Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD)’s President Nevers Mumba has said that his party is not in an alliance with the ruling Patriotic Front(PF).
In a statement released to the media, the MMD President said that Zambians should be informed that the perceived alliance between MMD and PF is non existent.
“The relationship which exists today is between PF and Mr. Rupiah Banda and his followers who went with him following the Supreme Court ruling, ” Dr Mumba said.
Dr Mumba also added that it was both malicious and illegal for any media house to talk about a PF/MMD alliance, stating that the correct position is that, after the December 18th Supreme Court ruling, the former head of state Mr Rupiah Banda decided to cross to the PF camp and campaigned for the PF with his supporters who had been spearheading his candidature on the MMD ticket.
” This group does not represent MMD anymore as they crossed the political floor when they abandoned their own party in preference for another,” he said.
Dr Mumba also dispelled assertions that he had been given a diplomatic job by the current government, saying that these were desperate attempts by immoral individuals who had tried everything the past three years to destabilize his party, but failed.
“They are now grasping at any straw they can find. If all we needed was money, we would not be the most attacked party in the nation. Buyers have realized that MMD is not for sale. Nevers Mumba is not for sale, ” he said
Below is the full Press Statement:
PRESS BRIEFING, 17TH JUNE 2015, LUSAKA.
It is most appropriate that today, I make certain pronouncements regarding the State of our Nation and that of our own party.
The devastating blow which hit our party prior to the 20th of January election is not a secret. Any one who downplays the self inflicted implosion is to say the least being unrealistic. As a result of the implosion our participation in the last Presidential election was only done as a show of unrelenting courage.
Our opponents have used our poor showing in the last election as an opportunity to define us as a diminished party. All this is expected and every Zambian is entitled to their own opinion. But there are those with honest and analytical minds who see things differently. They have seen a gallant, resilient leadership which has fought for the survival of democracy with spirit and soul. Against all odds, we have stopped the suicidal mission the party seemed to have prescribed for itself since the loss of power in 2011. Several groups have risen to fight the new leadership in order to weaken and diminish the prospects of the party.
Under my leadership, I will not allow anyone in the party to hold a pity party. We must turn our pain into a plan to bring back the party on course and overtake those who believe they are now untouchable, and this we shall do and succeed. A leader is not a manager but a trail blazer and a commander of war. It has become obvious that after the loss of 2011, MMD did not need a basic manager but a fighter and resilient leader.
I can attest to the fact that, we have fought a good but turbulent fight of faith. A fight to keep democracy alive.
RESOLUTIONS:
The NEC held a successful meeting last Saturday and made very important resolutions. The first one is the affirmation that MMD shall not die. As President of the Party, I wish to assure all our members nationwide wide, that I shall not and will not abandon you. I will provide strong and unwavering leadership to our party during this turbulent season.
The NEC resolved as follows; “……..
1. Discipline:
The party has decided to lift suspensions and expulsions meted out on several members of the party who in the last election supported other parties outside their own. All those forgiven shall receive official letters within this week clarifying this reconciliatory move.
2. Alliances:
The MMD is not in any alliance with any political party. We have started the process we have been waiting for of setting up leadership structures from the grassroots.
Zambians should be informed that the perceived alliance between MMD and PF is non existent. The relationship which exists today is between PF and Mr. Rupiah Banda and his followers who went with him following the Supreme Court ruling. It is both malicious and illegal for any media house to talk about a PF/MMD alliance. The correct position is that, after the December 18th Supreme Court ruling, Mr. Rupiah Banda decided to cross to the PF camp and campaigned for the PF with his supporters who had been spearheading his candidature on the MMD ticket.
This group does not represent MMD any more as they crossed the political floor when they abandoned their own party in preference for another.
There has been talk for a possible working relationship between the legitimate MMD and PF but no party to party talks have so far taken place and no memorandum of understanding has been signed.
My silence in the last four months has been used to reflect, strategize and recast the vision of the party to the general membership. This has been done through consultations, the two NEC meetings already held, four Politburo meetings and a National Policy Conference which brought 92 districts together to cast the vision for the party. Now that this process is complete, the NEC meeting of last Saturday 13th June resolved that the national tour and re organization program be now launched.
