Nevers Mumba ‘anoints’ Muhabi as MMD SQUABBLES take root

SQUABBLES in the MMD have persisted with the pro-Nevers Mumba faction seeking to endorse Muhabi Lungu as party national secretary during tomorrow’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The Michael Kaingu led faction is against the endorsement of Mr Lungu, who is party presidential spokesperson, saying their demands to go for an extra-ordinary convention have not yet been addressed.
Dr Kaingu, the party vice president in-charge of politics, further warned that the NEC meeting was a recipe for violence and is pushing for Police intervention to block the planned meeting.
But party acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu said in a separate interview that the NEC meeting would proceed as planned and that Police protection would be guaranteed to ensure peace.
Mr Nyangu warned MMD members against engaging in violence saying it would not be in the interest of the former ruling party.
“I have been instructed by the office of the president to go ahead and call for the NEC meeting as planned. We have been assured that there will be no violence,” Mr Nyangu said.
Mr Nyangu warned Bowman Lusambo, the self proclaimed, MMD Die Hard youth leader against perpetrating violence and that the party did not have such a structure.
Mr Nyangu described Mr Lusambo as an indisciplined member and was not backed by the party.
He advised Dr Kaingu not to have any fear ahead of the NEC meeting.
“People like Kaingu are our products, he is just a lost son, and if it wasn’t for us he would not have been MMD veep. It is highly unnecessary for Kaingu to think we can attack him. These people are just scared of their own shadows,” he said.
On the endorsement of Mr Lungu as national secretary, Mr Nyangu said he was the only member that applied for the position when it was advertised and that he would go unopposed.
“We advertised the position and no one applied except Mr Lungu and as NEC, there is nothing we can do because people did not apply and the only person we have is Mr Lungu as the sole candidate,” he said.
And Dr Kaingu insisted that the party should first address holding of the national convention to elect new leaders instead of holding a NEC meeting.
He said he would today continue pressing for the Police to stop the meeting from going ahead.
“As far as we are concerned we are going to the Police today at 09:00 hours to put it on record and to stop the meeting because even if we engage Police to protect the area, what if a fight breaks out inside the meeting where there is no Police presence, we don’t want violence,” he said.
He said the NEC meeting should be put on hold until contentious issues surrounding the convention were thoroughly tackled.
In opposing Mr Lungu’s planned endorsement, Dr Kaingu said that this was not possible as the NEC meeting would not be held.
“As far as we are concerned that will not happen. He cannot go unopposed because there will be no meeting and therefore no elections,” he said.
Dr Kaingu is leading a faction that includes party spokesperson, Dora Siliya, vice president in-charge of administration Brian Chituwo, former Solwezi Central Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa and Senga
Hill MP Kapembwa Simbao, to pressure Dr Mumba to step down for alleged failure to govern.