Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) National Secretary Major Richard Kachingwe has dispelled reports that a committee formed by the party’s national executive committee is investigating former President Rupiah Banda. Maj Kachingwe said the committee, headed by the party’s chairman for international affairs Kalombo Mwansa, wants to review the MMD’s performance and establish why it lost the September 20 polls.
Maj Kachingwe said the committee, comprising the party chairperson for legal affairs Bradford Machila, NEC trustee Jane Mkhalipi, chairperson for health Lumba Kalumba and Senga Hill member of Parliament Kapembwa Simbao, has been receiving written submissions from all constituencies and will also receive oral submissions at provincial centres.
“I have written to all provincial chairmen and chairladies informing them of this committee led by Dr Kalombo Mwansa. It’s not investigating president Banda and our members should ignore such reports,” he said.
Meanwhile, with two weeks to go before the party secretariat can close the door to anyone wanting to express interest in the former ruling party’s leadership, 9 top MMD members – mostly former ministers and diplomats, and a businessman – have thrown their hats into the ring and decided to run for party president.
The contenders officially include Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada Nevers Mumba, former Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Felix Mutati and Austin Chewe, a businessman.
A list in the possession of Daily Mail confirms that the nine are the only ones that have applied to their party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to be considered for the once upon a time, most coveted job in town following Mr Banda’s decision to retire.
Mr Banda announced his intentions to quit the MMD presidency after he suffered defeat to Mr Sata in the September 20 elections. MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe confirmed having received applications but refused to disclose the names of the people that hope to succeed Mr Banda.
Major Kachingwe said, “We have about nine to ten people who have applied from the time we invited applications for the presidency.” He said the party expects to receive more applications as the November 30 deadline draws near.
Asked to name the people wishing to contest the MMD presidency, Major Kachingwe said: “We will announce the names of the people interested after we reach the deadline.”
Other strong contenders for the job are former Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Kabinga Pande and former Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo.
The rest are Chisamba member of Parliament Moses Muteteka, Charles Ngesa, a party member based on the Copperbelt, and Mr Nason Msoni, who contested the Kabwata parliamentary seat as an independent.
Party stalwarts say members championing Pastor Mumba as a possible successor to Mr Banda are demanding huge campaign funds from the diplomat. The party bigwigs believe the move has scared interested candidates from announcing their intentions for the party‘s highest position following the monetary demands that are rife in MMD.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
The MMD previous campaign set a bad monetary precedent which will affect the campaign for president. those without money must forget because MMD cadres are looking at the apsirants pockets. its a shame for the former rulling party
Austin Chewe, who failed to dig even a simple well when he was MP of Bwacha in kabwe. You must be joking
Go for Mutati. The man is astute, wtty and eloquent. He does speak without prethought yet keeping his logic.
Most bad eggs have defected to PF, i believe organize the party well.Going round to get submission on why MMD lost is a share waste of time. find a leader soon, so that we start campaigning, someone has already failed to rule this country, honest speaking.
MMD this is the only time you determine if the party can bounce back to power, if you put someone not popular it means you are gone for gud.
Try in 2032
BB,i agree with you that most Bad eggs have moved on to Pf and that MMD should not waste time finding out why they lost.People wanted change and were ready to vote for anything except the MMD but i think they have started comparing the perfomance of the MMD with that of the Pf and i can see no reason why MMD should not bounce back.Let them just find a credible leader and they will ably defeat King Cobra.Right now it’s trial and error for the Cobra and has even been appointing people whom society has condemed to very senior positions and yet he claims to have an allergy to corruption.
Why – dont they know already?? People were fedup of Chiluba – sata called it right and distanced himself from FTJ whereas Banda embraced him. People were FEDUP of corruption – Sata called it again! The apparent lack of democracy in MMD – Banda kicked out anyone who was a threat (UNIP style – pipo refused one parte stylo of democracy)
I am not politically aligned to any party and tend to want the best for whomever is in charge. Seems one of the first things to look at is how to settle in to being in opposition. Not sure the US republican approach of oppose everything and make the other team look bad works when they are now failing to find someone to beat Prez Obama at his lowest popularity. MMD needs to avoid becoming a future source of political amusement after playing hardball. Also new, fresh and young blood might help. Hmm. On all sides. Healthy opposition is good for checks and balances. At the moment there is still more low brow, under the belt punching from all sides. Good for humour but long term could create hostilities that slow development. Economic, moral and intellectual :)
Why you lost election, donot go far your Banda who was brought in corruptly as the Presido of MMD was the culprit.The fellow surrounded himself with corrupt people, he embraced corruption ,Chiluba the corrupt little fellow, who was despised even by his own was turned into a hero.RB never could listen to anybody apart from his own corrupt children, he became wamuyaya, the little god on mother Zambia.he made sure the UNIP mentality is Brought into MMD .SO donot waste our money RB is the cause.
I think that MMD should not rush into hunting for a new president when they are still licking wounds from the lost elections. They should focus on the post-mortem. The NEC through the National Secretary and Chairman can run the party for now until the dust has settled. Otherwise this is bound to throw extra bad-light on the MMD ensuring its death the way UNIP found itself. Right now, if MMD mishandles the presidential issue, it is very likely that they will lose one or two provinces, in addition to Southern that has always been a UPND stronghold, The 2016 elections will be very tribal, and Sata has not started well on uniting the country because he is right in the mix of creating divisions through favouritism and tribal appointments. 2016 wll be very different ball-game.
@Gokigo Milazhe, could not have put it any better. Hats off.
You MMD aspiring party presidents, do not start dishing out money for support because this amounts to corruption. When FTJ contested for the first time in MMD, he had no money to dish-out but won because he was the most popular candidate, not only within the ranks of MMD but also to the electorates across the country. RB had all the money to influence the entire MMD to block for a contender but he was unpopular with the entire electorates. If RB was realistic, he would have asked for one of Mwanawasa’s confidants, such as Magande or Chituwo to lead MMD both in the by-election and tripartite election. I advise Kachingwe to conduct a public poll for aspirants so that the most popular is appointed in the interim before the party convention.
People surprised at Sata’s appointments, wow! We all knew that’s how he would make his Cabinet choices and other parastatal civil positions. Banda too did it, it’s the way of the freedom fighter peoples. We the ones after independence are the one with a different all encompassing vision.MMD let Namugala be president, Mutati vice and you shall be okay.
yaba..wapya munzi..let them go on fight for the seat..we need a president at the end of it!!