To enhance this resolution, the NEC lifted all suspensions on Members of Parliament who appeared before the National Disciplinary Committee. The NEC has further lifted the expulsions on three of the five Members of Parliament who were expelled in January this year.
This is to enhance the new spirit of reconciliation. The other two MPs whose expulsions still remain, are free to take advantage of the spirit of reconciliation extended to all well meaning members who shall approach the leadership of the party to state their willingness to return to their party and respect the rules and regulations of the organization. Unfortunately, the NEC meeting had to take stern action against three NEC members who have continued to injure the party. The three members of NEC have been expelled from the party for gross insubordination and destabilization of the party, (All the affected are separately recorded in the attachment)
3. Convention:
At the appropriate time as stipulated by our constitution, the NEC shall announce the date of the Convention after elections at lower levels are concluded. There are those who seem to want to use the issue of the convention as a political weapon to sabotage the party. They shall not succeed. We are aware of a group of individuals calling themselves founders of the party who are holding meetings outside the provisions of our constitution to force a convention so that they can use the process to high jack the party and then drag the party to a known political organization.
This shall never happen under my watch. MMD shall emerge as the most resilient party. Most of these people coming together have been of no help to the party since losing power and a number of them are known to belong to other political parties. We urge those detractors to end their futile activities and concentrate on helping the party to regain its strength.
4. By- Elections:
MMD has deep wounds that must heal before we can effectively participate in by elections. The leadership decided not to participate in Malambo, Petauke, and Mulobezi as a realistic and common sense approach. You cannot take wounded soldiers to battle. A cheap rumour has been going round that our NEC has been given money in exchange for non participation in the on going elections.
Another rumor has been that I have been given a diplomatic job by the current government. These are desperate attempts by immoral individuals who have tried everything the past three years to destabilize the party, but failed. They are now grasping at any straw they can find. If all we needed was money, we would not be the most attacked party in the nation. Buyers have realized that MMD is not for sale.
Nevers Mumba is not for sale. It is for this reason that they have waged war against us and me personally to force us to succumb. Some are even claiming that they have swallowed MMD! This is meant to be an arm twisting strategy to make us surrender. This will not and shall not happen.
We are regrouping with a refined leadership which shall not follow the wind but their hearts and conviction. Any leader who can be bought with money by another party is not worth fighting for. His or her motivation is money and therefore, their usefulness is highly compromised.
Our focus is to fully engage the Zambian people in readiness for the 2016 General Election. In order to further strengthen the party, we shall soon fill the vacant NEC positions including those of the two Vice Presidents. We are eager to start with speed.
STATE OF THE NATION:
The state of the economy is in the decline with the cost of living rising at an alarming rate. Zambians are struggling to pay for their electricity whose cost has doubled in the last two years. Zambians are failing to pay their rentals resulting in many of our citizens being evicted from their homes.
Motorists have to deal with increased cost of fuel resulting in increased fares for the ordinary Zambians. Parents are now failing to pay school fees for their children, bringing great stress to families and increasing the divorce rate in the country. There is great distress in the nation.
It is for this reason that we find it difficult to understand why PF thinks it is important to waste time and much needed resources to buy suffering cadres from other parties in the hope of purchasing popularity.
Zambians need to be empowered and not bought. This old type of politics is an admission of a political party’s bankruptcy and lack of natural appeal to attract support based on how well a party meets the needs of the people. The way PF is going is most injurious only to themselves.
People are more enlightened and educated now to be abused by those in power. Zambians need a government that shall respect them and not treat them like merchandise to be bought for personal consumption. Government should not take advantage of the plight of its citizens. Parading poor cadres to prove a Party’s popularity is an act of failing political acumen.
PF shall not survive because of how many defectors they purchase but by how they resolve the complex economic maze which has made life extremely difficult for the majority of Zambians.
Zambia needs to be saved.
Am very dissapointed with my President Dr. Mumba with his doudle startand politics he exibting he is the pastor mumba who told us to support PF now accusses RB to the one taking MMD to PF. This is not fair to the old man and Dr. Mumba he is not taking the MMD, but the truth is that Dr. Mumba working PF of KALABA, LUO, DAVIES MWILA , KAPYONGO AND CHITOTELA these are PF MPs who are fighting EDGAR LUNGU for 2016, these MPs have told NEVERS MUMBA not to call for Convetion because RB will come back acccording to they want a weak MMD under NEVERS MUMBA so that 2016 when they EDGAR LUNGU nevers WILL JOIN PF and leave MMD dead party, this is the truth of the matter, but unfortunate EDGAR LUNGU is not poplitocian he listened to NEVERS MUMBA AND THE KALABAs that RB want to stand again in 2016
@ Lusamboa: You get disappointed about everybody, RB, Edgar… next it will be yourself.
I don’t know what power/s this Mumba has.
If he had he should expel, RB for bring the party in disrepute.
Unless he removes RB and makes it explicitly, his party will forever be associated with the PF/MMD.
Only him, can do something about this, being that man (RB) is selfishly only relevant not because he wants to be the President again, but that it benefits him and his criminal son.
Mumba as it stands has been undermined and MMD will likely never recover from this at all.
Thanks
BB2014
The action by an elderly statesman RB to abandon his party with his supporters after he was not adopted is simply immoral. This was an attempt to destabilize his party and clearly demonstrates the lack of ethics in man the people of Zambia entrusted with leadership. Thankfully we booted him out of government through the ballot despite wasting millions in tax payers money on campaign materials that included MMD underwear.
NOW we as Zambians have accepted him back as a presidential advisor if not the president in disguise again.
Wake up Zambians!!!!
Viva HH
“The relationship which exists today is between PF and Mr. Rupiah Banda and his followers who went with him following the Supreme Court ruling,” Dr Mumba said
RB & BANDITS destroying the country after delinking from the MMD, which is mincingly in a “coma or verge” state if not dead.
Mr. Nevers, surely MMD is finished. Nevers is coming from enjoying the PF brown envelope whilst reflecting on the Brazil snare drum kit of H.C from PF.
Nevers & Kabimba speak what people want to hear, both have failed in their offices, veep MMD & SG-Justice Minister -PF, respectively.
When is MMDs burial mounds? Nevers, PF SG~Davies Chama attempted to murder a UPND member but you’re MUTE!
Just resign on failure grounds!
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Confused by the meaning of this. Are you blogging from a toilet?
It is clear that Nevers Mumba never really had the mandate to lead the MMD party if he only managed to poll in 14,000 votes on an MMD ticket – It is also clear RB was the preferred candidate for the majority MMD.
If RB had such command over the party then he should have been allowed to stand according to the wishes of the majority that have since followed him for the benefit of the PF. There is no point in Mumba blaming RB – Mumba cannot hold on to leadership and power that he doesnt have – Not even a Court can force that upon a democratic set up and in this case democracy has played its part.
RB was only ever going to rule for 18months in order to bring sanity to the nation – then handover. They didnt listen and PF saw the opportunity and took it.
Politics is about numbers….
KICKS OF A DYING HORSE! MMD IS DEAD. MUMBA’S POLITICAL CAREER IS DEAD. NO ORDINARY ZAMBIAN IS INTERESTED IN MMD ANYMORE.
Another mighty party heading to the political graveyard back to it’s founders. If only Mwanawasa was alive today………………….. Pathetic.
Indeed MMD shall never die, that is a very important affirmation.
True Blue members do not want to join the corrupt wing of MMD which is now called PF. Just look how they have dug us into debt in such a short time.
UPND is even worse. Who would want to a join political party , which spins on the backside or bottom of one individual. Good luck with that. PF succession wrangle confusion reloaded awaits you there, whenever that will be.
With proportional representation coming near you this winter, MMD shall live for ever. We don’t have to be in State House like other parties think. We can still make a difference. MMD still has a working system in place and not an individual party. No turning back now.
Upnd is not just an individual party but a family party. It’s Upnd and family
MMD Chief Bootlicker
You have to acknowledge that Dr Mumba does not, and never had the real mandate and authority over the MMD party. And also that the evidence now is that RB is the one that did.
