Press statement for Immediate Release
NEC SHOULD ENDORSE DR NEVERS MUMBA AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
As the National Executive Committee prepares to meet for a meeting tomorrow, we the youth leaders in the MMD across the country wish to call on the men and women in the NEC to endorse Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba as the sole candidate in the presidential by election.
We believe by endorsing Dr Mumba, the NEC members will be choosing a clear path to prosperity for our dear party and positioning it for success in the presidential by election.
Dr Mumba has demonstrated strong and resilience leadership at the most critical stage in the history of the MMD. Such rare leadership qualities make him a strong presidential candidate.
With Dr Mumba at the summit of our party, we believe the Zambians will give us another chance to preside over national affairs. With Dr Mumba’s vibrant leadership, the future and posterity of our dear party is secured.
The NEC should guard against mortgaging our party to vultures whose interests are personal and not national.
The members of the NEC should be reminded that endorsing Dr Mumba should be a simple and basic act because all the merits of taking such a decision favours him.
Firstly, there is no vacancy in the office of the MMD President. Dr Mumba has occupied this role from the time Mr. Rupiah Banda willingly opted to retire.
Secondly, a precedent should not be set by subjecting a sitting party President to a convention in an event of an election because throughout the MMD’s history, a sitting President is an automatic candidate for the party unless the party President at the time does not qualify to stand as Republican President as the case was with Dr Chiluba in 2001.
We have been dismayed by attempts by Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu to mislead the nation and distort facts by alleging that Dr Mumba is not an automatic presidential candidate for the MMD.
We wish to set the record straight by stating that the NEC can only subject this process to an election if the incumbent elects not to stand.
Tomorrow’s meeting should also formulate a winning strategy that will be used to mobilize resources for the party. The NEC should spell out a clear vision on how the party will run the campaign machinery for Dr Mumba. We advise the NEC not to leave responsibilities of mobilizing resources for the campaigns to Dr Mumba alone. We are in this together and together the MMD shall return to power.
We also call on the NEC members to adopt a spirit of unity of purpose and embrace Dr Mumba’s call for morality in politics. Let them not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by a sense of occasion by realize that tomorrow’s meeting could be the beginning of a new chapter in Zambia’s history. Let them put aside their personal egos and rally behind Dr Mumba.
We reiterate that endorsing Dr Mumba should be simple because there is no any other party member who has come forth to express interest to vie for the position.
As it stands, Dr Mumba is the sole candidate and the NEC members should respect the wishes of the general membership by formally endorsing him for the presidential by election.
Issued by:
MMD Youth Provincial Leaders (15/11/14)
Copperbelt-Chiko Chibale
Northwestern- Jones Mulusa
Northern-Webster Nkole
Muchinga-Lovewell Nsofwa
Luapula-Jackson Mwewa
Central-Mando Chileshe
Western- Sililo Kusika
Southern-Jordan Malawo
Lusaka- Scorpion Kadobi
Why is Eastern Province missing on the list of leaders who signed this statement? Are they still habouring the belief that RB is the best candidate to bring MMD back into power. I think they are misguided. Zambians are done with old president and Presidential funerals. Our wise men from the East need to read the situation carefully.
The tag ‘wise men from the east’ is very misleading in the case of our brethren from Chipata. What I am pointing out is that they are far from wise. They are always lagging behind. For example when something goes out of fashion that’s when they embrace it as the ‘in thing’ and parade themselves as trendsetters. Right at this minute they are fixated with the insane idea of having RB or Lungu as president and no one will shake them out of this misguided belief. If I had a way I would seriously think about reclassifying them, I mean are they really human? Me don’t think so.
Observer I don’t agree. Rupiah Banda is better for MMD. He is more popular than nevers. More popular than HH as evidenced from previous polls. MMD s life is dependent on RB. Out side be PF, I would give him my vote
Sheer waste of time and money, not Nevers Mumba please. No one listens to him any more. Look at how many by-elections MMD has lost under Nevers. Unless you have the money to waste ba MMD. In fact you should be thinking of 2016…..not now. We know some youths are on his payroll.
Can some one post the MMD constitution, the one on their website is not readable. Lifting Dr Mumba in prayers. Why have a convention when it is not automatic that the Party President may not stand for Republican Party during his term, it looks like it is merely for image building targeting those who easily get swayed by external appearances, not good use of funds and there is no difference between them and those parties who do not go for conventions.
Let the people vote . Ifya sole candidate vinata
The way things work, the youths have one vote on the NEC. Others may look at this issue differently. Just like someone has already said the Sole candidate syndrome went with Kaunda and Chiluba. People now compete. So may the best candidate in MMD win. Nevers is not the only one interested in this bye election. He has made it look that way. They are others with better credentials than him that will come up tomorrow when they vote. The youths should not be blinded. What are they going to do, if Nevers is not adopted? Go to the street and demostrate? Typical! They should be open minded and not start endorsing people. Let them talk through their representative on the NEC. I hope they will be voting tomorrow though. Wina azalila!
Listen brothers and sisters.Nevers was subjected to the elections at the last convention and he won without any doubt.The next one is coming up in 2016 full stop.Under this circumstances MMD doesnt need another election because Never Mumba’s mandate runs up to 2016.Whoever even started the issue of RB coming back at this stage is there to bring confusion in MMD.If RB wants to come back let him wait for the convention in 2016 and then he can stand.Not at this stage when MMD has a sitting president.If for arguments sake there is another presidential by election after 2months does it mean that you need to go for another convention?Grow up and be responsible.Running a nation is not for opportunists.
You have not being helping MMD in any way. There have been challenges with the party almost deregistered, you have been away without any solidarity. You left the party in a very dire situation and literally deserted it. The senior members also deserted it and left Nevers to clean all the mess alone. Even the incompetent ones have just been painting a negative picture of Nevers instead of helping. Now that there is bound to be a bye election, basokoloka, saying we are here to take over. How f00lish. MMD already has a candidate chosen at a convention. Nzelu kupelebela bati
Let them OPENLY say tht they DONT WANT HIM because he is Bemba.
No need to lie. NEVERS has tried his level best to build MMD.
I am VOTING FOR UPND…..ITS HH ‘Now or Never’