. Dr Kaingu
By CATHERINE NYIRENDA? –
THE MMD’s losses in the just-ended by-elections are a clear vindication of previous calls by members to re-organise the party through an extra-ordinary convention, former party vice-president for politics Michael Kaingu has said.
Dr Kaingu said in an interview that party leaders then, such as vice-president for administration Brian Chituwo and spokesperson Dora Siliya foresaw the challenges of the party under the leadership of Dr Nevers Mumba and the need to dissolve leadership and start afresh.
“When we were calling for the reorganisation of the party, people misunderstood us,” Dr Kaingu said.
“We foresaw these challenges and the right thing the party should have done was to dissolve the?leadership and call for fresh elections through the extra-ordinary convention,” he said.
He said unless a serious strategic approach was taken, MMD would continue to record losses and its popularity would continue dwindling.?Dr Kaingu advised the current party leadership to come up with a comprehensive strategy and work hard to regain the confidence of the people.
“At the moment as a mere ordinary member of the party and a member of Parliament for Mwandi Constituency, all I can say is that the vibrancy of MMD entirely depends on the current leadership and the strategies they will put in place to save the party,” Dr Kaingu said.
He said there was need for introspection by the members to save the party from further oblivion.?The party lost three of its four seats it held previously in the recent by-elections.
Dr Kaingu also refuted claims that he had left MMD to form a new party with other members that were removed from their positions.?“I am still a staunch MMD member and also an MP in Mwandi Constituency where the party is still vibrant, people will continue coming up with speculations and this does not surprise me,” Dr Kaingu said.
“When we were calling for the convention people said I had been bought by the PF (Patriotic Front). Now that I have not moved they come up with rumours that we have formed a party, it is not true, ’’ Dr Kaingu said.
