Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Party National Secretary Muhabi Lungu has said that his party is more likely to re-adopt their Members of Parliament whose seats were nullified.
Speaking when he welcomed the supreme Court’s decree allowing opposition Members of Parliament(MP) whose seats were nullified to re-contest, Mr Lungu said that former Solwezi Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa and former Petauke MP Dora Siliya are still Members of the MMD despite having been stripped off their party’s NEC position recently.
He said the party will no doubt re-adopt the two candidates because they are full paid up members of the former ruling party.
Mr Lungu further said that the court ruling has been made in accordance to the constitution of Zambia as well as the Electoral Code of Conduct.
Mr Lungu said that the rule of law has prevailed over the Petauke , Solwezi, Vubwi, Zambezi and Solwezi parliamentary seats which the ruling party had applied for an injunction to bar them from re contesting their seats.
He said the opposition has been vindicated adding that even the Electoral Commission(ECZ) of Zambia was ready to conduct the said parliament seats if the ruling party did not intervene using the courts of law.
Meanwhile, former Zambezi Member of Parliament Charles Kakoma said the Supreme court interpreted the law accordingly.
Mr Kakoma , who is opposition United Party for National Development(UPND) Spokesperson said his party will humiliate their opponents during Zambezi West parliamentary by elections.
He said this is a lesson to those people who do not believe in democracy especially this time when politicians are playing modern politics as opposed to colonial politics.
He stated that UPND will do everything to defend their seat by all means to teach others a nice lesson which they will never forget.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling that opposition MPs whose elections were nullified can re-contest their seats.
This is in a case where the ruling Patriotic Front had applied to bar some opposition MP whose elections were nullified on account of alleged electoral malpractices.
Delivering the landmark verdict yesterday morning, Judge Gregory Phiri and Judge Mwanamwambwa who read the judgement on behalf of the full bench said all the MPs whose seats were nullified are free to re-contest.
This means that all the former MPs for Solwezi Central, Petauke Central, Mulobezi, Kasenengwa, Vubwi, Mkushi South, Zambezi West and Malambo constituencies are free to re-contest their seats.
The full Supreme Court bench ruled that the state’s application to set aside the High Court’s ruling lacked merit.
And The Foundation for Democratic Process FODEP says yesterday’s landmark judgment by the supreme court is a victory for both the public and the former members of parliament who were bared to re contest their seats.
FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said the out come was long overdue as the continued delay in the disposal of the cases was a violation of constitutional rights to vote and be voted for respectively.
Mr. Chipenzi said though FODEP is not in support of electoral malpractice and other illegalities; it is the organization’s view and opinion that in the absence of a court conviction of the concerned candidates, it is improper to disallow any candidate whose parliamentary seat has been nullified on account of the electoral process being marred with corruption and illegality.
He noted that the petitions where filed to determine whether the elections were free and fair and not to convict contestants as that is a different process under the current laws.
And Mr. Chipenzi says yesterday’s ruling should serve as an eye opener that should compel electoral stakeholders to campaign for new electoral laws and avoid such controversy in the future.
He said debate on the cases exposed lacunas in the ineffectiveness of the current electoral law, regulations and codes to deal with electoral corruption and other electoral malpractices hence the need to review the current electoral laws.
He also wondered why it is taking the PF government so long to effect electoral reforms when it promised to do that once elected to office.
“The debate exposed some of the serious lacunas in the ineffectiveness of the current electoral law, regulations and codes to deal with electoral corruption and other electoral malpractices. The review of the electoral Act No. 12 of 2006 is a matter of urgency and FODEP does not understand why the PF government has delayed in effecting electoral reforms when areas of reform in the electoral process are well articulated in its manifesto (2011-2016).
“Further, FODEP is concerned that despite the clarity in the constitution with regards the re-contesting or not re-contesting one’s parliamentary seats after nullifications, the Courts took too long to decide on such cases leading to the alleged violation of the Article 67(1) which requires to hold a by-election once the vacancy is due within 90 days a precedence which may have serious future repercussions.”
