Opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) National Chairman Tobias Maliti has said party members countrywide have resolved that an extra ordinary national convention will go on with or without its incumbent President Dr. Nevers Mumba ceremoniously handing over the Presidency to the would be newly elected leader.
Mr. Maliti, the former Chingola District Commissioner, said MMD members have realized that Dr. Mumba, whose tenure of office came to an end on 25th May 2022, is holding the Party to ransom, an act that they will not allow in a party that is premised on upholding democracy.
He insists the party will go ahead and hold an extra ordinary convention as the party will not running without a legitimate President and members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, after the departure of Dr. Mumba.
And Mr. Maliti has revealed that the former ruling party no longer has factions as both sides, one led by Dr. Mumba and that which has been led by Mr. Gaston Sichilima, are now working together as a single entity with a similar goal of restoring the party.
The Movement for Multi-Party Democracy National Chairman is now calling upon all members and non-members, including those who either left, expelled or suspended to go back to the party and revive the mother of democracy in the country.
Mr. Maliti insisted that him and other progressive party members hold no hate or grudge against Dr. Mumba but that his time as party President was up according to the party Constitution in Article 40.
“Firstly, as the National Chairman of the Movement for Muilti-Party Democracy (MMD), I would like to set the record straight that in the interest of the party,I can confirm that we have reached out to the other faction of our party led by Hon. Gaston Sichilima and there are no more factions in the party. Yes, in the past there were factions but we have reconciled all the factions and we have are now a united party,” Mr. Maliti said.
“Secondly, I would like to take this opportunity to call upon all members and non-members including those who either left, were expelled or were suspended to please come back to the party. Thirdly, we would like to inform to the nation that Dr. Nevers Mumba is no longer the MMD President ad his ten year tenure elapsed on the 25th of May, 2022 according to Article 40. Dr. Mumba was elected as party President on the 25th of May, 2022. I would like to put it on record that I don’t hate, neither do I have or hold any grudge against Dr. Mumba. For those who might not know, in 2025 I defended Dr. Mumba against the late former President Rupiah Banda by taking the late to court. My difference with him are strictly partizan. Partizan in the sense that as National Chairman of the party, I am reminding him that his tenure has ended,” he said.
“Last but not the least, I would like to appeal to the conscious of all National Executive Committee Members to put the interest of the party against an individual who is illegally clinging on to the party presidency. Party members countrywide have resolved that an extra ordinary convention will go on with or without Dr. Mumba ceremonial handing over the presidency to the next president as they have realised that among others, that he is holding the party to ransom as he has failed to unite and reconcile the party as his tenure has ended,” Mr. Maliti said.
Meanwhile, MMD founder member and former Presidential Affairs Minister under Levy Mwanawasa, Webby Chipili, has repeated the resolve of the party as explained by the National Chairman Mr. Maliti.
Mr. Chipili said it is high time the MMD reorganized itself and took its rightful place in the democratic dispensation of the country and that the convention be held soon in consideration of all party process.
The MMD had some leadership wrangles in 2016 when a group of some members held an illegal Convention and created a faction leadership. This faction came to an end when the Courts ruled that they were illegal as that Convention was deemed null and void.
All eyes will be on MMD to see if they will have a successful Convention.
The party had earlier in March, 2021 planned to hold a national convention which never took place.
At that time, MMD National Secretary Elizabeth Chitika had said that the Party would have it’s Convention on the 20th of March, 2021.
Meanwhile, former MMD Muchinga Member of Parliament Howard Kunda last month declared that Dr.Nevers Mumba’s tenure as party President had expired.
Mr. Kunda told Dr Mumba to handover power to the next president who will be elected at the convention saying that his time has elapsed.
Mr Kunda had cited Article 40 (1) of the MMD constitution which states that the Party president shall hold office for two terms of five years each and will not be eligible for reelection.