Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) members who want Lunte member of Parliament (MP) Felix Mutati to take over as party president have vowed to continue putting pressure on the current party leadership led by Dr Nevers Mumba until a national convention is held before April 2016 ostensibly in line with the party constitution.
Some of the party members calling for a convention said yesterday that they want Mr Mutati to head the party and get into an alliance with the United Party for National Development (UPND) ahead of the August 11 general elections.
But Mr Mutati said in an interview that the members are calling for a national convention because it is in the interest of the MMD.
Mr Mutati said calls for a national convention are not about individual members as perceived.
Mr Mutati said he is just among many MMD members calling for the national convention to resolve issues in the party.
“I don’t have any appetite to promote violence in the country,” he said.
Yesterday, two MMD rival groups clashed physically at the party secretariat in Lusaka’s Kabulonga and left a trail of destruction.
One group comprises members calling for a national party convention to elect leaders while their rivals are MMD president Nevers Mumba’s supporters.
The cadres besieged the MMD secretariat in busloads and stoned five vehicles, including a bus belonging to Flash Bus Services, which was used to ferry cadres who wanted to present a petition to MMD president Nevers Mumba demanding that he should call for a convention.
Around 10:00 hours , a horde of cadres who are demanding that the MMD leadership should hold a national convention to elect new leaders, was ferried to the party secretariat and attempted to present a petition to Dr Mumba but they were repelled by Dr Mumba’s supporters before they could disembark, sparking scenes of violence.
Police officers arrived at the scene and fired teargas canisters to disperse the unruly cadres and arrested four in the process.
Dr Mumba charged that the cadres were sent to the secretariat by people bent on destabilising the party.
He said in an interview yesterday that the MMD is intact and will not hold a national convention to elect new leaders.
Meanwhile, MMD National Treasurer Ms Elizabeth Chitika has exposed the duplicitous character of Lunte Member of Parliament Felix Mutati and that he has been the shadow behind the confusion that engulfed the party soon after the election of Party President Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba.
A poorly designed official 2016 United Party for National Development (UPND) calendar headed “2016 UPND NEW TEAM FOR 2016 FOR ALL ZAMBIANS” shows pictures of various individuals including UPND President Hakainde Hichilema and his wife, a picture of late UPND founding president Anderson Mazoka (MHSRIP) and United Liberal Party (ULP) President Mr. Sakwiba Sikota was unearthed in Lufwanyama during the party mobilization tour late last year.
Others on the calendar are former MMD minister Mr Vernon J Mwaanga, Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) President Charles Milupi and several current UPND Members of Parliament but shockingly, this line-up also includes Mr Mutati who is referred to as a “UPND Official” in a caption under his picture.
MMD is as strong or as weak as Godfrey Miyanda’s Heritage Party. What is left is just a carcass that vultures will share and clean up before the hyenas pick the bones. PF is to follow the same path soon.
This is hilarious! UPND cadres have been taunting PF cadres regarding their coalition with MMD when their president Hecky Hecky No! is busy working behind the scenes trying to get in bed with the same stale MMD. And in this day and era, who in their right mind would include Bashikulu Ba VJ in their coalition and have the audacity to call it a ‘New Team’?
keep fighting for alliances,,,meanwhile 50%+1 has already been taken by Lungu
2016 vote(PF) Edgar
i thank you
Why include Mazoka? Did he rise from the dead? Creepy!
If Mutati doesn’t have any appetite to promote violence in the country, why didn’t he take the petition himself instead sending cadres on buses? Just the other day we heard how another political party that claims to be peaceful has been sponsoring violence at CBU & UNZA……..one of their leader was the one who was instrumental in beating up a cop, got his helmet and teargas canister…….pictures are there for all to see. His bail and that of other rioters was paid for by UPND.
