THE Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) says it does not take negative remarks made by its former national secretary Katele Kalumba about the party seriously.
MMD national secretary Michael Mabenga said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the former ruling party does not pay attention to Dr Kalumba’s statements because he is not in the administrative structure of the party.
Mr Mabenga was reacting to Dr Kalumba’s statement that MMD’s loss in the Msanzala parliamentary by-election is a reflection of a structural collapse in the former ruling party.
“Dr Katele Kalumba is nowhere near the administrative structure of our party. We don’t take his comments seriously,” he said.
The MMD, which fielded Peter Daka in the Msanzala parliamentary by-election, lost the seat to the Patriotic Front candidate Joseph Lungu.
On Saturday, Dr Kalumba said the MMD’s loss in the Msanzala parliamentary by-election is an indication that the former ruling party’s structures had collapsed.
Dr Kalumba advised Mr Daka to take comfort in the knowledge that the electoral loss is not his personal failure, but a reflection of a collapse in MMD structures.
He said it is unfortunate that Mr Daka did not win the election despite the fact that he was contesting the seat for the second time, after the September 20 tripartite elections.
Dr Kalumba warned that unless the structural collapse of the MMD is addressed, the former ruling party may not win future elections.
Meanwhile,the MMD in Luapula has directed its district executive committees to begin consultations for a successor to take over from former president Rupiah Banda.
MMD Luapula province chairman Emmanuel Chungu said in an interview from Mansa yesterday that he has given the district executive committee up to the end of this month to conclude the consultations.
“All the names of the candidates who have declared their intentions to stand and their profiles have been submitted. By mid-March, I will be meeting the district leadership to consolidate their findings,” Mr Chungu said.
He said it is important for the MMD to consult widely so that the former ruling party can come up with a party president who will be accepted by all.
“We want to get to the branches through the districts because they are the ones who will campaign for the party,” Mr Chungu said.
He said the MMD in Luapula is not restricting consultations to bona fide members but the process also involves political parties, churches and non-governmental organisations.
“We are consulting all political parties, including the governing party because we believe that the candidate must be acceptable to all,” Mr Chungu said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
pf sucks….i don’t like it because of little education they have…..viva upnd and mmd……shame satan and his followers
Katele is right, and he’s just being diplomatic. MMD stinks with corruption and nothing has changed since the loss of power to PF in Sept polls. You can’t even of coming back into power in 2016 if you do not change your ways.
@miz…we fontini niwebo…how do you know that their are no educated people in pf?
Miz, PF is the 1st party since independence to produce a Veep and 1st lady who are Dr, so what are you talking about!!!
Is Katele still mmd? I thought he is now joined the Bemba party PF. His statement looks like it was sponsored by king cobra.
Katele kalumba and his wife should just declare publicly that they are PF or atleast trying to seek sympathy for them to be invited into the ruling party. But somehow they are shy. They have tried to get themselves expelled but it hasn’t worked. But dont get surprised to see Katele as PF NEC Member in the near future.
But whats wrong with Ba Katele’s statement? Mabenga wake up and smell the coffee! You are not very popular any more and the earlier you start accepting that the better for your party. Remember UNIP?
Katele Kalumba, like VJ, despite some scandal attributed to him standz az one of the best pozitioned memberz the MMD can boast of. So for Mabenga to “ignore” Katele’z sentiments iz like fishing on dry land.
kalumba should concentrate on him being a headman..forget about politics sir..you are too soiled with corruption bemba man!
Mabenga has been rejected by his own people in Mulobezi and you think he can have a national influence. Keep dreaming and stay in the opposition forever. These people know if the leave the party ranks, they are finished and won’t have anything to point at as politicians. Party ranks are the only strings remaining for them to be mentioned once in a while. They are there for personal edification not moving the party forward. Actualy, they were suppose to resign on moral grounds by now in a civilised society.
Katele is right. MMD should accept plain facts. they chose a wrong candidate.
Politics are for all and to say he should not talk about what is going on in the country is just being shallow mindedness. All Zambians, including village headmen have the right to talk about any national issue. So those who are saying “Kalumba should concentrate on being a headman” Just dont know about politics
Katele I need to buy a laptop made in chiyengi,you already know the specs
I think the MMD has passed its usefulness. the nuPND has run out of ideas and the PF are too spontenous to be in government. it is not PF which sucks. It is the populous. We are so dull we cant produce a formidable leadership reservior.
Why is H.E Sata wasting time chasing Henry Banda ending up having friction with other countries when this thief is awaiting arrest?
If you say don not take katele Kalumbas remarks seriously then we do not know the kind of people you are.In Eastern there a saying that says “savera za azake anamvera nkhwangwa ili mutu.”
@ZaChisoni, not ukumbikilako. It’s you who is dull,not we! Katele is right nangu nibamwine mushi. MMD is finished.
Interesting to read views from various bloggers. Dr Kalumba is absolutely spot on and the MMD will benefit if they pay attention to the statement. It is the structures at grassroots level which must be strong for a party to win. Do not under estimate the power of grassroot populous. PF learnt that they could rely on votes from the C/B, Lusaka and N/ province alone. This is correct even if you put aside the instances of rigging. Grassroot politics is a different ball game altogether.
I do believe that in a democracy everyone is entitled to their opinion. Katele need therefore not declare himself to be PF to criticise. There have to be views which are different even within the MMD party itself? Let’s us not promote tribalism by assuming that all PF are Bemba only.
Ba kalamba ba Katele na bavoka
I agree with Katele.MMD will never bounce back as long as the prense t NEC contnues .This is the worst and weakest NEC since MMD was formed.They are not capable .We need leaders who understand the vision of the party.Let them go to the convetion and elect new NEC.
MMD died when they decided to put RB as president. Unfortunately our Zambia is now a one party state. The key things we are supposed to address are the abitrary decisions by the monster we hav created ourselves and The rapid devaluation of the kwacha etc but we are letting PF go unchecked. Even HH is disgrantled and just politicking. Shame on you MMD and HH
iwe mmd’s lose has nothingg to do with RB,people just got tired of the party even before RB took over.This election was about changing a party,because not every pf who won is credible.
PF are satanists. They stink. Viva anybody but PF!!!
Dr. Kalumba has a large following despite not being in the administrative structure of the MMD. The current leadership of the MMD is what caused the humiliating defeat. Most NEC members are pre-occupied with self preservation. Mr. Mabenga has not addressed or countered what KaKa is saying. Ignoring credible advice is part of what caused the MMD defeat. The same goes for the observations made by Muteteka about the outcome of the Msanzala by-election. Peter Daka lost to an independent candidate, it didn’t make much sense for the MMD to adopt him again, and within such a short period of time. Mr. Mabenga, listen to what your members are saying, including KaKa. All things being equal, none of the candidates vying for the MMD presidency can much KaKa, and I know that you know this fact.