MUMBA

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE and DELPHINE ZULU-
THE MMD faction led by vice-presidents for political affairs and administration, Michael Kaingu and Brian Chituwo respectively has instructed lawyers to commence contempt proceedings against party leader, Nevers Mumba.
Dr Kaingu and Dr Chituwo had filed an injunction restraining Dr Mumba and others from holding the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to elect the national secretary amid political wrangles in the party.
The two were on Sunday granted an order restraining the MMD through deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu from convening the meeting but Dr Mumba allegedly ignored the court order and chaired the meeting.
The meeting subsequently elected party presidential spokesperson, Muhabi Lungu as national secretary.
The NEC also resolved that Dr Kaingu and Dr Chituwo be subjected to disciplinary action.
However, the two vice-presidents had also prayed to the court to order that any acts, decisions and elections done or conducted by the MMD without following laid down procedures were illegal, null and void.
But Dr Mumba on Sunday defended his move contending that he had not been served with any court order.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Kaingu and Dr Chituwo’s lawyer Milner Katolo from Milner Katolo and Associates said he had been instructed by his clients to commence contempt proceedings.
“Our instructions are that we commence contempt proceedings and we are already doing our paper work,” Mr Katolo said.
Mr Katolo said in as far as his clients were concerned, Dr Mumba and his group should not have gone ahead with the NEC meeting because a court order was rightfully served on Mr Nyangu, who was sued on behalf of the MMD.
Mr Nyangu has explained that he was not present during Sunday’s NEC meeting for fear that he could be cited for contempt.
He said there was an injunction in place which clearly spelt out the consequences of disobeying the court order.
Mr Nyangu said in an interview that no one, including the party president and other senior party officials should express ignorance over the injunction granted to two party vice presidents.
“I was not part of that NEC meeting and yet in actual fact I was supposed to chair it, the reason is simple, I wanted to recognise and respect the court order, I don’t want to be part of further consequences of disobeying the injunction. All senior party officials were informed I went there personally,” Mr Nyangu said.