PRESS STATEMENT BY HON. GASTON SICHILIMA ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF MMD
On behalf of Founder members of MMD (hereby known as Operation Save MMD) who are defenders of democracy we would like to respond to Dr. Nevers Mumba,s numerous misleading statements that has been spread to our members in the Provinces during his illegal and unprocedural tours in the following Provinces:- Central Province (Kabwe), Muchinga Province (Chinsali) Northern Province (Kasama) Luapula Province (Mansa) Coppebelt Province (Kitwe) and North-Western (Solwezi).
PROCEDURE TAKEN
In accordance with rules and regulations of the Party supported by MMD Constitution under Powers and functions of National Executive Committee (NEC) Article 19 (f) and I quote (NEC to be the highest organ of authority between two Conventions) therefore the procedure taken by Dr. Nevers Mumba, his Vice President of Administration Ms. Winnie Zaloumis, National Secretary Ms. Elizabeth Chitika and National Youth Chairman Mr. Jushua Mulenga is wrong because there was no NEC meeting which was held to form an adhoc committee to be sactioned with terms of references under that committee it would operate. Dr. Nevers Mumba in his usual way as many Zambian may know, he self-imposed as a team leader with other two purported senior NEC members went in the above outlined places correcting signatures with intention to take MMD members to go to join UPND in a bid to get an appointment from the New dawn Government and in most areas quorums were not formed as required by the party Constitution.
NOW my question is who will receive these petitions when the purported President together with the Vice President Administration and National Secretary are the ones correcting the signatures from Provinces when it is supposed to be the Provinces petitioning the NEC through the office of the National Secretary whenever there is any matter of urgency in between the two Conventions.
The tours he is making we know he has been funded, but we want to warn the funders that the excise he is doing in provinces is a failed project it is just meant for his fundraising and he has never submitted any audited accounts to the Registrar of Societies I challenge him to produce evidence to that effect, he has also never accounted for any money he has been correcting for the party.
RESPECT OF THE RULE OF LAW
Country men, Women, Youths and the genuine MMD members across the country our party has been embroiled in leadership wrangles specifically because of autocratic leadership style of Dr. Nevers Mumba and not respecting our party Constitution. In this regard the founder members of MMD drawn from provinces took an action against Elizabeth Chitika in Lusaka High Court of Zambia (sued in her capacity as MMD National Secretary) and Dr. Nevers Mumba under cause number 2021/HP/0305 WHEREIN the Convention which elected the purported current leadership of MMD is being challenged and on 20th March, 2021 the High Court of Zambia granted an injunction which is still if force to restrain Dr, Nevers Mumba, Ms. Elizaberth Chitika and his agents not to proceed with that purported convention on 20th March, 2021 which they defied and it culminated into the contempt of the court under the same cause number as above, the matter has not yet been determined by the court as Dr. Mumba has been dodging to face the court by rising countless preliminary issues one of it was thrown out with cost but he appealed which means the matter is still active in court and I cannot go into details but as things stand he is just masquerading as MMD President.
With above mentioned we want to put the record straight that no court judgement has been delivered on the above stated cases which are active in the Lusaka High Court of Zambia and we challenge Dr. Nevers Mumba with his group to avail to the public purported judgement he has been telling our MMD members about during the same tour meetings. We also want to urge our members to be steadfast and wait for the court to preside over these matters without any undue influence from anyone.
LYING AGAINST THE DEAD
We are shocked and saddened to see the level of desperation to remain political relevant by Dr. Nevers Mumba where he has chosen to shield his political failures to grow MMD by using the Social Media posting in his meetings with party officials which was attributed to the late fourth Republican President and MMD President His Excellency Mr. Rupiah Bwezani Banda purported as his last words before he died. We find this as highest-level of criminal act by the author of that posting as at no time did our beloved late President had a time to discuss such matters either to the family or associates which include this faction I lead as we have high respect for the late former President of our Party MMD. It is also unhuman to raise such allegations against the dead as they have no capacity to defend or clarify such allegations.
AN APPEAL
In this vein we want to make an earnest appeal to the UPND / Alliance partners and New dawn Government to desist entertaining this man and his followers when the court matters on MMD leadership are still active before the court of law as this will defeat the purpose of respect of rule of law as it has been preached by His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema at diverse forums. We have no problem for UPND to receive Dr. Nevers Mumba as their latest defector and we would wish them well, after all he will be exercising his democratic rights.
We would like to take this opportunity to put it on record that we are an independent MMD faction who are not in any formal alliance but are ready to work with progressive forces whose interest must focus to preserve our young growing intraparty democracy.
Thank you for listen and God Bless you
Hon. Gaston Sichilima
MMD FOUNDER MEMBER