The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has began its retreat, with party President Nevers Mumba imploring the party membership to strive to defeat the corruption perception, which he said has now turned into a popular song in Zambia. And Dr Mumba has said he enjoys a wonderful relationship with former Republican President Rupiah Banda.
Speaking when he officially opened the party’s retreat in Lusaka’s Chilanga area yesterday, Dr Mumba said politics was more about perception than reality.
“It is how we are perceived by most Zambians that must be addressed,” he said. [pullquote]He said President Michael Sata had a lot to do with “painting the MMD black” yet he served as its National Secretary.[/pullquote]
Dr Mumba said it was the way one felt about or viewed themselves when they looked at the mirror, saying in politics it was all about perception and that voters elected leaders on that basis.
“It is true that some of the key players, if not most, who could have painted this image are no longer in the party, but the song continues to be sung that MMD is a corrupt party and we seem to have somebody who has composed that song and has sung it long enough and it has become a popular chorus in the country.
“So any politician who wants to attack MMD, they only have to play the record: MMD is corrupt, the song that’s been coined. It is being sung everywhere. It remains our responsibility to deal with this song,” he said.
He charged that most baseless accusations against some of the MMD leaders by the Patriotic Front (PF) were allegedly politically motivated and that such assertions would continue “adding verses to the corruption perception song. We must deal with this and take the ball in the right court.”
He said President Michael Sata had a lot to do with “painting the MMD black” yet he served as its National Secretary.
He said the former ruling party had gone for the retreat to, among others, disown the corruption tag and instead mount a spirited fight against any acts of corruption both in MMD and Government.
“I have confidence that the issue of perception is going to be defeated. It may take a little bit of time, but it shall be defeated. History is on my side in this regard in dealing with perception,” he said.[pullquote]“I have confidence that the issue of perception is going to be defeated. It may take a little bit of time, but it shall be defeated. History is on my side in this regard in dealing with perception,” he said.[/pullquote]
He recounted that before he joined politics, there was a strong perception that he could not be a politician as a clergyman, but that he defied the odds by proving that as long as one had a vision for the country and acceptable values to present to the greater group of the determined people of all walks of life, one could become a politician.
Dr Mumba said the reformation that was going to happen in MMD would be a great intrigue that would propel the former ruling party into the next election and give the party confidence that it was possible to bounce back into power once it was ready to face its challenges.
He said reform was necessary as without that, MMD would not survive in the current political scenario.
Dr Mumba added also that the survival of the party would be dependent on effectively changing the inherent challenge of “tokenism and nchekelako” (handouts), saying the unwillingness of some the party membership to volunteer in preference for money would be costly to the MMD. [pullquote]“MMD cannot behave and act as though we are still in Government. We must now embrace a spirit of sacrifice. We must be willing to give to the party instead of receiving from the party. If we don’t recapture the 1990, 1991 spirit of volunteering for our party, we are bound to fail by the way side,” he said.[/pullquote]
He said there was need for the Retreat to come up with a programme to help the general party membership recover from the “cultural shock” to enable them accept and understand that they were now in the opposition, warning that failure to change the mindset would result in the party not operate effectively.
“MMD cannot behave and act as though we are still in Government. We must now embrace a spirit of sacrifice. We must be willing to give to the party instead of receiving from the party. If we don’t recapture the 1990, 1991 spirit of volunteering for our party, we are bound to fail by the way side,” he said.
And Dr Mumba said enemies of the party had been using the media through “reliable sources” were trying to create divisions in the party by creating an impression that he was not getting along with former president Rupiah Banda.
“I want to clear the air that President Banda and I are enjoying a wonderful relationship. There’s no reason for me to ever doubt his commitment to this party and his commitment to the support that he has continued to give me as the new president.
“He calls me, I call him. Whenever I have a challenge, I talk to him. And the issue of saying that President Banda has stopped funding the party, I have no clue (of) what they are talking about. Like I said in that newspaper, President Banda continues to stand with us in any way and if he has any resources he will give to the party,” he said.[pullquote]“I want to clear the air that President Banda and I are enjoying a wonderful relationship. There’s no reason for me to ever doubt his commitment to this party and his commitment to the support that he has continued to give me as the new president[/pullquote]
In the retreat, he said he expected to receive views on how to reorganise the party’s leadership as it sought to reconstruct the National Executive Committee (NEC), formation of a shadow cabinet, insist on a culture of intra-party democracy, and insist on being an open door party, among others.
