Former MMD president Nevers Mumba has continued to suffer setbacks in his quest to forcefully and illegally cling to the presidency of the former ruling party as Zambia Centre for InterParty Dailogue has distanced itself from him.

Monica Kanjimana who is the Executive Director said ZCID had a board meeting on Thursday where it was resolved that it would recongnise Felix Mutati and his National Executive Committee as the legitimate leaders of the MMD as Dr Mumba and his group had no credible document to back their claims.

Ms Kanjinmana said the Centre had been petitioned by the former president’s group to stop dealing with the MMD National Secretary Rapheal Nakacinda claiming that he was not the legitmate National Secretary of the party but their claims were not backed by any documents from any legal institution including the Registrar of Societies.

She explained that ZCID carried out independent investigations to acertain the leadership of the former ruling party and was satsified that the Mutati headed NEC was the legitmate leadership as their names were reflecting at Registrar of Societies and that they have documents to back their claims.

“We had a board made a resolution yesterday during the meeting to respond to Hon. Nakacinda’s response to that letter and the Board resolved on firm ground to continue doing business with the MMD that is in good standing with the Registrar of Societies, whose names are recognised by the law through Registrar of Societies as the official officers of the MMD.

“The Board also concluded that the issue raised by Elizabeth Chitika was not legitimate because that letter came without any back up information as to why they were making those allegations. There was however a response from Mr Nakacinda which provided the Board with sufficient evidence and documents to satisfy them that they are the right people to deal with as party leaders,” she said.

On 13th October Elizabeth Chitika wrote to the ZCID claiming that the legitimate leadership of the MMD was under Nevers Mumba and not Felix Mutati hence ZCID should stop dealing with the later.

When contacted former Deputy Home Affairs minister Hon. Gaston Sichilima, who is National Chairperson for Elections said it was a minor move of Dr. Mumba’s continued attempts to use deceit.

“They wrote and they have been shamed yet again, they wanted to use ZCID to get legitimacy but we are glad the board resolved on firm ground and this shows that these are just but street boys and girls trying to survive.

“We furnished them with even court documents, and you should notice once anyone requests documents from Dr Nevers Mumba, that’s your end of friendship with him. But you can’t continue to claim things when you don’t even have a simple thing as a logo or headed paper. They seem to have registered a new party called New MMD,” he said.

A letter to ZCID obtained by this reporter shows that Ms Chitika was using a wrong letterhead as well as a non existent party called ” The New Movement for Multiparty Democracy.”

And in response to Ms Chitika’s Letter MMD National Secretary said MMD has not changed its name and that Ms Chitika was not the MMD National Secretary.

“…there is no record to prove that there was a convention where Ms Chitika was elected by Movement for Multiparty Democracy as National Secretary and Reuben Sambo as Deputy Preisdent and by the way we have no positio of deputy president in MMD.

I want to raise issues on the photocopied enclosed letter which was written by Elizabeth Chitika, that it is very clear from the logo on the letter head and the title “NEW” Movement for Multiparty Democracy is not registered with the registrar of Societies. It is only the convention which has powers to change the name of the party or the logo.

“The original MMD was registered in 1990 and has no word “NEW” and bears the logo with the motto ” The Hour Has Come” and not the HOUR FOR NEW HOPE. You are free to check with Registrar of Societies,” reads the letter in part.