And it is also important to distance even the RB led support for PF to the irresponsible financial management of national resources led by Sata. It is Sata’s Govt that run this Country into debt through careless spending and blatant theft through RDA sub contracts and the like.
I agree with you 100%. MMD is the only party that was formed on principle after UNIP. But inviting RB was a big mistake because the old man hijacked the party to make it a Chipata Party. He abandoned his UNIP. Now he is between MMD and PF. One of the two will be abandoned. RB has no shame. He is an enemy of democracy and gets pleasure from dead people. If (only assumption) collapsed dead today – Zambian will be shocked how the man will be confused.
IT is shameful for NEVERS MUMBA to always put the blame on RB when it is him who is in a dirty alliance with PF faction lead by KALABA, DAVIES MWILA AND KAPYONGO these Ministers are up to no good in 2016 and President Lungu is watching such a game being played in his own back yard. I dont know have what bewitch presidents in this country the moment they go into state house they stop seing and listening to what is happening outside. EDGAR will cry in 2016 these people regrouped and the ones spreading to EDGAR LUNGU that RB want to stand in 2016 the is a gimmick so that EDGAR LUNGU can differ with RB and NEVERS MUMBA is one of the people spearheading this dirty rumour on RB. Even the which he is going starting using for COUNTRYWIDE is coming from same PF faction of KALABA.
Funny thing is that Nevers, RB even Mwanawasa(He was UPND at the time Kafupi picked him) were not MMD. They are all hyenas fighting over what a lion has left.
How long does it take a snake to stop coiling and recoiling after its head has been cut? I see a similar act with MMD.
Former UPND leaders who have been/are in Govt. Lubinda, lungu, wina, levy, tetamashimba, siamunene, kafwaya, magande……after all may be this “family party” is a training ground for would be good leaders.kikikikiki
Nervous Mumba should explain why he has not expelled RB and his sidekicks who supported Lungu, yet he has attempted to expel those MMD members who supported HH in the January 2015 pressurising by-election. That’s why MMD is believed to have been subsumed by PF. Mumba can huff and puff as much as he wants but it is clear that he is quietly conniving with PF.
“Presidential by-election”
he just attempted by has brought back those who supported HH. But the answer is – he is scared of RB/PF alliance – give him few months he will be lose.
Nevers, please know that the political space has been taken up by mafias, robbers and prostitutes. You mean well but you are playing in a very dirty environment. RB is corrupt to the core, and not a good example to the young ones. You will be surely be left as an orphan-they are treking where money and power lies now, which is the PF. The country is finished and a declaration must be made that the country is gone. Done and dusted!
Nevers Mumba, has failed MMD by any test of leadership. His dismal performance at the just ended elections tells it all. And, he has failed to galvanise the three (NEC, MPs and ordinary members) arms of the party into one.
Most importantly, he cannot win MMD an election in the foreseeable future. Keeping Nevers at the helm is the quickest way of delivering MMD into extinction.
It is amazing how people are made to think that RB is the source of problems for MMD. RB is not a simple or corrupt man as the PAST and their minions want us to believe. We know that Mmembe has been playing the game of tarnishing peoples reputation on perceived or alleged but not proven corruption just to remove them from the political equation. RB simply supported EL. HH refused to support RB in 2011. So did you expect him to support UPND. Over his dead body. This is the truth and truth pains. There is nothing left of UPND after losing 2015 elections which was the nearest HH had reached. All is set for KOLOPA.COM in 2016. Wina aza fenta. We are waiting while others are making headlines in one newspaper.
RB follower???????????????
How honestly can an honest person say Nevers has failed when the people who are supposed to support him have flocked to where the honey is. They abandoned the man during elections only to be shouting from the other side that Nevers has failed.
Caleb, that’s what failure is. An inability to win support in politics is definitive failure. People assess why they should expend effort working with one person and not the other. One wins and the other loses. Nervous Mumba is a loser.
