Kaingu Takes Step to Stop MMD President ‘Mumba Taken To Police’

DIVISIONS in the MMD have deepened with vice-president for politics Michael Kaingu opting to report party president Nevers Mumba to the police today in a bid to stop him from convening a national executive committee (NEC) meeting this Saturday.

The meeting is scheduled to fill the vacant position of national secretary.
And MMD Copperbelt information and publicity secretary Yotam Mtayachalo, along with two senior Ndola district officials, have defected to the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD).
Dr Kaingu said yesterday that police should not allow the NEC meeting to take place on Saturday because the security of some senior leaders is not guaranteed.
Dr Kaingu, who is Mwandi member of Parliament (MP), said he will personally report the matter to Lusaka Central Police Station today because MMD youths led by Bowman Lusambo have allegedly threatened to beat up senior leaders perceived to be against Dr Mumba.
He alleged that Mr Lusambo and other youths are on record that they  will beat him if he and other NEC members calling for an extraordinary convention attend the meeting.
“The group which is led by a young man called Lusambo is threatening to beat us who are perceived not to support Nevers Mumba, the group where I belong with Siliya, [MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya],  Mulusa [former Solwezi Central member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa] and others,” Dr Kaingu said.
He said it is unfortunate that Mr Lusambo has allegedly been threatening to “sort out” senior leaders through the media if they turn up at the NEC meeting.
“Meanwhile, we have been invited for the same meeting. If we have to attend this meeting, what is logical is that we should also carry with us protection, whatever protection we shall have within ourselves and within our youths. We have to call for youths also, and that will mean clashes with that group,” he said.
“If the police are going to allow that meeting to go ahead, they will be courting violence. The duty of the police is to stop crime and this meeting provides an opportunity for crime to be committed, so it should not be allowed to go ahead.”
When contacted, Dr Mumba said the correct position on the NEC meeting will be communicated by acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu.
“The correct position comes from the national secretary, he is the only one mandated to issues a statement about NEC meetings.
The media have to wait for a statement from the secretariat but the meeting is scheduled within this month,” Dr Mumba said.
But according to a circular dated April 17, the MMD is scheduled to hold its NEC meeting on April 26 and it has invited all NEC members to attend.
And Mr Nyangu said he has not received instructions from Dr Mumba to postpone the NEC meeting following security concerns by some senior leaders.
“I have not received any instruction from the president to cancel the meeting because the one who called for the meeting is the president,” Mr Nyangu said.
He said although some MMD members want the NEC meeting to be postponed, it is up to Dr Mumba to make the decision.
And Mr Mtayachalo has defected to the FDD along with MMD Ndola district secretary William Wilima and district youth chairperson Cephas Musonda.
Mr Mtayachalo told a media briefing in Kitwe yesterday that the decision by the three MMD leaders to join FDD was reached after a consultative meeting with party president Edith Nawakwi.
Mr Mtayachalo said the future of the MMD is bleak because of the squabbles that have rocked the party.
“The MMD in its current state is not going anywhere. I am not seeing any future in the MMD. I joined on my own accord and I can leave whenever I want,” he said.
Mr Mtayachalo said he has decided to support Ms Nawakwi because she has good credentials and Zambia is now ready for a woman president.
He pledged to work with Ms Nawakwi to mobilise the party structures countrywide.
Mr Wilima said Ms Nawakwi is a visionary leader who has the experience and determination to lead the country .
Meanwhile, Ms Nawakwi said it is important for political parties to realise that there is no need to fight each other.
She said there is too much political violence between and within the political parties.
“What we are doing as FDD is to build bridges among political parties.
There is too much violence within and between political parties, we need to realise that we are brothers and sisters,” Ms Nawakwi said.
She also said FDD is willing to work with members of other political parties and thanked the former MMD members for joining FDD.

Posted by Editor on April 24, 2014. Filed under POLITICS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry