The National Democratic Congress (NDC) faction led by Vice President Rikki Joseph Akafumba, who now calls himself as Acting President, yesterday morning held a press briefing in Lusaka at Four Pillars lodge, where he said that NDC is still part of the UPND Allince and is today expected to map the way forward following Chishimba Kambwili standoff over the alliance affiliation with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
TMr Akafumba said that Dr Kambwili stands to be a loser in the equation because there is nowhere in the party constitution where his name is written as party President, adding that as things stand now the party Secretary-general has more power than any other members of the party and not even the President of the party has power to convene the meeting and discipline erring members.
Akafumba said he has no doubt in his mind that Dr. Kambwili risk falling in the trap of former Secretary-General Mweenye Musenge who found himself when he behaved the same way Dr. Kambwili is behaving. He said following an illegal meeting Dr Kambwili held Saturday where he purported to have issued a suspension of some senior party officials including the secretary-general, Akafumba said he received call from Dr. Kambwili prio to yesterday’s presser and the two agreed to meet today.
The two will discuss issues of mutual interest regarding the party affairs which remained unresolved. He said as a personal lawyer for Kambwili, he has no issues with him but because it is no more a client-lawyer relationship, adding that the standoff only came in when the issue of an alliance has been resolved 99.9% but Dr. Kambwili want to spoil the already baked cake.
Akafumba said a central committee meeting cannot be called without the Secretary-General, National Chairperson, and Vice President.
What constitutes a central committee is well designed in the constitution. It is illegal for the President to assemble the people and make pronouncements. He said a notice was issued for the central committee where Kambwili was proposed to be entry committee.
The notice was denounced for want of legitimacy. The person who issues notices for the party is the Secretary General and not the President.
Akafumba further said concerning the NDC court matter that the registration of the party was won but the issue of de-registration is still in court. The constitution was not submitted on account of the matter which was in court. The state is fighting the NDC in court and wants it de-registered.
Concerning the Alliance, at one time UPND President Hakahinde Hichilema spoke to Kambwili in the presence of the Vice President to discuss issues of the alliance twice but could not conclude on account of not having been consulted by the central committee. He suggested the issue of the Governing Council which was to have equal members of the alliance partners, election commission was to look at the elections.
He objected that the fact that Kambwili wanted to contest on NDC despite having accepted being a running mate in the UPND party and wondered why Kambwili wanted to make an opposition within the government. He said the decision-making body of the UPND alliance was to be the national governing council which has equal members. The purpose of the alliance was to unite the country and the route which Kambwili was to take would not help achieve this object of the alliance.
He said the problem which the alliance was to get into with the proposal made by Kambwili was to go the Malawi way where the people in government are opposite of each other. He wondered where Kambwili was getting the idea of the NDC being swallowed by the UPND.
He said the NDC has refused to accept going the Kambwili way because the people who want to change the government who have suffered will not accept it.
He denied ever been bought by President Hakahinde Hichilema and called it an insult to be called traitors because they have their own minds. He advised the NDC that intend to contest the coming election to make an application to the SG for consideration.
Akafumba has since clarified that MPs under NDC will make the contribution and the contributions will go to NDC and not to UPND
This lack of compromise, selfishness from both sides
The failure by the PF government where governance and the economy has been brought to its knees must have given these NDC chaps the impetus to be organized but instead they are quarrelling among themselves and in public for that matter
indeed quarrelling in public is not good for political parties
This divided house is headed nowhere. It is a failed project. What value is NAREP and ADD adding to UPND? Nothing. Thus the pact had so much reliance on NDC to clinch Copperbelt and Bembaland. But NDC without Kambwili is hollow and toothless.
Aside, UPND told us they don’t need a political marriage. What has changed? Maybe they are not all-inclusive so they feel weak
My opinion is that the PF government has failed and the opposition must get organized and not fight in public. What I don’t understand is why Lusaka times should moderate my earlier comment which unfortunately they have removed, and there ate many such complaints of late
Lusaka times, why are you editing out pro opposition comments, this is a democracy
I am also not sure why Lusaka times is of late in the habit removing pro opposition comments, we cant all belong to the same party, it is not practical, we are in a democracy please
PF must be enjoying to watch these oppposition leaders fight.
Maybe PF has a hand in this.
Tamatama & Pensulo GI and post them on Zambia Watchdog. They accept everything, including foul language. If was admin I would permanently Barr those that use insulting language whether pro or against any political wing.
He said the problem which the alliance was to get into with the proposal made by Kambwili was to go the Malawi way where the people in government are opposite of each other.
This joseph akafumba understands the country’s constitution, people should also take into consideration what happens in case of the alliance winning and the NDC insist on their MPs standing on their party ticket automatically they will be sitting on the left in parliament, while their leader will be on the right, how do you have opposition members of parliament in the ruling party on the left?
we told our friend CK that he was surrounded by wolfs but he lacked discernment.
we told him that there was a plot being masterminded by strategic political engineers , he could believe us.
As a leader NEVER lack emotional intelligence!
Ati opposition.more like opportunists.
This is the problem with our politicians. They have got eyes but the can’t seethe people’s sufferings, they have ears but can’t hear the peoples’ cries all they want themselves first. CHISIMBA KAMBWILI in his current state is lost in the political wilderness. He is torn apart with his impending case in court and going back to the PF. The best CK can do in the meantime is to take sabatical leave until he is done with current situation while he offers some solidarity to the opposition alliance.
@John Mulele what are you talking about, have you read Kazier Zulu’s comments. He is in pole position to win the foul language award. Most of us are surprised how he gets away with it nearly every day, you might think he is a shareholder.
I’m sure the PF camp are celebrating the confusion in the opposition. Perhaps Kambwili wanted to be the Veep of the UPND Alliance but instead HH chose the woman whom Kambwili once referred to as ‘ugly as the words she spoke’.
The UPND has been faring better than NDC in all the by – elections held in PF strongholds.
Without the help of UPND, NDC would not have won the Roan parliamentary seat.
The notion that NDC is a force on the Copperbelt and Bemba land is unfounded. No statistics to back it.
The appointment of Mutale Nalumango as UPND Vice President not a coincidence.
The UPND roadmap to the 2021 general elections is very clear. No need to speculate
Akafumba and SG Atanga, are the worst type of human beings, traitors and human beings that can not be trusted. They should have just resigned their positions and joined UPND. If you look at their history you will see they are failed politicians. Look at Edward Mumbi, he almost came to blows with late President Michael Sata and lost out when MCS became President, so he is still bitter from losing out on a powerful position in PF.
I didn’t know that Mr. Akafumba was that eloquent, i think he can make a good running mate in the Alliance.
NO ALLIANCE INVOLVING UP AND DOWN WILL EVER SUCCEED. DON’T JUST ARGUE, ASK NAWAKWI AND TILYENJI KAUNDA HOW THEY WERE TREATED BY HAHA. THOSE THAT THE GODS WANT TO DESTROY, THEY FIRST MAKE THEM MAD.
Complete hogwash.
Who is this kid 1d10+ akafumba?
He is a upndead stooge.
Headless chickens these so called opposition. PF is busy campaigning in rural areas because they know people in rural areas do not care about inflation, exchange rate, debt. As long as they have farming inputs and favorable rains they will vote for PF.