTHER TRUE BLUES HAVE BEEN CHASED AWAY.
IFWE NI PABWATO AND SATA COME RAIN COME WHAT WEATHER.
VIVA SATA AND WIND OF CHANGE 2011.
BE PART OF THE BALLOT REVOLUTION.
PABWATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
MMD you are a shame to our country.Dola and the big Sakapwasha you thougth by throwing Mulongoti away from the party was the better way to see the shameless Kunda become the party VP.No one with a good sense of human could vote for Kunda to be the Party VP.If Kunda was a good man like Kavindele I don’t think people in MMD could have said that may be the VP will be the wrong person to be come the President.Kunda you thought onlt people outside MMD are the one say you don’t deserve to be a VP but now its clear to the Nation that indeed you are not a right person to hold the second highest position in the country.It has been confirmed by your own party members.
The top brass in MMD cannot deal with competition.
Chilubas tactics are working now. Very soon VJ will swing into action
Someone please tell us who was elected or re-elected to what position in the recent PF provincial elections. And the dates of the PF national convention and who will challenge Mr Sata. We need to know that before we open our big PF mouths on democracy in other parties. Hahahaha hehehehe hihihihi kikikiki.
Why can’t we make RB (KK2) President for life? The following benefits will accrue:
1. That way we shall save on elections
2. No retirement package will be paid
3. No one will challenge RB for any position
4. We shall all be praising MMD (UNIP2) and its PIG
5. Senior Citizen and MMD (UNIP2) Chief Bootlicker will be given the difficult task of re-educating us (in the PF)
6. MMD (UNIP2) shall be raising money for party membership as 12m Zambians will be buying party cards for themselves, spouse and children) an K10,000 each- a cool K120 B
7. We shall move to Animal Farm where we will all work harder.
Felix Mutati, what is your comment on MOPANI tax evasion? You seem to have Zambia at heart but not your brother who is at the head of a company evading tax
# 28 PF has not banned anyone who wants to challenge any one. neither has it froze any position. It is unfortunate that while provincial elections were taking place your state media could not cover that so the masses have been left in the dark.
Mulongoti’s injunction has caused a freeze on the VP position. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that MMD is undemocratic and full of thieves and dull kaponyas. RB might be popular but beside him who seriously can sell for a parliamentary seat, just a hand full thats what happens when everyone hides behind a three letter MMD on the other hand PF can win anyhow coz pipo want change even a fool can win on PF ticket so its MMD to cry this year mark my words.
well done mmd, mwikala pa talala mwine apatalalika but sad that you ve lost alot of valuable members. please know that conventions are not meant to destroy parties or bring confusion in parties they are there to democratise the party. mmd be democratic.
Who cares, they are all the same be it MMD, PF or UPND.
#3 Senior Citizen – Iwe Kolwe we know if RB told to drink water in which he had just had bath you would do so without flinching.
RB knows that GK can not win as VP for MMD there are big brains like Bwalya Chiti who can go through.
Abena Senior fimo fimo, you make me laugh. If only that brain was used positively, we could improve on our literacy rating. Alas! the stomach rules SC.
You might as well freeze the whole party
I am glad that I am not a member of any political party. This keeps my BP normal.
Oh, I remember that once upon a time, someone did away with Presidential elections all together so that the country is not divided! Who was it? Oh, yes, KK. He became the ‘sole candidate’ at every election whether within the ‘sole party’ or ‘the one nation.’ That experiment ended in 1991, but it looks like someone may have a learning disability.
They are worried someone more credible than redlip scorpion mighty pull a fast one at eleventh hr and cause all sort of complications for our ‘beloved’ fragile skiny Veep
As anyone heard anything from little girls’ party – UPND-lately?
Freedom and democracy and competition NEVER bring disunity. These are the ingredients that have kept 51 countries in the strongest union on earth for over 400 years! Once you begin to suppress and oppress, you are going to break away. The MMD would have been the strongest and best political party in Africa, if it had allowed opposing views and free debate. But Michael Sata sowed a bad seed, now we can see the offshoots of his venom
democracy in MMD. this for sure is spelling doom for MMD cause 95% of the provincial conference had elections with predetermined results
mulongoti made a monster out of a docile veep..hahahaha
I seriously suspect some foul play on GK’s brain because he used to be one the most intelligent layers in zambia. But its sad to say that the same can not be said of him anymore…SHAME..
SATA this your chance if you will not win this year my vote is on you you will never be president PF forming government better then this foolish MMD thieves!!!!!
With the way things are going in our country,l see unip 2 in power and what will remove these evil is wha t’s happening in the Arab countries.The ones in power know not any democractic principles.lt is either a coup or riots that will remove them .Believe me! This will happen.You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see in these mmd -unip 2 ,all that is found in the dictators. OH! My country has gone to the dogs.