Nevers Mumba has joined the race to become the MMD candidate in the forthcoming presidential by-elections.

In an interview, Dr Mumba confirmed that he had presented his application to the MMD secretariat but refused to comment further.

Asked when he rejoined the MMD after having been Reform Party (RP) president, Dr Mumba said the MMD secretariat had all those details.

“I have applied but for further details you can contact the secretariat,” Dr Mumba said.

On his website Dr Mumba is quoted as saying “I believe in Zambia. I also believe in the Zambian people. We have what it takes to move our country out of this valley of poverty and despair. History encourages us with nations that had sunk and yet through a unified resolve, ended up on top…There is hope for Zambia. Hope for us to transform ourselves into a prosperous nation.”

Dr Mumba, 48, was a presidential candidate in 2001 when he lost to the late President Mwanawasa, who in May 2003 appointed him vice-president, the position he held until October 2004 when he was dropped.

He holds an honourary doctorate from Flint and an associate degree from Christ for the Nations Institute in the United States of America.

MMD Administrative Secretary, Augustine Chapita, said in an interview in Lusaka that a member who resigns from the party and wishes to come back should re-apply to the party’s branch committee before the National Executive Committee (NEC) considers such a one.

Mr. Chapita was commenting on former republican Vice President, Nevers Mumba’s application for adoption as the MMD’s presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential by elections.

He explained that only persons who have been members for two years were eligible to contest any position in the party and contest elections on the party’s card.

The MMD presidential candidate would be chosen by the party’s national executive committee currently comprising 55 members on September 5.Meanwhile Minister of Home Affairs, Ronnie Shikapwasha has also joined the race for MMD presidency.

He is quoted as saying “I can confirm that I am going for the position because this has been done after wide consultation. I cannot say much but I hope I will be given a chance to serve the nation.”

Dr. Mumba and General Shikapwasha joined other contenders, who include acting president Rupiah Banda, former vice-president, Enock Kavindele, and former Works and Supply, Minister Ludwig Sondashi.

Others are Lusaka businessman, Sebastian Kopulande, former Constitution Review Commission (CRC) Chairman, Willa Mung’omba, Finance Minister, Ng’andu Magande and Minister of Health, Brian Chituwo.

Government has described as stable the condition of Local Government and Housing Minister, Sylvia Masebo.

Mrs Masebo was admitted to the Maina Soko Military Hospital on Friday ,after collapsing at Lusaka City Airport, where she was among senior government officials, members of the first family and other mourners who gathered at Lusaka City Airport to receive the body of late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Mrs Masebo fainted after seeing the casket carrying the late President’s body. Late President Levy Mwanawasa’s body arrived Friday in  Lusaka after being taken to all the provincial capitals to enable members of the public view it.

Acting President, Rupiah Banda, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Cabinet ministers and their deputies and service chiefs were on hand to receive the body of the late President.

Upon arrival, the late Dr. Mwanawasa’s body was accorded a presidential salute by a quarter guard mounted by the Zambia Air Force.

The late President’s body was then placed on the military gun carriage and taken to Mulungushi International Conference Center where it will lie in repose until Tuesday next week.

First lady Maureen, Gender Minister Patricia Mulasikwanda, Sports Minister Gabriel Namulambe and Presidential Affairs Minister Cecil Holmes were among those that accompanied the body of the late President.

Others included Science Minister Peter Daka, President Mwanawasa’s special assistants Jack Kalala and John Musukuma, MMD Deputy National Secretary Jeff Kaande and other family members.

Lusaka residents, have the  opportunity to pay their last respects to the late President,  from 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours today.

On Tuesday next week, a valedictory service will be conducted for the late President at the Supreme Court in Lusaka before burial on Wednesday at the Embassy Park.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has extended the deadline of submitting application letters from individuals wishing to stand as presidential candidates for the forthcoming by-elections on its ticket.

The extension is from the initial deadline of August 26th to Friday, August 29th 2008.

Party National Secretary, Katele Kalumba, said in a press statement to ZANIS today that the MMD would accept applications from all eligible members of the party for the position of president.

Dr. Kalumba said the party would not intimidate anyone who would like to stand for the position.

“The national secretary would like to warn that no member, no family, occupation, region, religion, tribe, no gender should be intimidated in their aspirations to be considered as candidates for republican presidency under MMD ticket,” he said.

He further explained that applications from candidates would be considered in confidence until they were cleared by the his office

He said the MMD constitution required that convection be held for the election and therefore, the legal committee which was detailed to look at the mode of adoption could make recommendation to the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Dr. Kalumba MMD was a party that existed to promote democracy and fight discrimination and therefore, it must support those who would want to aspire to be considered for president under MMD ticket.

ZANIS/SS/KSH/END.

Ruling MMD Chairperson for Information and Publicity, Ben Tetamashimba has urged party members to stop implicating the First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa in the presidential by-election debate.

Mr. Tetamashimba said Mrs. Mwanawasa has already clearly stated her position on the matter, adding that she could not turn round after the husband’s death.

In a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Tetamashimba said the first lady’s position which she gave to the nation was that she was not available to contest the republican presidency.

Mr. Tetamashimba’s reaction comes in the wake of a continuing heated debate on whether first lady Maureen Mwanawasa should contest in the forth coming presidential by-election or not.

He said Mrs. Mwanawasa instead deserves to be helped by the government to look after the children as suggested earlier by Patriotic Front president Michael Sata.

Mr. Tetamashimba has since commended that PF leader for suggesting the idea of looking after the Mwanawasa family.

He has also cautioned some party members against mounting pressure in the party and charged that such people had an agenda to cause division in the party.