MMD and UPND have NEVER won an election for over 5 years
Miles Sampa should be given a chance
Simple as that
Thanks
Bb2014
IF MUMBA REALLY CONSIDERS HIMSELF TO BE THE POPULAR LEADER OF MMD THEN WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO LOSE BY HOLDING A CONVENTION? IF ANYTHING HOLDING A CONVENTION WOULD VALIDATE HIS POSITION AND HE WOULD BE VIEWED TO BE MORE CREDIBLE. WHEN THE IS WIDE SPREAD CALLS WITHING A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION FOR A REORGANIZATION OF TOP LEADERSHIP IT ONLY SERVES THE ORGANIZATION BETTER TO HOLD ELECTION SO AS TO GAUGE THE REAL STANDING AND MANDATE OF ITS LEADERS. MMD MUST AND SHOULD HOLD A CONVENTION. IF MUMBA IS REALLY THE DEMOCRATIC PERSON HE CLAIMS TO BE THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN.
@Loadist; I hope you are not a UPND supporter calling for MMD to definitively hold a convention. How many times has UPND held a convention as compared to MMD? How many times has HH lost elections and still no convention in UPND? You know why?; HH has dictatorial tendencies and is tyrannical.
I see no reason why Ba Nevers Mumba’s democracy should be questioned when it is clearly nonexistent in UPND!
Loadist,
I am not an MMD member but I would advise you to read the MMD constitution together with the statement by the MMD Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Zaloumis. If you take the trouble to read these two documents, you will realize that those agitating for a convention now and not 2017 are offside. The MMD constitution gives a five year mandate to an elected President. Mumba was elected in 2012; therefore his mandate ends in 2017 when another convention will be held to usher in a new partY president. The MMD Central Committee met several days ago and unanimously upheld his provision of their constitution. Is that too complicated to understand?
Facts, you are wrong. The MMD held its convention in 2011 and one is due now. Nevers Mumba was elected in a bye election to finish Bwezanis term of office after being embarrassingly defeated by Sata
Let Kalusa Heka hold a convention instead, how does he cling to the same position which doesn’t suit him? If anything there is more chaos in UPND than meets the eye. There three factions in UPND in case some of you dont .
1. There is one which is certain and are convinced UPND leader cannot and will not win any presidential elections
2. There is another one which does not recognise people like GBM, Canicious Banda, Nalumango and those not in the quota system
3.There is another who just want a running mate to be non other than Tonga.
UPND is in serious trouble and they know that they are not in any way going to get even 45% votes.
Has HH gone for convention? Zambians especially those close to HH should sit him down becoz he will land into serious problems No one is above the law. HH is not the first to lose elections. look at Odinga and tsvangarai. Do not think police is as dull as you think.
Party matters should be left to the parties to address them within the context of their party constitutions. If it is true that the MMD Constitution requires the holding of a party convention every 5 years, then they should hold one and Dr. Mumba cannot change that! That goes with UPND and any other party!
@mosco putting your example does not hold water.This Zambia not Kenya or Zimbabwe were tribalism can be openly practiced because the population fevers those in power.In Zambia we have four major tribes with almost equal numbers of voters no one can claim monopoly.Watch the game each time you put an eastern as president he looses it ask your self why?
Convention for what UPND is strong enough under its current leadership I think it is giving GOVT enough checks and balances to work even harder and I think the Zim and Kenya Political dispensation are different from the Zambian one just spit it you don’t want HH in that leadership position personally I think the guy has done a pretty darn good Job to offer checks and balances.
WHILE I RESPECT OTHER VIEWS I SEE MUTATU AS SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE OUT OF HIS HEAD IN IN CASE IT WAS HIM WHO WAS IN NEVERS BOOTS WOULD HE ALLOW A CONVENTION BEFORE HIS ENDS?
DONT FOLLOW VIOLENT PATH OF HYENA. MUTATU IN SHORT YOU ARE AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO WISHED SATA DEAD AND CELEBRATED HIS DEATH I FEEL PITY FOR U AND YOUR GROUP I SEE MOST OF YOU ARE SICK AND FINISHED ITS JUST TIME IT CAN TRIGER ANY TIME AND YOU FOLLOW.
WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVING THAT PROBLEM CAUSE CONFUSION LIKE KUNDA,TETAMASHIMBA, PLEASE BE COOL YOUR CELLS WILL DROP AND YOU WILL GO INTO A CRISIS AND PEOPLE MAY THINK HE HAS BEEN DONE AND YET ITS SELF IMPLICATIONS.
UPND WILL DIVID AND FINISH THIS NATION IF PEOPLE ARE NOT CAREFUL
LUNGU FOR NOW IS THE BEST HE HAS MANAGED TO HOLD THIS NATION IN A VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD.
IN NORTH…
@jkalusa Learn some English. You probably need to get back to grade 2
This appetite for presidency will land this nation into serious problems. Its good they are grouping themselves so that when kachema is beaten on 11August impanga shili nokusalanga. lungu continue being wise and peaceful. Sakwiba sikota going back to UPND? I feel for GBM and nalumango who are being used like a condom
HH cant be party of a team for all Zambiand. He is a team leader for Tongas and Tongas only. only pipo like GBM, Nalumango and Mutati can accept to be painted white and rejoice that they are white men
Clarifications need to be provided wasn’t Mutati promised to be running mate in the PF Alliance that’s why he had rallied MMD MP’s to support the constitution as reported by the media sometime time back. Which is which now.
Mutati Being Secretly Funded By PF To Take Over MMD, Says Copperbelt MMD, story on the MMD website and on Lusaka Times. Furthermore, Mutati and his close associates have been meeting RB, who has become a go in-between with Mutati and Edgar Lungu. Their game plan is to wait for the new Constitution to go through Parliament, in particular the running mate clause. Once enacted, RB on behalf of Mutati wants to engage Edgar Lungu to offer the Vice Presidency to Mutati. That is why Mutati voted with PF for the Constitutional amendments. open zambia dot com
HH has lost it already Zambians don’t need him full stop.May be in 2099 when the generation who will nt have the knowledge about his masonary connections and how he handled the privatization of the mines.ECL WILL BOUNCE BACK WITH A LANDSLIDE VICTORY.
Silencer keep on dreaming.Lungu is has no spine to handle what is yet to happen.the force is to strong for PF to handle.Time for HH has come and no one can stop him,if you try you will be burned along.
@Silencer
Let this sink in your minute brain, we are beyond the point where your rhetoric holds water. ECL is just messing around because he knows that his time is up hes no match to HH, Nawakwi and others.
THE CONFUSION IN MMD IS BEING FANNED BY MUTATI AND NAKACINDA. NAKACINDA FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE TO STAND IN KAFUE ON UPND TICKET, WITH HIS PEOPLE. HE HAS NEVER BEEN GENUINE TO MMD BUT AN INFORMER O UPND.
AS MMD SPOKESPERSON, EVERYONE HAS BEEN SURPRISED WHY HE IS SO QUIET AND WHEN HE SPEAKS, DOES NOT PROMOTE THE PARTY BUT CAUSES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
MUTATI IS THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS HERE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. HE HAD HOPED LUNGU HAD CHOSEN HIM TO ENTER INTO ALLIANCE BUT NOW HE IS FIGHTING NEVERS WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS. NEVERS IS AN INNOCENT MAN BUT HAS BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE A FAILURE BY THOSE MPS WHO LOST TO HIM IN 2012.
THE CONFUSION IN MMD IS BEING FANNED BY MUTATI AND NAKACINDA. NAKACINDA FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE TO STAND IN KAFUE ON UPND TICKET, WITH HIS PEOPLE. HE HAS NEVER BEEN GENUINE TO MMD BUT AN INFORMER O UPND.
AS MMD SPOKESPERSON, EVERYONE HAS BEEN SURPRISED WHY HE IS SO QUIET AND WHEN HE SPEAKS, DOES NOT PROMOTE THE PARTY BUT CAUSES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
MUTATI IS THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS HERE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. HE HAD HOPED LUNGU HAD CHOSEN HIM TO ENTER INTO ALLIANCE BUT NOW HE IS FIGHTING NEVERS WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS. NEVERS IS AN INNOCENT MAN BUT HAS BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE A FAILURE BY THOSE MPS WHO LOST TO HIM IN 2012. THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT.