And
Members such as Dora and Mulusa the might cost the former ruling party because are not loyal.
Democracy is founded on free will and agreement in divergent views. The battle for mmd presidency is over – Nevers Sekwila is boss. Now comes the test: will ba chisusu Dora and mulusa apply to the presido sekwila with cap in hand and kneel before their ‘despised’ presido and beg to stand under the party sekwila is presido!! Life has a way of teaching hard lessons to the proud. I await the submisssion of chisusu bokosi to ba sekwila…..!!
As an MMD fully paid up member with a voters card, I endorse and support this move. We need to show these one many parties dotted around the country that MMD is the mother of democracy and even opposing views are tolerated and you will not lose your life for have divergent views. Just like the great US president Abraham Lincoln who had a cabinet of people that differed with him, so should MMD have MPs that are free to express their views and opinion. That is the only way we shall build a party that will last 200 years.
2016 ni pa Nkoloko!!!! Oh, it could actually be before the end of year, with reports coming from Isreal
It is not about loyalty in the face of wrong doings. Dora and Mulusa knows how to atticulate issues and if they go through the Parliament will be hot because we have the people like Jack Mwiimbu, Harry Nkombo , and others like Nalikwanda MP, Nchelenge etc. I like Mafinga MP and Dora , ladies who can speak with flavor in their mouths.
Bravo!! Lets get to work and expose the unpopularity and vulnerability of PF lackluster politicians. Thereafter root them out across the country in a kind of a mass socialist revolution against useless regimes.
I did not know that Tumfweko is a also a PR machine for the PF just like the post. They are hugely mistaken to think that ZWD is controlled by those people mentioned in their article. They should search a little harder.
How I wish this intelligent man, Muhabi, was in a party I would love to be in power after PF. Last time he was in UNIP when UNIP was clearly headed for political oblivion. What was young intelligent Muhabi trying to achieve by trying to fine-tune UNIP in that age and era? Now. he is in another party, MMD, which gave Zambia democracy, but had become so unpopular in 2011 that that the very thought of it winning the 2011 elections made one want to puke. Strange indeed the way brother Muhabi makes his choices. They are good choices to him. Only that some of us who want to see young intellectuals take the reigns of power and modernise Zambia in all areas would have loved him to be in parties like NAREP, UPND, FDD. Well, brother, it is your choice. You are more than a bonus to MMD and Dr. Mumba.
Wanzelu
we know you are Himmambo,you have been exposed by a woman ,utterly disgusted.
Yes Wanzelu is Lloyd Hamambo.Me i have known it for over a year now.
I am missing Dora!!
Which members ba Muhabi. Jiust and go bury your Party…….. Useless MMD with your chancer leader Nevers…..!!!!!
Ba Anderwear chikwesa Daipa Chisala mwi tupontela ba Kateka. SHut up if you have nothing to say
You must thank God that Sata is away and in his death-bed. The verdict would not have been the same. Chibesakunda saw no need to stick to Sata’s wishes. It’s the case of ‘when the cat is away’!
@Anderson Chisala-MMD under the New Leadership of Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba shall go very far whether you like it or not.Dr Mumba has come to sekwila(clean-up and weed-up) our Zambian Toxic Politics.So ba Anderson just learn to live with that-the New MMD has hit the road-watch the space.
There are only two options here, it must MMD or PF.
@GRAND: Pan.yo pako!
He stated that UPND will do everything to defend their seat by all means to teach others a nice lesson which they will never forget.
Desperate times call for desperate actions.
I 100% agree- this is desperation looking at these candidates and what they did to the leadership- Adopting them will be the last resort-
way to go..guys..let pf dance pelete..liars!!
The ruling by the Supreme Court of Zambia confirms people’s view that the PF are a bunch of political COWARDS who are characterised by their genetically modified FEAR of DEMOCRACY. The game is over for political crooks – hence leading to the liberation of Zambians. The worse is soon to come for PF. God Hear Our Prayers.