In another development, Dr Mumba said it was regrettable and unfair that Government decided to send PF secretary general, Wynter Kabimba to attend the burial of Ghanian President John Atta Mills instead of the Vice-President or Minister of Foreign Affairs or Home Affairs Minister, Edgar Lungu who also attended the procession together with Gender and Development Minister Inonge Wina.
He also asked Government to explain who funded Mr Kabimba’s trip, whether it was the State or the party.
MMD ordained corruption, so what is this wannabe loser talking about?
The MMD want to cleanse itself. This is Good for the MMD. A party that does self critic itself is On the right track.
Sata must be stopped.
Did you read? MMD is saying others are saying they are corrupt. Others see MMD as corrupt and they want to change that perception and not the reality. To MMD they do not agree that they are corrupt and thus the whole purpose is defeated. It is only when they face their reality that the perception will change. They should admit that they did wrong and maybe the people of Zambia will forgive them. Otherwise this retreat was a sham it the MMD president thinks perception is better than reality. In short he is saying MMD can be a wolf but present itself as a sheep. Perception to him is better than reality.
GOOD OBSERVATION NEVERS. WE LIKE OPEN MINDED LEADERS LIKE YOU. NOT THIS UKWA WHO ONLY CHEATS US FROM 6 TO 6…intimidating/arresting opposition. Mugabe and albashier styles..
its a well thoughtful decision but wheather the perception by the public of mmd being corrupt that will not go out of the minds of the masses in zambian history.first the mmd has to change its criticism towards the pf govt.give credit were it is due and criticise if they go wrong.most of ur nec members should step down and only leave committed members who are willing to sacrifice to the party and who are clean of the corruption tag.the greatest challenge is to put into reality a new mind set of thinking positively.true to ur words many mmd die hards are finding it very difficult to accept the reality that they are no longer in power .
Power bane is sweet,and PF has just started enjoying it for the next couple of years for now I personally do not see any serious party to match the undisputable strength of PF whether you agree or otherwise this is a plain fact.
Ba Nevers naimwe, Sata has been out of this corrupt MMD party for more than 10 years, So what is the connection between MMD and the current republican president. Ba pastor just concentrate on cleansing your corrupt party than putting mad on other people who are not within MMD. If you thought being in opposition is all about openning your mouth any how – ask HH. Napwisha mukwai!
You would be insane to dislike this man
He talks sense for a change, I am starting to warm to his ideologies
Thank you Mr Mumba
Thanks
You have for once said something decent…
you are dull
You have a beautiful mind Miss…
Not until you lock up Dora Siliya and throw away the keys will we cross the road and listen to you
Mr mumba go for it you are in the right direction,just ignore your critics.
Yes listen to peter here. Ignore your critics i.e. 80% of Zambians and let us see what that will do for the party.
I do not think PF can ever go on a self critic retreat program! If there’s anything PF hates is to be criticized.
Dr. Mumba is beginning to impress me. I used to be a critic of his, but he seems to be a smart guy after all. I think the MMD should go a bit further and disown Kafupi and everybody who was implicated in serious cases of corruption. A cleansing of the party is needed. Start with folk like Katele Kalumba and Liato, these thugs should go. Xavier Chungu should be disowned. You will lose a a few votes in Luapula and Norhern, “the thief factory” but you will gain more in the future. I have never supported MMD, not even in 91, but any enemy of my enemy is my friend. Right now Sata is my enemy.
Well said Dr Mumba, party members must changeand sjow commitment and passion for the principles and ideals of the party. All political parties must have members that must sacrifice and contribute for its well being. Parties are like clubs or churches and cannot survive without members support and sacrifice to the parties. However, in Zambia its different members want handouts from parties as if resources drop from heaven. Zambians are so lazy to sacrifice and fight for causes and want to jump on the bandwagon when things are good not bad. This is what happened in last elections!. We need to strengthen democracy in our country going forward otherwise we are doomed. Zambians support your parties if you believe in their ideals and visions. Don’t just watch from the sidelines and condemn!
I think mr sata has lost direction and if he is not carefully and properly checked he may put our beloved country in problems.This country Zambia is not for a few politician who portray to love our country and yet there have very evil agendas.I urge my fellow country men and women to rise up and defend the democracy of our country because if this is ignored I foresee people regretting having voted for PF.Zambian we have time to identify a leader who is interested not only in his relatives but the Zambia our forefathers fought and died for.Stay well.
We are in interesting times indeed.