Sata-the most tribal.RB the most corrupt(to the core). KK the most humble. Mwanawasa the most responsible. RB corrupt(if you say anything other than this then you are calling a spoon a big spade) Call him by what he is. Chiluba????
Kwena Nevers is indeed playing double standards and his memory seems to be failing. Not too long ago, it is this Nevers who hinted that MMD and PF are going to support each other and for sure this is what we have been seeing – total tolerance of the two.
What he has said today is a sharp U-turn from what he made us believe. Our Dr pastor should Just come out in the open and reveal what has actually gone wrong. Leave RB alone. If Nevers Mumba did not harass RB when he wanted to stand on MMD ticket, MMD would have the best opposition party if if RB lost. Sometimes I tend to think that Dr Mumba overrates himself and fails to make proper judgement of likely situations.
It seems to be lost on people that the Zambian President, though sponsored a political party, is not elected as a party but as an individual. Therefore, supporting him is not the same as supporting his party. That is why there could be a scenario where a President has too few MPs from his party. That is why he can appoint MPs from across the floor to his cabinet. No one should be forced to support his party sponsored candidate.
Lets be fair to Nevers. All Nevers said was that the intention was to work with PF which was only true. But before mode of engagement was mooted out, RB smelt the honey on the other side and started taking MMD members to PF. By the way, i am not even a fan of Nevers but i would rather be fair to the man. It is RB who has been talking about the alliance, Nevers wanted to be formal so that the arrangement is transparent with both parties knowing their obligations to each other
I feel pity for Mrs Florence Mumba. Her man has really fallen from grace. He is now a shadow of his former self. Two decades ago, the man was a star. His voice and words were a source of inspiration to millions of people around the globe, me inclusive. Mrs Florence Mumba was proud then to be called his wife. Today, her man has turned into a reject. He is a disillusioned politician who can’t tell between his right and left hand or whether he is going forward or backwards. MMD is dead. No amount of sweat talk can resurrect this party to its former glory.
To bring clean politics in this country is tough and because of that Nevers is having problems. Most MMD MPs are finding hard to stay in the opposition and the easiest excuse is to say Nevers has failed. You have not given the man the support for him to succeed but you are saying he has failed. Instead, you went to support the neighbour. You are given a job as an MMD MP in the PF government you quickly rush for it. You have been fighting the man from day one. It started with the Namugalas and the rest picked it up. Just say, we feel you are a stranger in our party and we wont accept you than saying the man has failed. You are a team, it means you have failed together.
RB spoiled members of the MMD with money. That is why you find others in MMD were burrying money under the ground, others were in oil deals etc. Immediately they lost power,instead of reorganising, they were disillusioned. The safest place to go to was to PF,just like cadres do, when the party in power loses power they just go to the ruling party-Vincent Mwale,Dora Siliya,Michael Kaingu,RB,Kapembwa Simbao are all in PF. It is the HONEY in PF and not nevers failing. The easiest excuse for the exit, Nevers has failed-poor souls. SOLDIER ON NEVERS!
Listening to Nevers say those who have defected to PF have followed inama, then looking at some bloggers here talking of there being honey in PF makes me shudder.
As a populace we have accepted we elect people to go & eat honey. No wonder they are stealing from us.
Elsewhere elected people go to serve & the citizenry keep them checked so they do not “eat” their honey.
The honey is ours, let’s not allow these guys to eat it while we wallow in poverty.
Edgar Lungu is not a presidential material.
He is curse to the Patriotic Front. I propose that he should form his own party called ” The Kachsu Chibuku Party; the party for drunkards only.
This is very true and I’m sure Miles Sampa feels the same way after he was dribbled out of the PF presidency.
Lungu is a manipulative trickster who used the weak and corrupt justice system at the time to his advantage to secure the PF president and ensure Sampa’s appeal could only be heard after Lungu was sworn in as president.
Poor Miles Sampa was left speechless and seething with anger.
Guy Scott can attest to this.
Am sorry, what is MMD?
MMD has joined the ranks of UNIP who will never see the light of day they once enjoyed on the ZAMBIAN political dispensation. Next will be ALUNGU’s PF. Why are you even hanging on Dr Mumba.
