MMD needs to reorganise itself, says Mtayachalo

MMD needs to reorganise itself, says Mtayachalo
By Roy Habaalu
Fri 29 Mar. 2013, 14:00 CAT

THE MMD on the Copperbelt says it does not make sense to continue participating in by-elections it has been losing.

Copperbelt information and publicity secretary Yotam Mtayachalo said there was nothing new working with UPND because the resolution was made last year.

"MMD at the moment needs to re-organise itself. I don't think that by us not participating in Lukulu West and Kapiri Mposhi is a sign of weakness or the party is dead, no. The party has made a good decision not to field candidates in Kapiri Mposhi and Lukulu West constituencies because first of all after the loss, the party is to start re-organising its structures. After we have done our homework, we can start participating in these by-elections but at the moment we have been losing these by-elections, so it doesn't make sense to be going in by-elections which you are losing. So for us, if UPND wins, it's a victory for MMD, it's a victory for the opposition, so it doesn't make a difference at all whether it's MMD or UPND; if one wins we are happy because we're members from one family," Mtayachalo said.

Mtayachalo appealed to MMD members in Lukulu West and Kapiri Mposhi to support UPND candidates in the forth-coming by-elections.

"And similarly also when there will be need for us to field a candidate in one of the constituencies in Zambia where we feel strong, UPND should also reciprocate and be able to support us," he said.

And Sinda MMD member of parliament Levy Ngoma said the UPND-MMD alliance would only fail if it reached unattainable levels.

Ngoma said those accusing party president Nevers Mumba of "leasing" the party to UPND's Hichilema were sponsored elements.

"They are sponsored elements because there are some people who don't want to see MMD, UPND, UNIP and ADD working together for a common good.

Those are a danger to multi-party democracy. It's not good to have so many disintegrated groupings and all they have to do is talking in the newspapers and the possibility of forming government is nowhere near. Right now Zambia is fed up of too many disintegrated political groupings. It's for the benefit of the general citizen that there is a strong and united opposition," Ngoma said.

Ngoma said governments worked well where there was a strong and united opposition.

"For me if such a thing (alliance) was to occur, that would be a very good development but of course it has to be on an agreed arrangement, there has to be a proper mechanism on how this thing is going to be done, no imposition. No one should think that I am the boss in this arrangement so that at the end of the day it benefits everybody," he said.