Mumba you are missing the point, corruption by and in MMD is not a perception it’s a reality, so please be sober and tell you members to stop being corrupt and to stop being corrupted, simple. We Zambians know that MMD is corrupt in and out it’s not just a perception no.
Way to go Nevers. Corruption it killing our country.
perception ? LOL
they are rotten to the core!!
just a comparison…
do you believe a vampire who says he dislikes blood ?
Empty rethoric from mumba. Give urself another to witness disintergration of your corrupt party. Those members dont miss serving the people but the money they used to still from the coe treasury
Babies born today who will not know your deeds will come and vote you back in office in 2061. Just keep going and don’t grow old Mumba. Man, just those three letters arranged in that order, M. M. D, can make you puke. These people killed industries and they are cause of the current unemployment. They sold companies and shared all the money. They destroyed the councils and town planning. Land allocation is bad. THEY ARE CORRUPT!
Look at this chap, look at this sanctimonious failed pastor cracking self depreciating jokes. Please carry on Nevers, where is my pint of lager and pricey cashew nuts so i can watch these vile chaps continue to wallow in self denial!
Remember you even removed the abuse of office clause!!! Has PF re-introduced it by the way?? Problem was RB and Dora became untouchables.
Babies born today who will not know your deeds will come and vote you back in office in 2051. Just keep going and don’t grow old. Man, just those three letters arranged in that order, M. M. D, can make you puke. These people killed industries and they are the cause of the current unemployment. They sold companies and shared all the money. They destroyed the councils and town planning. Land allocation is bad. THEY ARE CORRUPT!
Testing the null hypothesis for your party
2001 2005 2008 2011
UPND: 26.76% 25.32% 19.70% 18.17%
MMD: 28.69% 42.98% 40.09% 35.42%
PF: 3.35% 29.37% 38.13% 41.98%
Developmental Strategies and Tactics and targeting the winning of the hearts and minds of the electorates. The one only winner party will carry the day and take it all. Losers will go with nothing. Wina azalila! Stop sprinting now, its marathon run to 2014.
@ Floyd what’s happening in 2014?
CHECK THE PROFILE FOR HH ON FB !
IS HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA?
ICO BAKULILA UMUTWE…….
Mr President, when you say there is perception that your party is corrupt, its like you have denied that your party was corrupt. Here is the advice; Accept your party was corrupt and you have come to cleanse it. Tell all that have been accused of been corrupt to resign, if they fail, expel them from the party. You may lose one two members but you will gain a hundred voters. Your continuous alignment of your party with those corrupt members, some who even want to be your vice will cost you dearly come 2016 and you will remember my blog.
Integrity, honesty, incorruptible and righteousness does not come easily. Expel those corrupt members today, e.g Dora Siliya, Liato and Mwale e.t.c. As long as their name is tainted expel.
Change the name of the party to French equivalent or name it D.M.M. May be then we shall forget about your corruption.
So just how are they going to wash away the corrupt tag at the ‘retreat’? Are they going for prayer and fasting? This guy is a joke, he confuses party politics and church politics. At church you can brainwash small minds by talking stnpid tongues and convince them their sins are gone, in the real world people wiil forever look at his spokesperson Siliya, his Chairman Mabanga, his advisor RB and his vice President Liato as corrupt people no matter how many retreats they may attend. MMD IS CORRUPT AND WILL FOREVER BE.
First & foremost, YOU NEED TO SHOP ALL THE CROOKS IN MMD, i.e. GIVE US THE THIEVES, WE WANT TO LOCK THEM UP AS AN EXAMPLE TO ALL!!! Just denying that you stole with impunity, IS SIMPLY BURYING YOU HEADS IN THE SAND!!!! NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU!!! Your retreat is a wasted effort if the above is not done, & just hoping that the people will forget!!! You see, Sata is clever, he may have been part of MMD, but when he left, no one produced any evidence or accused him of stealing, if anything, he was taken to court by yourselves & FAILED TO PROVE HE WAS A THIEF!!! He stood up against your might & came through & so his sins were absolved by yourselves, THUS PEOPLE NOW LOOKED UP TO HIM to DEFEAT YOU!!!!!
First and foremost, you have to be clear minded to think properly. Step 1. What is the meaning of the word perception??? Please some blogger out there answer me!!!
