‘Nevers was elected for a full 5-year term’
By Staff Reporter
Elizabeth Chitika insists that MMD faction leader Nevers Mumba was elected for a full five-year term starting from 2012.
Chitika, who was this morning appearing as a witness in the case in which MMD national secretary Winnie Zaloumis has dragged the rival faction leader Felix Mutati and three others to Court to ask them who gave them authority to organize the 2016 MMD Convention, said the ascending of Dr. Mumba as MMD President was done through an Extra Ordinary Convention and not a by-election.
“Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba was elected as Party President through an extra ordinary convention to which the 1st respondent Mr. Mutati participated and lost to Dr. Mumba. This election was not a by election but a full election because in a case of a MMD Presidential by election the National Executive Committee elects an acting President until the next convention as was the case of Dr. Levy Mwanawasa in 2001 and Mr. Rupiah Banda in 2008. However, in the extra ordinary convention which led to the election of Dr. Nevers Mumba, party members from around the Country participated, voted and gave Dr. Mumba the mandate to govern the MMD for 5 years,” Chitika said.
However, when Mutati’s defense counsel Jonas Zimba questioned Chitika whether the party vice president takes over when thw party presidency falls vacant, Chitika responded by explaining that the time Rupiah Banda resigned, the party had no vice president and that the NEC at that time thought it wise to organize an extra ordinary convention to replace the party president.
“Yes Counsel all things being equal, the Vice would have acted as Party President but you have to be informed that the MMD during the 2011 convention didn’t elect a Veep. So from my understanding the National Executive Committee under than National Secretary Major Richard Kachingwe to which Mr. Mutati was a member were of the view that a extra ordinary convention and not a by election was the best thing for the MMD,” Chitika said.
She further trashed the 2016 MMD convention, saying it was organized by Non members of the MMD, using unknown funds which is against the MMD Constitution and without the blessings of the National Executive Committee.
“the 2016 illegal MMD Convention is and will always be a fraud. In the first place the organizers of this convention were not in good standing with the Party. Mr. Mutati for example is an expelled member of the MMD and there is even a high court ruling to support it. How can expelled members of a party organize a convention and emerge as Leaders from there? That is basically a failed coup. Secondly, these expelled and suspended conveyors didn’t get the approval from the NEC to go ahead with this convention. The issue of the Convention wasn’t tabled in any of our NEC meeting because every NEC member knew that the Convention would be held in 2017. Even when you look at their attendance list neither of our NEC members attended it or graced it. Finally as Party Treasurer I am mandated by the MMD Party Constitution to organize all the necessary funds and logistics needed for a convention. Neither myself nor my office organized not even a one kwacha for the convention,” Chitika said.