. Mumba

By CHUSA SICHONE and CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

THE MMD has denied that it has entered into an alliance with United Party for National Development (UPND) in which it has been resolved to field Hakainde Hichilema as the presidential candidate.

Addressing journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, MMD national secretary Muhabi Lungu said discussions for a possible alliance between the former ruling party and the UPND had not been concluded.

The media briefing at the MMD secretariat was almost disrupted by cadres suspected to be aggrieved over the suspension of the party’s president Nevers Mumba and the failure to endorse him as the presidential candidate for the January 20, 2015 presidential election.

The pro-Rupiah Banda supporters, however, blocked them from entering the premises.

Mr Lungu said following consultations with party founding members such as Vernon Mwaanga, the party opened discussions with the UPND for an alliance in the presidential election.

“The party did discuss the fact that we can continue to discuss the alliance but some of our colleagues who we have been in discussions with as a possible alliance are going round trying to get signatures from our members of Parliament, from our party cadres, particularly in Western and Southern provinces, to try and get signatures to say that we have agreed on an alliance and the presidential candidate is from another political party and the MMD will not field a presidential candidate,” Mr Lungu said.

“We will punish any Member of Parliament who is not going to abide by the decision of the NEC and it is also being disingenuous on our partners because really if someone is doing that to you, are you going to sit down with them on the table to discuss other issues? You will not.”

Mr Lungu said the MMD NEC’s stance was that if it was going to engage in an alliance with the UPND, it was going to be on an equal basis.

He warned that the alliance risked failing if one party wanted to enter into collaboration with the aim of belittling the other as being a junior partner.

“The position of the NEC of the MMD was that if we have to go in any form of discussion with our colleagues, it should be on equal basis. You don’t go to any negotiation to say you are going to endorse me as president or you must endorse me,” he said.

Mr Lungu maintained that Mr Banda was the MMD’s presidential candidate although he had only verbally accepted the nomination.

There was no coup d’etat against Dr Mumba as he was still the party’s president whose suspension could be lifted if he exculpated himself and followed the MMD’s constitutional provision of the disciplinary code.