By Patson Chilemba
Felix Mutati’s faction members in MMD are involved in counter arguments that the faction has bought late Mike Mulongoti’s People’s Party, following the challenges faced with the Registrar of Societies to register their own new party.
Well placed sources in the Mutati faction have told Daily Revelation, that they bought Mulongoti’s PP party and applied for its name to be changed to People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The sources said that was also facing its own challenges as the Registrar of Societies had been instructed not to consider registering any political party linked to the former finance minister, fearing he would take his members to opposition alliances.
The sources said their attempts to have their political organisation registered as Movement for Democratic Change ((MDC) had hit a snag with the Registrar of Societies, hence the decision to ride on the late Mulongoti’s party, which was also facing it’s own challenges with the government.
“We actually bought that one (Mulongoti’s party). Mr Mutati is involved with the new formation. Ask Mr. Christopher Banda (former MMD national treasurer in the Mutati faction) and Mr Moyo, they have been involved in the negotiations,” the sources said. “We changed the name People’s Party to People’s Democratic Party. We want Mutati to head this party.”
Attempts to get a comment from Mutati failed as his phone went unanswered, but his aide Edmond Miri said PDP was not the vehicle his boss was using, but they would be able to announce within a week which direction they will take.
“I think that one is very easy you can even just go to Registrar of Societies, you will find that it’s still in its original name. Yah that’s also false. That one I can actually give you the opportunity to say just go to Registrar of Society you go and find out if there is any political party by the name of PDP you will not find it,” Miti said. “You find out there is Mulongoti’s political party, which is People’s Party you will find it. You look at the office bearers it’s the original office bearers that are there. So that particular one is also false.”
Asked if they were working with late Mulongoti’s officials to try to come up with something still, Miti said: “I think in a political dispensation people sit down to discuss issues but that doesn’t mean we are talking about purchasing a political party or anything, no. That isn’t the case. There is literally nothing.”
Asked if Mutati was planning in getting into a pact with Harry Kalaba and Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF), Miti said there was no pact for now, saying what was there was people consulting each other on certain things.
Banda on his part said he was still part of MMD.
“We haven’t officially joined another political party. There are no discussions to join another political party. Who told you am part of it?,” said Banda. “Anyway we are not yet part of that party because we will pronounce our moving from MMD to whatever. In fact I am talking not for anyone but for myself as former national treasurer and a member of the MMD.”
-Daily Revelation