This is election time with all sorts of “marriages of convenience” taking place. To spare us all this violence why not just say that those who want the convention have taken the other camp to court and then see the outcome! We all know there are two camps,one pro-PF and another pro-UPND. So just go you ways to support the party like as you wait for the court outcome mostly after August 11th! Meanwhile we shall be spared the violence!.
The most honourable thing to do for Nevers is to resign…it clearly shows that one has lost control of the party
Fellow bloggers, after reading your contributions, I would like you to answer simple question:
Is it right for one man elected four years ago to decide future of the party without consultation with its members?
Yes it is. When one is elected for a 5 year mandate, four years down the line is still within five years.
@ Tutu
Was he elected on the platform to enter into alliance with PF or to stand for Presidency on MMD ticket?
This is mendling in the affairs of the MMD. That party has a constitution. It’s what guides them. This story about Mutati is in bad faith. Let MMD be MMD. Let them speak for themselves. What you are insinuating is cheap propaganda.
As opposed to poaching (bribing) their mps and for 4 and a half years of bye elections dismantling the same party. Also why is everything UPND? Was HH interviewing Mutati per main photo? Was this calender being distributed during yesterday’s fracas at the MMD secretariat? I’m just wondering. Very soon you will be checking under your beds for HH before you sleep, muyopa nji?
There is no way nervers Mumba can continue being president of the MMD when 3/4 of the MPs do not support him.These Mps know that people on the ground in the costituences were they come from(western,N western,Central and parts of Lsk) want UPND.So Mumba has no stronghold his was taken by Sata(PF).So they will hound him out of MMD if they fail he will remain alone.By may this year Mumba will remain like cosmo his brother.
Ba LT how authentic is the photo. Anyone with a computer and a printer can produce such a photo. But your reporting is usually up to scratch, well balanced so I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
This terrorist (Ichilema) continues getting old, ugly and scruffy as days go by. Tapalati but seriously he needs to look after himself properly. Unless you saying he deliberately refuses to take a bath or go for a hair cut. Just look at that demonic smile and also he looks a bit ancient.
Iwe naiwe it’s deliberate by LT. They’re campaigning for ecl. This media is very evil.
MMD MUMBA Convention NOW
UPND HH Convention AWE. WA MUYAYA.
Please stop confusing the Zambian Republican Constitution then with the MMD constitution. There is no room for bye elections in the MMD constitution. RB ran away after defeat and so a convention had to be held. If he had chosen he would have remained party president but the man was full of shame and fear of Sata. Mumba won convention and the constitution is very clear – for the next five years. You can find other legal means of removing Mumba not the constitution.
The thought of having Maureen at state house again. UPND is it true that HH is late Mazoka’s illegitimate son?
True
When is Convention for UPND mwebantu kanshi? Ninshi Yena wamuyayaya
There is one party which is ever proposing Demonstrations and Violence. The Mapatizya Formula Master Mind. HH and his UPND. In Colleges and Universities it is demonstrations sponsored by the UPND . In 2015 HH tried to force the Public Unions to demonstrate over the Constitution , the Unions refused. He tried to cause demonstrations on Job Losses and Electricity Tarriffs , he was snubbed by Miners on the Copperbelt. Now he wants to organize fake Parents in Kitwe to demonstrate to force the Government to re – open the Universities.
HH knows an alliance between the MMD and PF will mean the end of his road. The demonstrations at the MMD Secretariat have all the hall marks of HH and his UPND. Iam seeing a Savimbi being born after the loss on aug 11, 2016.
History might just repeat it self were Edgar Lungu went ahead and did a convention without the presence of the Acting President by then Dr. Guy Scott. After making the delegates vote by raising hands and fists he became president of PF when Guy scott woke up from his slumber and tried to converne an election with Miles Sampa Edgar was one step ahead and run to the courts of law to file an injuction restraining the Scott camp to go ahead with there convention.it was game over by then.Thats why today you have Edgar lungu as a President. its all about political engineering and dribling each other.
