MMD National Youth Chairperson Howard Kunda says the party leadership needs to seek a new mandate from its membership so as to restore the membership’s confidence in the leaders as the party goes into next elections.
Speaking in an interview Mr Kunda who is one of the few MMD MPs not to endorse the candidature of neither PF President Edgar Lungu nor UPND President Hakainde Hichilema said the party leadership must heed to the calls for a convention if it is to go into the August 11th elections as a united front.
He said the endorsement of other candidates is a clear vote of no confidence in the party’s leadership and that the leadership must reflect and make a decision to seek fresh mandate from the grassroots.
“As National Youth Chairperson I have been overwhelmed with the calls wanting to seek direction that the party will take in view of the happenings in the recent past. Suspensions, expulsions and now endorsements from our Member of Parliament for candidates other than our own candidates is a clear vote of no confidence in the current leadership of the party and the leadership must reflect and make a decision to go and seek fresh mandate from the grassroots if we are going to enjoy their support especially that there is any election coming.
“It is not an evil call, it is not a negative call, it is a positive call meant to ensure that there is consensus among the membership to support the leadership even as we go towards the elections,” he said.
He explained that youths across the country have been calling him for guidance and that it is clear that the solution to the challenges the party has been facing is to go to a convention.
“The calls for a convention, hearing from what the youths from all structures starting from branch to provincial have been saying,it is very clear that the message is that we should go for a convention.
I want to also call on my President, who is also a pastor to not only listen to the advise of two individuals who have been influencing his decision but to hear what the membership of the party across the country is saying, it is not a scheme to remove him but a platform for generating consensus among the members, ” he said.
Meanwhile MMD has released the following statement in response to the 11 MPS that defected
MMD Reaction to Defections of 11 MPs
The defection of the 11 MPs to the UPND is nothing new. The nation will recall that all the names reported campaigned on the side of the UPND in 2014. As a matter of fact, the list comes short of one or two others names. These MPs have long stopped being available for the MMD.
It is revealing to see Mr Elijah Muchima on this list. He is one of 3 who took out the court action against the MMD just a few days ago championing calls for a convention in the party. This maneuver exposes real intentions.
This is what we mean that the calls for a convention in the MMD are not being made by genuine members and are deliberately designed to distract and label the MMD as a party that is divided, confused and not at peace.
We know our genuine members and respect their views when they speak. We are not confused about who is with us and who is not. Our positions on many topical issues within our party are informed by principle and a deep sense of knowledge.
The MMD does not have any great memories of the said heavyweights, except what it gave to them and made them to be.
The party truly wishes the former MPs well and hopes that they can settle in the UPND and not continue to make MMD a subject of their business.
We are receiving an encouraging response in the application process for Members of Parliament and Local Government officials.
Zambia is indeed a young democracy. Look at the confusion in all the political parties. One problem is common to all: these people are failures in life who are crossing party lines looking for food. Changing your principles, beliefs and virtues. All in the name of a plate of food. Hungry, incompetent FO0LS without a thought for serving the citizenry. Hunger is bad. Failures.
@kudos
your love of human skulls comes with demons which haunt your PF reasoning!!! Zambia`s democracy NOT young!! your visionless drank PF is young and lost in the huge democracy map of Zambia
Just look at the levels of poverty in the country. Those respectable mothers paraded by Howard for K10 plus a t-shirt and a Chitenge. 6 of those are fully dressed meanwhile Howard has already embezzled the money meant for t-shirts and Chitenge for the other 4 women. These are the politics of the stomach in Zambia’s young democracy. Howard went home with a K200 and called it a day.
Ears they have but they hear not, and eyes, but they see not – MMD leadership!
MMD IS A DEAD PARTY BEYOND RESUSCITATION. EITHER YOU BELONG TO UPND OR PF. CHOICE IS NOW.
Talk about burying your heads in the sand. An ostrich would be proud!!!
Or Nero playing the harp whilst Athens burnt!
This is a fair request but Mumba will be on the defensive and soon threatening to fire Howard. The pastor who lost his cause and calling. Ukayapya.
The pastor gives new meaning to the expression “holy ghost fire”
I stand to be guided whether MMD as a party now has the ability to make any political decision without external influence. I still wonder whether their proposed engagement with their suitor still stands as members start parting unceremoniously.
Hon.Howard Kunda just swallow your pride and join either PF or UPND or else your political career will come to a sad end on 11/08/2016!!MMD is dead.RECALL DURING 2015 BY ELECTION MMD PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHOM YOU CAMPAIGNED FOR IN YOUR CONTITUENCE LOST TO EDGAR LUNGU’S PF EVEN THOUGH ECL NEVER STEPPED HIS FOOT INTO YOUR AREA!!just position yourself like those mmd mps mostly from western,n/western and tonga speaking areas of central joined upnd.THE ONLY PARTY WHICH CAN EASILY MAKE YOU RETAIN YOUR SEAT IN 2016 IS PF AS MKUSHI IS IN A BEMBA SPEAKING AREA OF CENTRAL!!FORGET ABOUT MMD!!
And so its tribe……because PF is Bemba and Mkushi is Bemba speaking, you dutifully and tribally advise Howard Kunda to flock with tribal birds of the same tribe! Atase…….
How did the pastor find himself at the summit of MMD? Perhaps lied he was merely going there (summit) for an overnight gathering and stayed ever since
Mumba has no choice but to take heed of Howard’s counsel.Is he also going to expel him? Ba pente!
Howard I inboxed to warn that the leadership of Nervous Mumba will not take you anywhere. I feel great pity that MMD has to end this way because of a “selfish Pastor”. I bet the great souls of Mwanawasa and your father are turning in their graves. Judas Banda is praying for PF to win so that he keeps his immunity. What loyalty to a party that gave you the presidency on a silver platter
It is ONLY ‘pastor’ Mumba who does not see what Howard is talking about 🙂 It is all out there for NORMAL people to see.
Howard, you are 100% correct. The MMD does not deserve what it is going through. We have seen parties come and go and we have realised that the MMD was not that bad. Under normal circumstances, the MMD should be active and posing a serious challenge to PF. Young man, you are a right path and great leader in making.
I think Pastor Dr, Mumba and the team should help the Party survive by being tolerant to other peoples view in the party. Seek a new mandate from the people…..if it helps the party let it be
The Mmd boat sailed five years ago, its time to face reality. Not even those 150 vehicles will save them. Even newcomer Miles Sampa’s DF has become more relevant than the once mighty mmd. Just notice how talk of an alliance has petered out as EL suddenly realised there’s nothing there, sad really. However, wouldn’t put it passed Bwezani trying to pull a fast one being the opportunist he is.
MMD was done a big blow the moment RB took over. RB and team made MMD so unpopular that despite being the ruling party at the time the party lost by a landslide. And in Zambia today politicians seem to have nothing they stand for except to be in power whatever it takes. That’s why they either defect to the ruling part or the opposition party with the greatest chance of defeating the ruling party. Even If MMD choses a new leader today nothing will make it the way it was before until all our politicians begin to have morals beyond their personal interests.
MMD kale yafwa, Howard just dump the lost black sheep and seek new direction. Its not too late boi, greet your young bra Chiluba