I never said running mate is not an issue – Nevers Mumba

MMD President Dr. Nevers Mumba speaks to the Clergy from various congregations at Victory Ministries in Kasama on 11th February 2016

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) president Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba has urged the media to be factual and accurate in relaying information to the public that borders on the proposed working relationship with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) ahead of the August 11, 2016 general elections.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Kasama, Dr. Mumba said the issue of the running mate would only be discussed when the two parties agree on the alliance and modalities are put in place, contrary to assertions by some sections of the media suggesting that the issue of the running mate was a non-issue in the proposed alliance with the PF.

Dr. Mumba maintained that discussions over the possible alliance with the PF have not started, adding that he was yet to meet the Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to chart the way forward.

He said that the MMD’s National Executive Committee (NEC) met last month to look at President Lungu’s call for the working alliance with the MMD and that a mandate was given by NEC to meet the Head of State over the matter.

“It is one of the issues that will be discussed in the modalities for the alliance to work out. For now we cannot say much because we have not yet sat to discuss the issue of the alliance with President Lungu. The assertions in some media organisations are portraying a picture that we are discussing the running mate and I want to categorically say here that at no time did I issue such a statement because what we are discussing is the possibility of an alliance and not the running mate,” Dr. Mumba said.