Maravi

MMD won't allow hijackers to take over the presidency - Namulambe

MMD won't allow hijackers to take over the presidency - Namulambe
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 14 Nov. 2011, 14:00 CAT

MMD chairman for elections Gabriel Namulambe says the party will not allow hijackers to take over the presidency. In an interview, Namulambe who is also Mpongwe MMD member of parliament, said the MMD would this time do things in accordance with its constitution.

"For now, we will proceed to have an acting party president who will have to be endorsed by the convention. According to our constitution, the NEC doesn't have powers to substantively appoint a person in the position of president. Only the convention has those powers. The NEC has no powers to alter any part of our constitution," said Namulambe.

Last week, MMD national youth chairperson Moses Muteteka said the party should appoint a suitable person to act as president before the convention.

Earlier, sources said former president Rupiah Banda was courting UPND president Hakainde Hichilema to lead the MMD-UPND pact for the 2016 general elections.

But Namulambe said Muteteka was not the spokesperson for the party.

"He is not the financier of party activities, we still have well-wishers to our party. We can't do things unconstitutionally, if the party in the past acted unconstitutionally this time around we don't want to act outside the constitution," he said.

Namulambe said as the person in charge of elections, he was not aware of anyone who had applied for the position of party president.

"People may have their own preferences but at the end of it all, anyone who shall be elected, everyone should rally behind that person. So far I don't know anyone who has applied. I just read through the media. For us (NEC) to prove unless we see something in writing at the secretariat but so far I have not seen anything," he said.

Namulambe said he wouldn't comment on who was favoured for the position, fearing to be misunderstood, adding that "as chairman for elections I have no intentions of contesting the presidency, I am comfortable where I am".

Labels: GABRIEL NAMULAMBE, MMD

posted by MrK @ 6:59 PM