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MMD needs courageous leader for 2016, says youth chairperson

MMD needs courageous leader for 2016, says youth chairperson
By Kombe Chimpinde in Lusaka and Hope Chanda in Ndola
Tue 10 Apr. 2012, 13:27 CAT

MMD's recovery must be dependent on meeting obvious political prerequisites and not fighting the incumbent government, says Sunday Chanda. Meanwhile, Lusaka MMD youth chairperson Watson Mtonga says the party needs a courageous presidential candidate to challenge President Micheal Sata in the 2016 elections.

Chanda observed that there were members of parliament that were aspiring mistakenly for the MMD presidency, who wrongly believed that they must pitch their political agendas on fighting the incumbent President Michael Sata and the PF government to resurrect their dead political careers.

"President Sata is at State House and there is nothing anyone can do about it. He has run his race and others must find their own winning formulae. President Sata is just an individual and what the nation is looking for is a leader who will be discussing ways of making Zambia a better place for the present and future generations," Chanda said.

He said opposition parties in the country had a challenge to re-learn the art of politics so as not to become irrelevant.

"The episode of political wrangling is gone and Zambians are ready for civilised political discourse, sound logic and reasoning," Chanda said.

He warned that MMD's next president must be seen to be essentially promoting real, tangible change in the political conversation rather than through his own entrenched ideologies and arrogance.

"MMD needs a leader who facilitates healthy discussion rather than cheaply displays obsession for political power. This is the type of leader who will restore MMD's fortunes. MMD must find a winning formula and it is not arrogance which will lead to that discovery. MMD needs a formula of informed and effective arguments," he said.

And Mtonga in an interview said Pastor Nevers Mumba had the calibre needed by an opposition party leader to win an election.

"Most youths in Lusaka prefer Pastor Mumba to be the party president because he is a suitable person to oppose President Sata. MMD needs a presidential candidate who is brave like Sata if it has to win an election in 2016. The party is now tough tested because it is in the opposition and the type of a leader it will choose will determine its future," Mtonga said.

"The party needs a person who is able to provide checks and balances to the PF government, otherwise, this country will be messed up without serious politicians to spearhead the opposition parties. Of course, Zambia is a democratic country and other MMD party members have their preferred presidential candidates but they should have in mind the goal of the party. We MMD need to return into power and that's a challenge that we have."

He said MMD should not choose a member of parliament as its party president because it would be difficult for that person to split his time to campaign countrywide ahead of the 2016 elections.

"MMD needs a person who is practical, able to defend and protect the party, but a person who is not an MP because he will not have adequate time to campaign widely as Zambia is a vast country. That is why most youths in Lusaka want Pastor Mumba who has the experience because he has been vice-president and a diplomat before, so he understands leadership well," he said.

And Mtonga said the country's dwindling economy needed a visionary and determined person who would make a formidable cabinet to revamp it.

"The MMD is capable of revamping the dwindling economy of this country if given another mandate to rule. Already people in Northern Province are bitter that they have so far not seen any tangible change since PF came into power. People especially in Kasama have vowed not to vote for PF again because of its fake promises," he said.

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 3:08 PM