MMD- You have nobody to blame for your self-inflicted backlash. You simply scored an own goal. From the ruling party to the opposition and now heading to a political dustbin. What a swift disgrace!
I really can’t envisge an MMD gov’t in Zambia under Dr Mumba or any other future Leader.
Pastor, (Dr) Mumba needs to become less bitter, more humble and align himself with a party with real prospects…….so that he has a reasonable chance of holding a gov’t post in parliament that allows him to ‘join’ in the Leadership of the country…. (sometime this century). He needs to have the opportunity to make useful noises on the Zambian political stage.
As it is, I am yawning right now. Oh and yes…. I did not read all this overly ‘lonnnnnng’ article with his delusional noises. He is a fine enough fella, but he seriously needs to curtail the ego. If you can’t beat them, join them. Your crafty nemesis seems to be doing well behind the scenes….if you believe all you read!
If I was the MMD treasurer I would advise my boss to save our coins instead of buying those big damn posters and the floral arrangements. A total waste of much needed cash. For a sinking ship like MMD that would be my very best advice as treasurer.
This is what one gets when you become a chancer or an opportunist. You left your own parties that you formed NCCP. Now you are busy crying over spilled milk. You are not the founder of MMD.
Everybody came from any other parties naimwe, wake up
ALL HONEST ZAMBIANS KNOW THAT WHAT RB AND DORA HAVE DONE TO MMD AND THIS COUNTRY SHOWS THEY HAVE NEVER HAD A HEART FOR MOTHER ZAMBIA BUT STOMACHS. MR. MWANAWASA MUST BE TURNING IN HIS GRAVE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF PERSON RB HAS TURNED OUT TO BE. IN SPITE OF ALL TV CLIPS AND ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HE INITIATED AND PARADED ON TV, ALL THE DEFECTIONS OF PF AND UPND MEMBERS TO MMD JUST BEFORE THE 2011 EELCTIONS, HE DISGRACEFULLY CAUSED THE UNTHINKABLE IN AFRICA, THE PAINFUL LOSS OF AN INCUMBENT GOVERNMENT IN AN ELECTION. GENUINE MMD MEMBERS WILL NEVER FORGET THE PAIN OF SEEING DORA AND RB FLASHING THE MMD SYMBOL TOGETHER WITH THE PF FIST. NEVERS CALL FOR A CONFERENCE OF GENUINE MMD MEMBERS AND LET US REGROUP. NO PARTY HAS POLICIES LIKE THE MMD. ZAMBIA SHALL BE SAVE.
I MEANT HAVE HAD NO, NO, NO HEART AT ALL FOR MOTHER ZAMBIA BUT JUST HEIR STOMACHS.
NEVERS SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP. YOU A GENUINE PERSON AND YOU ARE NOT TRIBAL. THAT ZALOUMIS WOMAN E SITTING WITH IS A TONGA FROM MONZE, YOUR PERSONAL ASSISTANT NAKA……. ……..IS TONGA.
ZAMBIANS LET US RALLY BEHIND NEVERS. BA LUNGU TABATUTWALE NANGUKUMO. HOW CAN NICKSON BANDA WHO WAS HEAD OF SHUSHUSHU BE BACK JUST BECAUSE OF RB??? THEN WE HAVEN’T MADE ANY PROGRESS.
WE HAVE WITNESSED RECYCLING OF POLITICIANS BUT WHAT MR LUNGU IS ALLLOWING RB TO DO IS NOT ON..
LET US STOP RB. HE IS OUT TO DESTROY THIS NATION AND HE DOES NOT CARE SO LONG AS HE IS EATING. WHAT HELP WAS HE SUPPOSED TO GIVE TO MR. LUNGU WHEN THE ECONOMY IS GOING SO BADLY. RB FOUND THE MMD SUCCESS TRAIN ALREADY RUNNING AND WANTED TO TAKE CREDIT. HE CAN ONLY BE JUDGED ON HOW HE PERFORMED IN UNIP AND MR SATA…
I agree with you, 100% I agree. We just need Nevers and HH to chose from!