It is a shame that reality has been cast aside and white-washing is encouraged by the MMD president. Mumba is not owning up to the reality that MMD was corrupt while ruling. MMD is saying others are saying they are corrupt. Others see MMD as corrupt and they want to change that perception and not the reality. To MMD they do not agree that they are corrupt and thus the whole purpose is defeated. It is only when they face their reality that the perception will change. They should admit that they did wrong and maybe the people of Zambia will forgive them. Otherwise this retreat was a sham it the MMD president thinks perception is better than reality. In short he is saying MMD can be a wolf but present itself as a sheep. Perception to him is better than reality.
Is Dr. Mumba serious about cleasing MMD from corruption? If Dr. Mumba is ready to stop the Government and MP from removing the immunity from the former president R. Banda, then Dr. Mumba is not serious what is talking about. MMD Government deliberately removed the special cause” from the Act so that they could enjoy corruption, What would stop MMD, if it came to power, from removing this special cause again.? MMD can not be trusted.
If Dr. Mumba’s mentor is corrupt Rupiah Banda, his vice president is K2bn cash farmer Liato, his spokesperson is soft bum “smart” Dora Siliya, his chairman is “convict” Michael Mabenga, Katele’s “John Cena-you can’t see me laptop” and team… his many NEC members who stole “tour de france” number of bicycles ….and his party shamelessly removed the abuse of office clause from the anti corruption act, IS THAT PERCEPTION OR REALITY?
Dr. Mumba this is right move.Secondly can you have a retreat with the general membership from all walks of life and hear there views,it may be difficult but remember that they are the ones who have the power and authority to bring the party back in power.
What about Chiluba and his trunks of suits and shoes, specially made for him and facilitated in a matrix of plunder in the ZAMTROP account by a chief of intelligence, Xavier Chungu, and one “flip flopper” lawyer George secured the LONDON JUDGEMENT? Is that PERCEPTION OR REALITY?
As a Clergyman, Dr Mumba has not admitted “the sins” of his party, he has not confessed that his party has been corrupt. He needs to do this and then tell the nation that MMD has repented and is a new party creation. And it has changed its name to MDM.
First, let the good Dr. Mumba return the property donated to Victory Ministries that he and his wife personalised. The Riverside House that you sold to buy a house in USA; the Church School in Nkana East whose proceeds became Mrs. Mumba’s and not for the church. If Nevers can steal from his church, what will stop him from stealing from the nation. Remember the brown envelops and ‘ako kanono Ba, Mumba’.
Look at him now, he is talking of MMD’s corruption as a perception yet we know it is the reality of the entire MMD’s rule. Nevers and MMD, you can change your appearnce but we know your true character – CORRUPTION IS WRTTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACES.
Nevers is a clegy man who should know that a sinner who does not repent will never inherit the kingdom of God. MMD must Repent and Denounce Corruption that it institutionalised both in the party and government. Perhaps this is why Nevers only sees Corruption in MMD as a Perception and not a Reality as it had been accepted as a norm. We were watching and even here at the district level, we saw a hardcore criminal assending to the highest office. This was not a problem with MMD as long as this criminal was able to corrupt people with few coins, chitenges and sugars in return for votes. MY ADVICE IS THAT NEVERS SHOULD ACCEPT THAT MMD IS CORRUPT AND DEAL WITH THE COSTS THAT COME WITH IT HEAD ON, OTHERWISE WE WILL ADD HIM TO THE LIST. HE SHOULD NOT BE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CORRUPT
It’s perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!
2016 MMD will suffer its heaviest defeat and join UNIP,,,,,NAREP will form the next government we are the government in waiting….
POLITICS ARE MORE ABOUT PERCEPTION THAN REALITY? SHUWA MUDALA? SO YOUR POLITICS HAVE NO REALITY, BY IMPLICATION? MUDALA ZO-ONA. dON’T DO THIS TO ME.
Black people are generally perceived to be lazy, untrustworthy and dull.Many black people have done much to change this perception. Our very own Dambisa Moyo and the Prudential CEO are a case in point. They did not need to change their skin colour to change the perception, they just acted differently and paved the way for others. My point is MMD can change the perception if they so wish and pave the way for others. Ofcourse there are die hard red necks who will never think any differently about black people just as I expect there are many die hard “injured zambians” who will never be convinced that MMD can change their perception. Mr Mumba needs to remain focused and resolute as we all wait to see whether his actions and those of the party he leads will match their words.
@Najuda, the best time to judge a party is when they are ruling, when they have the instruments of power. This time the MMD can appear OK, but they are perceived by what they did whilst in power. Try to launder them and see how much you shall achieve.
ANYWAY, THAT’S THE REASON THE DE-REGISTERING CASE HAS STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN.
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