Tensions Rock MMD as Eastern Province Members Reject Leadership Elections, Slam Party President
A fresh wave of internal revolt has erupted within the opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), as senior party figures in Eastern Province openly reject the outcome of a provincial convention held earlier this week.
MMD Chipata District Chairman Isaac Jere has launched a scathing attack on the party’s national leadership, branding the recent provincial elections as illegitimate and unconstitutional. In a strongly worded statement, Jere accused the party president of manipulating internal processes and called on him to “step aside from politics and return to his church pulpit where he belongs.”
Jere’s sentiments were echoed by Eastern Province Information and Publicity Secretary Zephania Kaleya, who dismissed the recently announced alliance between MMD and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) as a “unilateral decision that holds no water among grassroots members.” Kaleya described the move as a betrayal of the party’s independence and a desperate attempt by the president to remain politically relevant.
“These decisions are not made in the backroom. Our party is not a personal project. The president cannot drag us into alliances that undermine our values,” Kaleya charged.
In response, MMD National Spokesperson Phillip Brendel dismissed the dissenters’ claims as “baseless and malicious.” Brendel defended the integrity of the convention, insisting the elections were “free, fair, and transparent,” and emphasized that the outgoing leaders were given full opportunity to recontest their positions.
“What we’re witnessing is classic sour grapes. Those who failed to secure support are now crying foul,” Brendel stated.
The internal wrangling signals deeper fractures within the former ruling party, raising serious questions about its cohesion, leadership, and future ahead of the 2026 general elections. As the party wrestles with its identity and direction, critics argue that the MMD risks descending further into political irrelevance if unity is not restored.
June 2, 2025
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