.Nevers Mumba

By CATHERINE NYIRENDA  –

SUSPENDED MMD president Nevers Mumba has maintained that his suspension from the party is illegal.
He has since urged party members countrywide to ignore the pronouncements by the national secretary Muhabi Lungu over his purported suspension but instead concentrate on campaigning for the former ruling party.
But Mr Lungu said Dr Mumba had misunderstood the powers he had as president of the party advising him to exculpate himself from the disciplinary charges.
Dr Mumba advised party members to concentrate on campaigning in readiness for the Presidential election set for January 20, 2015.
“I am appealing to the members countrywide to ignore the illegality that was announced by the national secretary that I have been suspended and that Rupiah Banda is the presidential candidate for the party.
“The statement I issued the other day still stands, therefore all members of the party countrywide should concentrate on campaigns as I am the sole candidate and leader of the party,” Dr Mumba said.
He would not allow people to manipulate and arm twist him to surrender the party leadership.
He reiterated that he would not surrender or bow down to pressure by auctioning the party to anyone.
Dr Mumba said he had ordered for the complete closure of the secretariat and that no one should operate from the premises.
Mr Lungu, however, said the MMD was an organisation with a constitution and rules and that the party president was not imperial.
“The constitution does not allow anyone to declare himself as a presidential candidate, as this is the mandate of the national executive.
He advised Dr Mumba to stop deceiving the members because he needed the blessing of the party for him to contest for Republican President.
“The constitution of Zambia demands that those wishing to stand for Republican Presidency should be sponsored by a political party with a certificate signed by the party leadership. Who will give him this certificate in this case?” Mr Lungu questioned.
He advised Dr Mumba to look into his own conscience and begin the exculpatory process.
He refuted claims that the party secretariat had been closed, clarifying that operations were being conducted normally.
On Tuesday the National Executive Committee (NEC) suspended Dr Mumba for gross misconduct citing his decision to announce his candidacy for the forthcoming Presidential elections. The NEC declared Rupiah Banda as the MMD candidate for the forthcoming Presidential elections.