. Kachingwe

By SYLVESTER MWALE –
FORMER MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe says party president Nevers Mumba is bent on taking the former ruling party to its grave.
The former ruling party is currently in ‘intensive care’ because of squabbles between Dr Mumba and senior party members, including his two vice-presidents – Brian Chituwo and Michael Kaingu.
Major Kachingwe appeared to have prophesised the current situation in 2012 when he nullified Dr Mumba’s election as party president, on the basis that he had lodged fake documents on his eligibility to contest.
But his action provoked anger among cadres who physically hounded him out of office before being replaced by Kapembwa Simbao as national secretary.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times during the week, Maj Kachingwe said he had been vindicated by senior members on his position that Dr Mumba did not mean well for the party.
Maj Kachingwe said Dr Mumba “is a man with an open mouth but a closed mind” who should not be allowed to be anywhere near the former ruling party.
He noted that the damage caused by Dr Mumba to the party was too severe and urged senior party members not to relent in getting rid of him.
“I had seen all this coming but some people thought that I was mad,” Maj Kachingwe said. “But now 15 months down the line senior members have realised that he is a wrong chap.
“The colleagues who have risen now, though it’s late, must be strong because he has damaged the party so badly, and I think the only answer is for Mumba to just go because he is not MMD and the MMD doesn’t know him.”
In apparent reference to Rupiah Banda’s loss of the 2011 elections, Maj Kachingwe said the MMD was today out of Government because of the idea of importing members like Dr Mumba.