Maravi

MMD rejects Nevers' adoption application

MMD rejects Nevers' adoption application
By Maluba Jere and Speedwell Mupuchi
Saturday August 30, 2008 [04:00]

MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kande yesterday said the party secretariat does not know former vice-president pastor Nevers Mumba as a party member. But pastor Mumba said he was not an irresponsible leader who could apply to stand on a ticket of a party he did not belong to. In an interview, Kande said since his expulsion from the party in 2006, pastor Mumba had not been re-admitted.

"As a secretariat, we don't know Nevers Mumba as a member of MMD," Kande said. "But we will sit down to go through all the applications before we finally present them to the National Executive Committee (NEC).

When we present to NEC, that's when we will give them a record of who has been doing what in the party and who hasn't. Since he was expelled from the party, he has never been re-admitted and we have never seen his application letter for re-admission."

Kande also explained that any person who had not been an active member of the party for two years did not qualify to contest the presidency.

However, Kande said the party would not stop anyone from applying for the position of presidential candidate, but that rules would apply when scrutinising the applications.

"An application is an application. You can't stop anyone from applying," Kande said. "So if you consider yourself MMD then you can apply, but the party records will tell whether you are genuine or not."

But pastor Mumba said he would not have written the application had he not known his membership status in the MMD.

Pastor Mumba on Thursday applied to be adopted as MMD candidate for the presidential by-election.

Asked when he rejoined the MMD, pastor Mumba said: "If I was not a member, I would not have applied. I am not out of mind to apply to a party to which I do not belong."

He said anyone wishing to verify his membership in the MMD should ask MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba.

Asked about the Reform Party which was formed after he was expelled from MMD, pastor Mumba said he had not dealt with the party for the past two years.

"The fact that we have not dealt with our process in the media does not mean I am still president of the Reform Party. On 12th January 2006, the Reform Party resolved to go back to the MMD on condition that I personally assured them that I have reconciled with the President with whom I had differed before," pastor Mumba explained.

"Reform Party was basically a protest party formed by members of the MMD who were frustrated and upset that I was not allowed to contest in the convention of 2005. On 12th February 2007, my reconciliation with the President took place at State House. The resolution was made in 2006 and from that day we did not promote the Reform Party."

Pastor Mumba said after his reconciliation with late President Mwanawasa, there was no further reason for the Reform Party to remain outside.

"The rest of the things that followed were administrative challenges that can be explained by the (MMD) national secretary who was given responsibility to handle our issue," said pastor Mumba.

And Kalumba, when contacted for comment, said the question of eligibility had not arisen at the moment.

Kalumba said an expelled member had the right to apply for membership, which was not restricted. He said he would not reject any application at this stage and that the applications being made were not official nomination but mere intentions.

"The point of deciding who is eligible has not arisen. The issue of Mr Mumba being raised at this point is premature and unfair. We have to wait until a committee scrutinises. We should not at this point assume that anybody who has applied is certified until I see their membership cards and their renewals," Kalumba said.

Among the people who have applied to be adopted as MMD presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential by-election include former Constitutional Review Commission chairman Willa Mung'omba, Zambia-China Business Association chairman Sebastian Kopulande, finance minister Ng'andu Magande, former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele and former works and supply minister Ludwig Sondashi.

Meanwhile, Kande said President Mwanawasa had no preferred candidate to take over from him and that the secretariat also had no preferred candidate.

"The President had no preference of anybody. Even us as a secretariat, we always asked him and he always said that that candidate would be known only at the convention.

So no one can claim to be preferred," Kande said. "So even us at the secretariat have no preference of anyone but follow the rules and regulations to elect that person through secret ballot then rally behind him to ensure we win the presidency."

Labels: JEFF KANDE, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 4:27 PM