SILIYA

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE-
THE MMD should voluntarily de-register if party leader Nevers Mumba remains defiant to calls for a convention, party spokesperson Dora Siliya has said.
Meanwhile, MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu confirmed being in receipt of two petitions from Muchinga and Western Provinces demanding the convention.
Ms Siliya said with the current leadership wrangles in the former ruling party, there will be no MMD to take part in the 2016 general elections.
Ms Siliya said the only remedy to the party problems was for Dr Mumba to embrace calls for a convention, reiterating that he had failed the party.
“A convention is the only way to end the wrangles. If he (Dr Mumba) doesn’t want, then it is better to voluntarily de-register the MMD.
The party stands a better chance of bouncing back but it cannot with Dr Mumba still president,” she said.
She was speaking during a Muvi Television programme dubbed ‘The Assignment’ on the MMD woes.
She said that it was evidently clear that the MMD membership wanted a convention but were being denied by Dr Mumba, who had maintained that the former ruling party was intact and that those opposing him were being funded by outsiders.
“The current wrangles have nothing to do with Dr Mumba as an individual but have everything to do with his style of leadership that is why we as members are demanding a convention.
“When Dr Mumba took over the party, he promised the members that he had connections and would be able to manage the party but he turned against people like Kapembwa Simbao, accusing him of failing but it is him who has failed the members,” she said.
She said it was healthy for the party to go through wrangles but that it should focus on regaining its relevance on the political arena.
Ms Siliya said with the wrangles, the MMD would fail to provide effective checks and balances to the Government.
Ms Siliya said that MMD leaders needed to provide leadership to the people of Zambia.
“Nobody is talking about Dr Mumba as a person to go but the whole leadership. There seems to be a lot of divisions which erupted out of the last national executive committee meeting.
“I don’t believe there is a genuine MMD member who is sitting and saying they are happy with the current problems. So instead of people complaining and coming to our homes it is better to follow what the party constitution states,” she said.
She said members had written to the party deputy national secretary demanding the convention and challenged to share with the nation, the information regarding the matter.
Ms Siliya said the blame-game would not help stop the issue but that these could only be addressed through the proposed convention.
When contacted for a comment, Mr Nyangu confirmed receipt of the two petitions but that he would provide a comprehensive response today.
“I have so far received two petitions but let me check to give you details about the petitions because I can’t speak off-hand,” Mr Nyangu said.