Those two former MMD mps must not be trusted by all costs they will still be linking information to pf please keep an eye on them all the time.
Ona kandate ka lingo zakona kapenukelo ka zona, awa, neba kapenukelo ka sikapani sa kulutou ki mwana. I mean, the chap’s nostrils are enormous, one would think he shares the same origins as a “takalu” or is it pangolin.
@ Bo Mubita…….wht r u trying to propagate..!!!!
We kno Nevers’ behavior MMD is going nowhere. Even Dora may NOT RECONTEST HER SEAT.MND is using this to bring her back knowing tht they will loose a WARROIR. Its late already for Mumba and Muhabi’s Party.
@ba Andala….twenu, tamumfwile ulwimbo latest from Kings Malembe ati ‘ Shut up let God speak’
I think this is a good call Mr Lungu – I only hope the former MP’s will think through whatever decision they make. If they should go back as MMD candidates and work through the issues regarding their confidence in the current MMD leadership – they may just be the party to watch. They are after all the only party that can boast of having their party leadership democractically elected at a party convention- the only party where the response to rebellion in the ranks was (in my view) measured – the only party that has dealt with sabotage from former members- colleagues effectively – I am watching them lol
The only good politician is a dead one. Dont be cheated. HH. SATA. WINTER. RB. MPOMBO. all these characters have one thing in common. GREED.
Brothers and sisters, let facts be told !! MMD in its current form cannot win an election. Unless there will be a marriage of convenience between Nevers and the MPs he chased unceremoniously nothing good can come out of MMD.
Dora and Mulusa can win even if they stand as Independent. I live in Petauke and I know what Im talking about!!! Here is my predictions if MMD puts its house in order
;
1.Zambezi West UPND will win
2.Solwezi Central Mulusa will win no matter which Party he stands
3.Mulobezi UPND will win
4.Kasenengwa MMD will win
5.Vubwi MMD will win
6.Malambo Maxwell Mwale will win
7.Petauke Dora will win
8.Mkushi South ?
THAT IS THE WAY TO GO BOSS. SHAME THE DEVILS.
Mubita, what a great thoguth! I am not Bemba so I did not know the meaning of Sekwila.
I agree, Nevers has come with a new broom in the biggest oppostion party in the country. I have made some calls up-country, many people are saying the rformed MMD is the only hope Zambia has. UPND is not a democratic party, you can only be presidient there if you are Tonga. That’s what the ‘owners’ have said publicly.
PF are not interested in being in party for a long time. They have amde their money and want to make the final kill with the $ 1billion bond they are talking about.
For the likes of ambitious Dora and Mulusa, they have to ask themselves if they can submit completely to Nevers. If they can’t let them join PF.
UPND must contest Malambo, Mulobezi, Solwezi, Mkukushi & Zambezi.
Ati ‘When the cat is away’, rats practise “Fairness and Justice”. I am missing the Presidential Press Conferences. Are they alien to Zed now, or the predecessors were using them as mere “yapping” platforms?
Return of the ‘Macks’. So who has their nuts squeezed now Dora et al or Nevers and Muhabi? If the former really meant what they were saying then the latter is in trouble. Let the games begin!
Ala! Vinthu vachinja kudala! Ati Maxwell Mwale, Sililo and Dora ati tekanya first. My heart goes out to these three, especially Dora. Some soul-searching may be in order as to why are things going like this for her?
“Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”
Of the group that really were relentless in wanting to destroy Nevers, after Kachingwe she was the most vicious. Maybe she just needs to humble herself and genuinely reconcile with Nevers for things to start going well for her. God saw and heard everything.
At the height of his persecution in and out of jail, I remember Nevers lamented and said ‘I am a man of God, I cannot be treated this way. Watch this space.” See what is happening in our country now.
The question is can can mmd win these seats without the help of these mps that we are talking about?For me i feel the answer is no,mark my words the only to go is by adopting them,but Lucky can only win Solwezi seat on Upnd not any other party.Dora you ar free to make a choice.