MMD Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga has said that it is indiscipline for former Defence minister George Mpombo and others to continue attacking President Banda through the media when they are aware of communication channels within the party.
Speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mwaanga said as such, Mr Mpombo and others that have incessantly attacked President Banda over the MMD convention and other issues faced disciplinary action.
This was particularly that the MMD had two days ago offered an olive branch to Mr Mpombo for reconciliation with others in the party.
“I certainly do not appreciate the attacks on President Banda by Mr Mpombo. If Mr Mpombo still wants to see the MMD continue as a governing party, he should direct his comments in writing to the right organs and not commenting through the media. That is indiscipline of the highest order,” Mr Mwaanga said.
He said that it was normal for MMD members to agitate that things should be done in a certain way but that they should not use unorthodox means of putting their points across.
He said using unorthodox means was tearing the party apart and it was therefore important that senior members like Mr Mpombo avoided such.
“I do not think that we are helping each other by attacking the party president in the Press. A party that does not have discipline will quickly run into trouble and what Mpombo and others are doing is starting trouble in the party. Members who are making such statements are indisciplined,” Mr Mwaanga said.
Mr Mwaanga said that the party constitution was clear on members that continuously violated the regulation, saying Mr Mpombo and others were courting trouble for themselves.
On the continuous comments on MMD matters by son of late President Levy Mwanawasa, Patrick, Mr Mwaanga wondered what constituency the late president’s son represented.[quote]
And MMD Luapula Province MMD chairperson Chrispin Musosha has said utterances by Mr Mpombo will not distract President Banda and the MMD from its developmental agenda.
Mr Musosha who is Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister said in an interview yesterday, Mr Mpombo’s outbursts on the president would not be allowed to distract him from his developmental focus.
He said it was clear that Mr Mpombo was sponsored and was not alone in causing confusion within the ruling party.
Mr Mpombo and his group had been planted and their objective was to call for a convention and then pour in a lot of money so that the president could start bending to their demands.
“There is no need for in-fighting because all past MMD presidents were given chance and ruled without any problems,” he said.
Grassroots in Luapula had accepted that the party had no money for a convention because he had covered all the structures of the party.
Mr Musosha said that it was sheer indiscipline for any party member to talk ill of the leadership
