CATHOLIC Dioceses of Ndola treasurer general Fr. Augustine Mwewa has urged the MMD to stop parading children as defectors.

On Saturday the MMD paraded children as 125 PF defectors during a rally in Nkwazi that was addressed by party spokesperson Dora Siliya.

In an interview, one of the children at the rally, Chisela Mulenga, 14 said he was not a PF member but just wanted to benefit from the chitenge materials that Siliya was giving out to the defectors.

“I have come with my friends. We were told that the MMD party was giving out chitenge materials and that we should say that we are from PF. So I just want to get a chitenge for my mother,” he said.

Asked how many people were asked to pose as PF defectors, Mulenga said that some MMD members were going round Nkwazi compound asking residents to go to the rally and pose as PF defectors in exchange for chitenge materials and money.
But Fr Mwewa said the MMD should stop abusing children by parading them as defectors.

During a general small Christian meeting (Ichitente) held in Nkwazi on Saturday, Fr Mwewa complained of the MMD’s behaviour.

“This is abusing children. What the MMD is supposed to be doing is to encourage children to be going to school and not parading them as defectors at political rallies. Children need our protection and to be abusing them like the way the MMD party is doing is sad. This is very unfortunate. This is a sad development,” he said.

“Women and children should be educated on the importance of elections. Elections are not just about giving out chitenge materials.”

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Former MMD secretary general and Chiengi MP Katele Kalumba today said his party expects two more ministers to resign to the opposition before the elections.”
We are aware of two senior members of MMD who will resign before elections. We have been aware for a long time and these are people who thought they could manipulate President Banda into adopting their ideologies. They did not appreciate that each President wants to have his own ways of doing things. We have however been trying to persuade them to stay; but it seems they have made up their minds” Kalumba said.
Kalumba further regretted the resignation of Chipata Central MP Lameck Mangani calling him a hard worker who was instrumental in organizing the party in the province.

The resignation of works and supply deputy minister Lameck Mangani coupled with his defection to the Patriotic Front has caused panic in the MMD top leadership, highly placed sources have disclosed.
Senior MMD officials, including president Rupiah Banda are said to be shocked by the unexpected resignation of Mr. Mangani.
Sources have told QFM that the news has come as a surprise to the party leadership especially that most of them thought that the perceived differences between Mr. Mangani and President Banda were ironed out when he was appointed works and supply deputy minister after being fired as home affairs minister.
The MMD is said to weary that the resignation of Mr. Mangani will enable the Patriotic Front make inroads in the eastern province considered an MMD stronghold.
Works and supply deputy minister announced his resignation from government and the MMD yesterday in a letter sent to President Rupiah Banda and MMD National Secretary Richard Kachingwe dated 8th July, 2011.

MMD Chipata Central Member of Parliament Lameck Mangani has resigned from the party to join the PF.

Mr. Mangani who was also Science and Technology Deputy Minister has ditched the MMD with immediate effect.

According to the letter written to the President Rupiah Banda and the MMD’s National Secretary Richard Kachingwe and made available to Muvi TV TODAY  Mr. Mangani says he endured a lot, considering what he went through ever since he was voted as a member of parliament.

The former Science and Technology Deputy Minister has since withdrawn his candidature as aspiring Chipata Central Member of Parliament for MMD.

Mr. Mangani before his resignation from the MMD was dropped from his ministerial position as Home Affairs Minister to Deputy Minister of Works and Supply.

 

 

 

Three councilors from Vice president George Kunda's constituency Muchinga have today announced their defection to the opposition United Party for National Development UPND.
And UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has demanded that republican president Rupiah Banda dissolves parliament to allow for fair campaigns to take place.
Mr. Hichilema has claimed that government ministers are using state resources to quietly campaign in the name of inspecting projects.
He says the abuse of resources is taking place in the open because of the delay by President Banda to dissolve parliament. Mr. Hichilema states that the UPND is ready for the elections, adding that victory is assured.
Meanwhile the MMD councilors who have defected to the opposition UPND have cited the failure by the MMD to lead to people to people's expectations as the basis for their resignation.
The defectors say the MMD has no chance of winning this year's elections because of the type of leadership being provided in the party. Andrew Mpyakula of Chibale ward spoke on behalf of the defectors.

[Disclaimer:This story is not yet verified]

AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo says the decision taken by the former head of state to attend both gatherings is a true sign that he is a non-partisan father of the nation beyond political affiliation.

Mr. Tembo told  QFM that the leadership exhibited by the first republican president should be emulated by other leaders in the country.

He has urged Dr. Kaunda to extend his noble gesture and attend other conventions that will be organized by other political parties in the country.

Mr. Tembo has since appealed to Dr. Kaunda to continue playing an advisory role and not to endorse any leader of a political party in this year's general election.

The Movement for Multiparty Democracy MMD says it is not threatened by the perceived growing popularity of the Patriotic Front in the country.
MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga says the ruling party is focused on the returning to power after this year's elections.
Mr. Mabenga says the MMD is the only agenda driven party capable of delivering development in the country.
In interview with QFM, Mr. Mabenga who is also lands deputy minister says the PF is no match to the MMD in terms of popularity.
He has expressed confidence that Zambian people will make the right decision by voting for the MMD in the upcoming elections because the party has a track record of delivering to the people's expectations.