MMD SEARCH FOR PARTY PRESIDENT

Former ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Executive Committee (NEC) is inviting bonafide members to apply for the position of acting party president.

And the UPND/MMD working alliance has come to the fore where the two parties will not compete against each other in Magoye and Nakonde constituencies.

MMD outgoing party President and immediate

past republican president Rupiah Banda

The UPND will contest the Magoye parliamentary seat while the MMD will vie for Nakonde constituency.

The move follows indications by outgoing party President and immediate past republican president Rupiah Banda to retire from active politics.

MMD National Secretary Richard Kachingwe said the decision was arrived at by MMD Lusaka based National Executive Committee members who met today at the party secretariat.

Major Kachingwe announced that members wishing to lead the party should write to the secretariat and will be required to pay K 10 million non-refundable application fee by Friday, 11th November, 2011.

He said this in a press statement released to the Zambia News and information Services (ZANIS) in Lusaka today.

Major Kachingwe stated that only one of the successful applicants will be elected as acting president by the full NEC of the party at its next sitting.

“The National Executive Committee has realized the need to find a successor to Mr. Rupiah Bwezani Banda who is going into retirement and directed that applications be invited from bonafide members who wish to be elected as acting president”, he said.

And Major Kachingwe has disclosed that the meeting also looked at the continued post election harassment by government agencies which have created a difficult atmosphere for the party to operate freely.

Major Kachingwe further explained that NEC has since appointed a standing political committee to engage government, international community and the public on matters of governance.

He added that NEC has also tasked the political standing committee to access the possibility of participating in the Chongwe Bye election in view of the alleged intimidation taking place in the area.

Major Kachingwe said NEC has directed the party to participate in 18 out of the 36 local government elections countrywide.

The elections for Magoye and Nakonde were deferred following the deaths of NMP candidate and that of PF while the Chongwe seat fell vacant after the resignation of newly elected MMD MP ,Japhen Mwakalombe.

ZANIS