RB’s EL endorsement an imoral tragic mistake – MMD

The MMD has described former President Rupiah Banda’s endorsement of PF President Edgar Lungu’s candidature as an immoral tragic mistake.

The former ruling party says the decision by Mr. Banda who is also immediate past party president is also extremely embarrassing and a betrayal of the political party that rescued him from the political wilderness.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka this morning, MMD Acting National Secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima has however says the party is neither surprised nor shocked by Mr. Banda’s decision.

Mr. Mbulakulima says this is especially in the light of the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court on 18th December, 2014 which disqualified him and instead ruled in favor of Dr. Mumba as the rightful MMD Presidential candidate.

He says the former ruling party is on the other hand wondering how Mr. Banda can now endorse the PF presidential candidate when a few weeks ago in his justification to return to politics pledged to end what he termed as the disastrous rule of the PF.

The MMD Acting National Secretary states that by endorsing a candidate of another political party, Mr. Banda has in fact reduced the respect that Zambians had for him.

Mr. Mbulakulima says in view of the former Head of State’s decision to work with the ruling PF, the MMD respectfully requests that he desists from tampering and disturbing any of the party’s structures around the country.

He says the party is aware that Mr. Banda is allegedly using the party structures as his platform to campaign for the ruling PF.

Meanwhile the MMD Acting Chief Executive Officer has disclosed that he has written exculpatory letters to 15 party Members of Parliament campaigning for the UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema.

He says the Members of Parliament have been given up to 10th January to exculpate themselves.

These include among others Lunte Member of Parliament Felix Mutati and party national Chairman Kabinga Pande.

But MMD Chairperson for Legal Affairs Bradford Machila has described as an empty threat party President Nevers Mumba’s warning to Members of Parliament who are supporting other presidential candidates that he will write to the Speaker of the National Assembly to declare their seats vacant.

Mr Machila in a statement says Dr Mumba has no authority to write to the Speaker asking for the seats to be declared vacant without there being a disciplinary process followed by a resolution of the National Executive Committee.

He says Dr Mumba as party President has no such powers according to the MMD constitution.

Mr Machila adds that as things stand, Dr Mumba does not have sufficient support of party NEC members to convene a meeting and take disciplinary action.

He has since urged MMD MPs to continue their campaigns for whoever they believe is the best candidate for their constituents and for Zambia as a nation in the forthcoming elections to be held on 20 January 2015.

Mr Machila states that people should not be afraid of cross-party support where they agree on certain values and proposals, such as the need for the new constitution, improved economic management and better treatment of our farmers, students and Zambians in general.