. Mumba

By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
MMD national executive committee has suspended party president Nevers Mumba.
Earlier in the day, Dr Mumba had insisted that he is the candidate for MMD in the forthcoming presidential by-election.
National secretary Muhabi Lungu announced the suspension last evening after a NEC meeting.
Mr Lungu said Dr Mumba was suspended for holding a Press briefing to announce his presidential candidacy and disputing the adoption of Rupiah Banda as party president.
Dr Mumba said people purporting that Rupiah Banda had been picked as the MMD candidate in the January 20 election were merely trying to sabotage the party.
“We are disappointed as a party, MMD, that Mr Rupiah Banda has finally come out and is trying to sabotage the party,” Dr Mumba said during a Press briefing at his residence in Kabulonga.
He said there was no vacancy for the MMD presidency and vowed to steer the former ruling party to victory in the election.
“I shall not surrender,” Dr Mumba said. “I shall not auction this party the MMD. There is no vacancy of the party president in the MMD. MMD has a president and that’s me alone and none else.”
Dr Mumba also said MMD had made progress in fostering partnerships with other opposition political parties but did not elaborate.
The operations at the MMD secretariat in Kabulonga would be suspended in the next few days.
The MMD held its national executive committee meeting at the weekend where it reportedly adopted Mr Banda to contest the presidential election.
Mr Banda gladly accepted the nomination during a Press briefing at the party secretariat but Dr Mumba dismissed the assertion as mere propaganda.