Maravi

Mutati explains why MMD lost

Mutati explains why MMD lost
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Mon 19 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT

THE MMD leadership got so consumed in the luxury of their offices and ended up losing the elections because they forgot about the people, says Felix Mutati. During the Southern Province card renewal exercise at Livingstone's Victoria Hall yesterday, Mutati, an aspiring candidate for the MMD presidency, said ministers in the previous government got consumed in the luxury of government-paid-for expenses.

He, however, said the party leadership had learnt lessons from their past mistakes and would "bounce back into power in 2016".

"We are going to re-emerge because we have learnt from our own past mistakes. Come 2016, we are bouncing back and I don't see the doubt even here in Southern Province," he said.

"We have stopped crying as we have a duty now to reconstruct the party. We need to be strong and sacrifice. Let us put the party ahead of individual interests. We need to move fast to choose a leader as a party; being without a leader creates uncertainty. This is reality. We have to go to the convention and forget about the extravagance. We were so consumed in our own glory with flags flying on vehicles and lost contact with the people, but now that the flag is down, let us bring it up and when it is up, we shall not let it go. We shall not allow bad seeds in the party."

He said the party had become congested with people who wanted to make a living out of the MMD but had since abandoned it after losing last year's elections to the PF.

Mutati, who is MMD's commerce chairperson, said tribulations and trials would strengthen the party to rise to victory.

He said he could see that the MMD engine was still intact and that "there is power in all its pistons which have been polished".

"We are ready to move. Bring the Livingstone Constituency by-election and we will get it. I see that you and I can take this party to higher heights. If you don't choose me, I promise to remain MMD; the party is bigger than Mutati," he said.

Mutati, who is also Lunte member of parliament, said those who want to lead have to go through pain.

And Edgar Keembe said Zambia's democracy, fought for by the MMD, was under threat from the PF.

Keembe further said not all members of the MMD were corrupt.

"We refuse to be insulted as a party that we are corrupt…MMD is not Katele Kalumba, MMD is a unit. If we have any member who is corrupt, that person must apologise or return the wealth to the Zambian people," said Keembe.

Labels: FELIX MUTATI, MMD

posted by MrK @ 7:14 PM