By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE  –

THE Nevers Mumba MMD camp has now proceeded to court to challenge the decision by the Registrar of Societies to authorise the change of office bearers of the party.
Reuben Sambo in his capacity as acting national secretary for the MMD wants the Lusaka High Court to quash the decision by the Registrar of Societies to authorise the change of office bearers of the MMD on grounds that the resolution pursuant to which the purported list of the office-bearers originates, arose out of an illegal convention.
Reverend Sambo wanted the court to direct the Registrar of Societies to reverse the decision of change of the office-bearers of the MMD made on May 26, this year.
He wanted, in the alternative, an order that the decision of the Registrar to authorise the change of office-bearers, without putting into account the court proceedings, challenging the propriety of the alleged national convention held on May 20, to May 22, this year and membership status of some of the main architects of the convention was irrational, unreasonable and consequently of no legal effect.
Rev  Sambo wanted an order for leave to apply for judicial review, which should operate as a stay of the decision of the Registrar to order the change of office bearers of MMD, until after further order of the court.
In a notice of application for leave to apply for judicial review, Rev Sambo states that on January 30, 2016, the MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) at a meeting duly resolved to hold the next MMD convention in 2017.
He said that on February 22, 2016, former Lunte member of Parliament Felix Mutati was expelled from the membership of MMD for alleged gross violation of the MMD constitution.
Rev  Sambo said that on February 12, this year, Mr Mutati commenced an action in the High Court under clause number 2016/HP/0338 to challenge the MMD not to hold the convention before 2017, but the court refused to grant him the interim injunction to restrain the MMD from expelling him.
He said that Mr Mutati, Raphael Nakachinda, Mwansa Mbulakulima were all suspended, but they engaged in mobilising a convention, which was held recently in Kabwe and saw the ushering in  of new office-bearers.
Rev Sambo argues that the matter as to whether the MMD should hold a convention and NEC was not only subject of proceedings before a court of law, but it was widely covered in the print and electronic media.
He said that without taking into account all the circumstances, the Registrar of Societies proceeded to order for the authorisation of the change of office bearers of the MMD pursuant to a notice of change of
office bearers dated May 26, this year.
Rev  Sambo alleged that as a consequence of the Registrar’s decision to effect the change of office bearers arising from the illegitimate convention, the running of the MMD has been negatively affected as the alleged bonafide office bearers were being harassed.
He said that attempts were being made to seize party assets in the possession of the bonafide party office-bearers.
Rev  Sambo argued that the Registrar’s decision was improper, illegal, and unreasonable and as such, should be quashed.