THE opposition MMD has announced that Lusaka Province chairperson, William Banda has left the party and has been replaced with his deputy Charles Mumena in an acting capacity.
Mr Banda is said to have met with the party provincial executive committee earlier in the day where he announced that he was no longer interested to be at the helm of the party in the province.
“I want to inform the nation that I have received a report from the Lusaka executive that William Banda has stepped down and I want to accept his decision on behalf of the party,” MMD national secretary Major RichardKachingwe said
The general secretary said now that Mr Banda had left, the party in Lusaka would now rebrand by exercising civility and stop harassing people in the name of politics.
Mr Banda, a close ally of former president Rupiah Banda, has been a controversial figure in MMD, especially in the run-up-to the 2011 presidential elections with many people accusing him of perpetrating violence.
Meanwhile, MMD has said that it has no intention of introducing the position of the vice-president at the forthcoming convention despite calls by some members to re-create the second highest party office.
And former Works and Supply minister, Mike Mulongoti has charged that it is foolish for the former ruling party to scrap the vice-presidency position in an effort to please some individuals.
Party chairperson, Michael Mabenga, who is acting president, said in an interview during the week that the extraordinary convention set for May 25 would not look at introducing the position of vice-president.
The MMD froze the position ahead of the 2011 presidential elections when it became apparent that late former vice-president George Kunda was set for defeat by Mr Mulongoti, who was not favoured by the national executive committee.
Mr Mulongoti was subsequently expelled from the MMD although many analysts believe that lack of vice-president has thrown the party into a leadership crisis following the retirement of its leader Rupiah Banda.
Former national vice-president Enoch Kavindele, who is aspiring for the party presidency, said lack of second-in-command had worked to the disadvantage of the MMD, adding that time had come to re-introduce the position.
However, Mr Mabenga was adamant that the former ruling party was in a crisis and vowed not to re-introduce a vice-president during the convention, that will simultaneously be held in the country’s 10 provinces.
“The position of vice-president is not there. It will not be done during the convention. We don’t need it now because we have the party chairperson,” Mr Mabenga said.
“I am surprised that some people are saying that we are in a crisis, what crisis? There is no crisis whatsoever and we are geared for the convention where we will be electing the new president.”
Mr Mabenga, who defended the use of the provincial conventions to elect the president, also announced that the new leader would be required to amass 50 per cent plus one vote in line with the party constitution, failure to which there would be a run-off.
Meanwhile, Mr Mulongoti said the method the MMD would be using to elect the leader of the party would be illegal because it did not conform with the party constitution.
He said in a separate interview during the week that the party constitution stipulated that the president of the party could only be elected at a national convention and wondered how credible the new leader would be.
“Speaking as a legal mind I think the MMD has a constitution which should deal with the issue of an extraordinary convention, which also gives power to elect the president. So the convention may be right but it’s illegal according to the constitution,” he said.
Political analyst, Alex Ng’oma said the decision by the opposition MMD to use provincial conventions to elect its next leader was a clear indication of a lack of democracy in the former ruling party.
Dr Ng’oma charged that the excuse of lack of money as the reason for failing to hold an extraordinary convention to elect a new leader did not stand because the MMD had demonstrated its wealth prior to the 2011 elections.
“The provincial conferences process is less credible than the main convention. This is like divide-and-rule tactic by the MMD and they are showing that there is no democracy in the party.
“If they (MMD members) claim that there is no money, then this is very strange because they showed the whole world that they were a wealth party in the run-up to the elections last year,” he said.
The former ruling party, which is fighting to clear its name after being labeled a corrupt institution, is set to elect a new leader following the retirement from active politics by Mr Banda.
Apart from Mr Kavindele, six other members who include Nevers Mumba, Felix Mutati, Kabinga Pande, Kapembwa Simbao, Moses Muteteka and Situmbeko Musokotwane are interested to lead the MMD.
[Times of Zambia]
Chaanged. My mind Nevers Mumbe ,PF bye bye ,I waastd my vote
Too late! The vigamba are too much to mend – just throw away the kabudula and buy another one! Crisis! What crisis!? Thus sayeth Mabenga…
Who Cares…
You expel each other for all we care!
No Power = Irrelevant
LT your heading is misleadn as far the story is concerned ths chap jst resigned!
Misleading headline even in a named tabloid but What is Mabenga scared introduce running mate as VP
wonder which political party will receive william banda.this is a step ahead for mmd.
William banda shud be deported to malawi.situmbeko shud stand in barotse coz no sane zambian can giv him a vote coz he may come and partition zambia
You tribalist! You are blogging somewhere against Barotseland and here you advocate for non-Lozi participation in Zambian politics. Which way do you want to go? Just admit that you are a failure, a bitter hater.
These chaps at LT don’t even read the articles before the submit, lazy chaps!!
PF should take a leaf from this and expel Kambwili and Kabimba!
The guy has resigned. 50 plus 1 in line with the party constitution. My foot the fifty plus one they failed to put in the national constitutio..
William aren’t you just joining your friend ukwa? We know how you two guys were the ying and yang of unip vigilantism. Your type are on the verge of extinction. We eagerly await the day when we shall start rebuilding the country by getting rid of kaponyalism, nepotism, tribalism and plunder.
PF should take a leaf from this and expel Kambwili and Kabimba! The era of every party having a Kamalondo goon is over. Actually is is Sata himself the PF should expel for unforgivable lumpeneering thuggery.
EXPULSION AND RESIGNATION ARE TWO DIFFERENT WORDS WITH DIFFERENT MEANING. PLEASE LT BE SERIOU WHEN POSTING ARTICLES.
