We Have All Failed – MMD Bigwigs

MMD vice-presidents Brian Chituwo and Michael Kaingu and party spokesperson Dora Siliya say the party is dying a slow and painful death because of failed leadership and must urgently hold an extraordinary convention.
The senior party members also distanced themselves from accusations by party president Nevers Mumba that some National Executive Committee (NEC) members have been sponsored by State House to cause confusion in the party.
The trio said calls for an extra-ordinary convention are in line with the party constitution.
The MMD leaders said this at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
“MMD is dying a slow and painful death. Failing to admit this fact would be injustice to Zambians and to our democracy. The party is on the verge of collapsing due to failed leadership,” Dr Chituwo said.
Dr Mumba declined to comment on the demands for an extraordinary convention.
“I am not available for a comment,” Dr Mumba said before hanging up.
Dr Chituwo, who chaired the press briefing, said since the 2011 general elections through which the MMD lost political power of the country, the party has continued to lose members to other political parties.
“Our party constitution provides for a recourse in a situation we have found ourselves in. We need to reconnect with our general membership and be available to provide alternative governance,” he said.
Dr Chituwo said calls for an extraordinary convention are not a revolt but a desire to keep the MMD alive.
“We all have failed and so we want to put in place good leadership at the convention,” he said.
And Dr Kaingu, who is vice-president in charge of politics, said the convention will be one way of totally overhauling the MMD.
“We want people to elect a new person from the president to the last position. What you are seeing is a failed leadership,” Dr Kaingu said.
And Dr Kaingu said reported injurious statements made by some top party officials such as Lucky Mulusa – who was present at the briefing – and Ms Siliya, are not the party’s position.
“We want a re-birth of the MMD. We believe in sorting out issues in a mature way. We discourage insults and we stand on discipline,” he said.
And Ms Siliya said she is not afraid to speak the truth about the MMD.
“I am not scared to say MMD is dying but we must not allow it to die. It is you people who come to our homes to complain that we leaders are failing people,” Ms Siliya said at the briefing attended by several other party members.
She said people must admit that things are not okay in the MMD and certain steps must be taken to save it.
Mr Mulusa, a NEC member who recently reportedly sharply criticised Dr Mumba, said he still views the party president as his “father” but merely pointed to his weaknesses.
Mr Mulusa said he is dedicated to the values of the party and hence will do everything possible to add value to it.
“The extraordinary convention is not a question of choice. It has to take place so that we have a fresh mandate and commitment,” he said.
Mr Mulusa said resources will be mobilised for the extra-ordinary convention.
Dr Chituwo said there is no way MMD members of Parliament can be paid to destabilise the party which took them to Parliament.
Last week, Dr Mumba alleged that State House was fanning confusion in the former ruling party.
State House dismissed the claims as baseless.
Opposition People’s Party president Mike Mulongoti attended the press briefing.