Mr. Tetamashimba has also said that he would on August 30, give a comprehensive statement on why Vice President Rupiah Banda should stand as a presidential candidate on the MMD ticket for the forthcoming presidential by-elections in November.

He said a statement will also be given on what transpired between Mr. Sata and Mrs. Mwanawasa in Chipata yesterday.

And Former  Kitwe Mayor  William Nyirenda has called on the ruling MMD to adopt acting President Rupiah Banda for the forthcoming Presidential by-election to maintain political stability.

ZANIS Kitwe Reports that Mr Nyirenda who is also a prominent Kitwe lawyer, said in an interview that the  MMD has no time to identify and come up with another  leader within this short  time hence the need to adopt Mr Banda.

Mr Nyirenda noted that allowing  various people in the MMD to contest for the vacant position will breed chaos and disunity in the ruling party and the country as a whole.

He also advised  the opposition political parties vying for the republican presidency to seriously rethink their position and allow Mr Rupiah Banda to take the mantle of power and complete the three years remaining for the late Dr  Mwanawasa’s  term of Office.

Mr Nyirenda said the opposition political parties must support the candidature of Mr Banda to allow the MMD complete their term and all the economic programmes embarked on by the deceased head of state.

He said the opposition political parties should wait for the 2011 tripartite elections which were more competitive than the forthcoming presidential bye election.

He also appealed to the people that were sitting on the National Constitution  Conference to learn from this experience when drafting the new constitution by making the Vice president a Presidential running mate.

In Southern Province, Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka has advised the MMD to nominate Vice President, Rupia Banda as its presidential candidate during the forthcoming presidential by-election.

The chief told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that floating a different candidate other than Mr Rupiah Banda will split the ruling party into divisions.

He said Mr Banda has proved that he is capable of running the affairs of the country as evidenced by the manner in which he has handled national duties when the late president Mwanawasa was hospitalised in France.

And chief Mwanachingwala has advised the MMD to handle the succession of president Mwanawasa with care to avoid spliting the party.

He said the current situation where senior members are issuing statements on their preferred candidates is not healthy for the ruling party.
ZANIS/HC/BMK/ENDS

Politicians and Zambians at large have been advised to stop the  succession talk and concentrate on concluding the funeral for the late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Forum for Development and Democracy-FDD President Edith Nawakwi told ZANIS in Kasama that those who are anxious to take over from the late Dr. Mwanawasa should  wait until the late President is buried.

Ms. Nawakwi people should be mature and respect this period of mourning which she said is a Zambian way of doing things.

“Let us give our brother dignity and bury him in peace. Some people are literally squabbling over inheritance when we have not even buried Levy,” she said.

She pointed out that  talking about  succeeding DR. Mwanawasa at such a time when the nation has not even buried the late beloved President is sending a wrong signal to the Zambian people.

“This is not the right time. I felt too distressed the last couple of days s some people have engaged themselves in succession squabbles,” said Ms. Nawakwi.

The FDD Leader said talking about inheritance might send a wrong message not only to the outside world that the country is disunited.

“Levy died  and did not die in vain. He died in pursuant of unity not only for Zambia but Africa as a whole. And every one in the region is looking to Zambia to see how we shall mourn our late President,” said Ms. Nawakwi.

She advised all politicians to forget their differences and look at the future of Zambia.

Ms. Nawakwi said at a personal level, the late President Mwanawasa had a heart to reach as evidenced  by  the number of people who had begun focusing on Zambia as their investment destination.

And the body of the  late President  Mwanawasa’s body was this morning at 07:14 hours flown to Mansa in Luapula province.

As the Zambia Airways Plane carrying Dr. Mwanawasa’s body started off for the runway, people of Kasama wailed and waved their last goodbye to the Late President.

The body is accompanied by First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Simon Miti, Chief of Protocol Ambassador Darius Bubala, the late President Mwanawasa’s Aid-de Camp Joseph Kaonga and other senior government officials and family members.

The late President’s body was seen off at the Kasama Airport by Northern Province Minister Lameck Chibombamilimo, Commerce Minister Felix Mutati, Works and Supply Minister Kapembwa Simbao, Community Development Minister, Catherine Namugala and Forum for Development and Democracy-FDD President Edith Nawakwi.

Others were Energy Deputy Minister Gunston Sichilima, Northern Province Permanent Secretary Gabriel Kaunda, senior government and party officials.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chibombamilimo described the body viewing programme for the late President Mwanawasa as peaceful and a success.

Mr. Chibombamilimo said at least thousands of people in the Northern province were accorded a chance to body view their late President.

He said the people of Northern province loved the late President going by the attendance during the body viewing programme.

ENDS/CBM/MK/ZANIS

Northern Province Minister, Lameck Chibombamilimo has proposed that Mrs Mwanawasa should take over as president, saying she has the attributes necessary for the job. He said in Lusaka Sunday that Mrs Mwanawasa’s credentials were appropriate for this period and that she could be trusted to stick to the principles set by Mwanawasa.

“We cannot doubt her capacity to discharge the duties of this office as we have been witnesses to her developmental work scattered throughout the country and her leadership at the continental level where she has led her fellow first ladies in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Chibombamilimo said in a statement.

He said a cross-section of Zambians would not hesitate to rally behind Mrs Mwanawasa as a way of honoring her late husband’s vision.

“My strongest appeal to my fellow leaders in government and the ruling party is that we put aside our individual pursuit for leadership and demonstrate to the nation and the world at large that we are not in power for the sake of power,” he said.

And losing Matero MMD candidate in the 2006 general elections, Goodward Mulubwa has echoed Chibombamilimo’s sentiments.

Mulubwa said Mrs Mwanawasa had the right qualities befitting a national president.

He said the first lady was well known countrywide because of the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative programs she had been undertaking.

[Times of Zambia]