Mutati Missed A Chance Of Bcom MMD President In 2015, Bcoz Dr Mumba Was Not Near The Party Powers And Fliex Mutati Was In The System But MMD Members Saw No Leadership In Him And I Don’t See Sense In Him Demandin 4 Party Congress With A So Purpose Of Removin Current Leadership But Y Not Join UPND Alone Than Carring MMD Into Wrong Party Alliance.UPND Is Losin Again This Year And All Rejects Politics Hav Joind The Party and UNPD As Old Members Who Are Seen New Ones Seek 4 Employment Frm The Party If It Can Win Election.
M****** mwe fi bloggers.
Life is hard in the ghetos and you still want us to keep supporting those causing our sufferings.
Let mmd people follow what their constitution say.
Courts are there to help them interpret their constitution.
As things are now we want upnd to deliver us from the evil crook lucifer.
Do not bring in hh. Leave him alone to deliver Zambia from the evil and looters of our country.
Vote pakwanja,
Vote upnd.
Comment:pipo it seems we are all concerned about the affairs in mmd.but pliz I neèd help from anyone who has more knowledge on upnd affairs. …1) does upnd have a constitution? 2)what does the upnd constitution say about conventions(3)are there some elements of dictatorship in upnd party and its constitution? pliz educate me …instead of wasting time discussing mmd constitution or affairs which are well known to everyone. .lets be realistic on national issues (4) has hh taste him self within upnd if he is still popular as before there no pipo in upnd to stand against him or maybe he is the only one who has money..this is why it has taken so long for Zambia to develop because we have chosen to put politics first and second then real issues third and believe me even if we were given any…
Mushota,
You know nothing about Sampa…. Sampa can not be president as of today… He is a suspect of some death of a woman… and those supporting him are just not for ECL…
Stop this Bembastic thought for Presidency.
The only President for now until l 2021 is ECL and the PF.
The only solution to all these questions you the bloggers raised is HH kwapwa.Look at how wise people are scrambling for him at every international fora.The fact is that they have seen wisdom in him and hence they want to utilize it.Unlike the ignorant chimbwis of zambia they will cling to something that does give them any benefit.We don’t eat poverty bane
We the people against the Government of Mmembe for Mmembe and by Mmembe hereby declare that any under hand methods meant to remove the MMD President Dr Mumba and replacing him with Mutati will be fought aggressively. We know the architects of the call for the Conventions in MMD. They are the Axis of Evil involving Mmembe, HH and Kabimba who are trying to cause Confusions so that the PF-MMD Alliance does not come into fruition. They are so scared that an Alliance between MMD and PF will spell doom for their Desire to Remove ECL. We are fed up of Mmembe’s crusade of Hate which he has championed from 1991. When you look today at the Church, LAZ, FODEP, Judiciary, Prosecutions etc , you just shake your head. Enough is enough. We wont allow Mmembe to be any where near State Institutions after…
We Wont Allow Mmembe to be anywhere near State Institutions after August 2016. Mr President ECL You have our support. Continue with the Same resolve and Confine Mmembe and his Hangers on in the name of HH , Kabimba, and Sampa to the Dustbin Of Historical Mistakes. We will support you all the way.
That is the truth. They are trying all they can to get ECL out of power. But HH will lose again. Infact the beauty is ECL will get it without a rerun. Sampa is a spoiled baby with a CV of being a nephew of Sata. Is this how one should become a president.
We know that after dissolution of parliament in may many will scatter but will looking for hh under their beds after August 11 elections as he will disappear from sight as the humiliation will be too much to bear.
HH wants to be President at all cost!! Take it easy otherwise you crash..
Me thinks Mumba doesn’t want a convention because it will put a kybosh on his alliance with PF. Mumba is a selfish man and he has forced himself on MMD.
Comment:PF viva …
Mushota,you are spot on,you are speaking a lot of sense.Most agree with what you have observed