AND FOR THE SECOND HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN MMD, I THINK ITS TIME THEY STARTED ELECTING THAN WAITING FOR THE PRESIDENT TO COME AND CHOOSE A MAN OR WOMAN OF HIS CHOICE. SO PF HAS ALWAYS BEEN AHEAD OF YOU MMD MEMBERS.
ANYWAY, WHATEVER, YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOURSELVES IN POWER. A PARTY THAT IS FAILING TO RAISE MONEY FOR CONVERSION CAN NEVER MANAGE TO RAISE MONEY FOR CAMPAIGNING!
Next we shall hear that William Banda has joined PF! What a circus! Such thugs ought to be in prison not jumping from one party to another.
Go and join ur friends in pf thats where original villagintees have shifted camp .
Good riddance. MMD is undergoing a self cleansing exercise, i can see it giving PF real checks and balance. Not the UP and DOWN which only knows to critise. MYSRIP william
Viva hh!
Expelled or has stepped down? What do u want to tell us? If the reporter and his editor don’t know what has happened they should not assume the responsiblity Of informing the public
the bastard resigned en this heading says “expels”, isn’t the editors job to first read through the report before publishin?? umwina afrika fye!
This is a case of too little, too late. The man is a thug, who has caused so much damage. I doubt the party will recover the electorate’s confidence.
Just wait William Banda is headed to PF – that is where his long time friend is.
willi is thinking about joining PF
In Zambian politics William Banda & Father Bwalya are the closest thing to Zambian carbon copies of South Africa’s firebrand ANC youth leader who was expelled.All three are radical elements of their parties with Julius Malema being the most radical of the trio followed by chicken man Bwalya.Expel them and let em know that once the missile leaves its silo there’s no recall button.
Musokotwane is the least desirable of the lot in the race for MMD president. The schedule could be: Pande, Kavindele, Mutati, Simbao, Muteteka, Mumba, Musokotwane. In that order.
Lol! Desirable and least desirable! You want to bed these guys in the order you’ve listed them! And you find northwestern men to be more desirable! Desirable and electoral choice don’t go together mate . They are no ying and yang. It is like saying this salt is sweet!
I don’t agree with listing. Go on the ground and learn at what is happening. Don’t just be online, you will not know the truth. Nevers is a much talked about person
Thank goodness he has finally resigned finally after so many MMD members wanted to boot him out but couldn’t because of RB’s support. He will not be missed at all. However, the flip flopping of statements in MMD is so confusing! Kachingwe said there would be two VPs introduced. Now Mabenga says no way. Kachingwe said mini convention. Dora said no way because the team to raise funds led by Mutati had failed. Then Kachingwe said they would have Provincial Conferences instead. Now Dora says there will be an extra ordinary convention! WHO IN MMD IS REALLY IN CHARGE?
President Sata is challenged by an exceedingly acute identity crisis which’s crowding his sense of judgement. Mr Sata is torn between two personalities that has shaped his political career. Late Dr Chiluba and Dr Kaunda. In my humble view, notwithstanding this being a manifestation of an inferiority complex, the remedy would be for the President to remain true to himself and knowledge manage these two unique personalities with obviously relevant people around him as a support structure.
LT, stop misleading us with your FLASHY headlines atase. But as far as William Banda and MMD goes, they can resign all the members, disband, rebrand or whatever the hell they choose to do. The fact still remains…the hour came and gone. It’s over bane!
So they FINALLY ACCEPT THEY HAVE BEEN A VIOLENT PARTY, going by:
“The general secretary said now that Mr Banda had left, the party in Lusaka would now rebrand by exercising civility and stop harassing people in the name of politics.”
Misleading story. In ZWD william is just on leave and supports the Barotse man for MMD presidency, also he vows to take on Major Richard Kachingwe for misinforming the nation that he has steeped down, so who do we believe. ma rubbish bush journalism for zambia
ka willi,no one will like you ever in zambia worse in malawi now,dont even try to there
LT what are you talking about Ah……! you guys need an editor
reintroduce the veep position .whats your problem..!Mulongoti shud get back if he wants to..
By tomorrow we will be reading that willie is in PF, comedy!
@ Narrant, the order should be Nevers, Felix, Kapembwa, Muteketa, Enock, Kabinga and the last one Situmbeko. Kabinga is not presidential material. Politics my friend, you should have a ‘razor sharp’ tongue and not talking like you are learning how to speak or like you were born with a “tongue tie.” To tell you the truth, NONE of them of presidential material to take on BIG MCS in the ring. Please look elsewhere. Of course not the likes of Dora Chisusu. They shoul try William Banda, oh, sorry he has resigned/stepped down!!
William Banda always wants to be associated with ruling parties. Do not be surprised if you hear that he has joined PF. After all the head of PF is his mbuya so he will work very well with him.
What is the problem with the position of “vice presidency” in Zambia? The ruling PF has a serious problem which they cannot explain to the Zambian people ” The guy Scott Saga” The “vice president” of Zambia. Mistery has arisen about the current ruling PF party and the current vice Republican president.He is never acting president in the absence of the Republican president despite his position of being the second in command. The former ruling party MMD has problems with the position of the vice presidency. There must be something about this position. But what does the republican constitution of Zambia say anbout it?
As for William Banda, surely the political landscape of Zambia would be much better without some of these guys . But politics being what they are, these guys are all opportunists. Sata will be very happy to have this (W Banda) in his camp, because one of SATA’s missions while in State house is to destroy the rival party MMD.( This will effectively plunge the currently into the late 1960’s politics. While there has been theft in MMD it remains to be seen when PF goes out of state house, how many of those cases will yield the desired results. These politicians are the same people just recycled into a diferent packaging but the same material inside. These guys dine together at night and tear each other apart during the day just to confuse the electorate.