MMD members of parliament and National Executive Committee members this morning turned out en-masse to show their solidarity for party president Nevers Mumba when he addressed a press briefing at his Kabulonga residence in Lusaka.
Mumba, who survived a Michael Sata engineered coup de etat sponsored through expelled national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe, was addressing the press on the state of the former ruling party following a turbulent weekend.
On Saturday Major Kachingwe, who was a compromised MMD member serving the PF to destroy the opposition, announced that Dr Mumba was no longer party president because he held due membership eight months after he was democratically elected.
In a clearly planned move by the governement, Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki appeared on national television to confirm the basis on which Major Kachingwe was invalidating Dr Mumba’s election.
While addressing a press briefing at the party secretariat, Maj Kachingwe was hounded out of the premises by MMD youths who stormed the room from which he was speaking.
He was thrown onto Addis Ababa Drive where he fled in a black Jeep before 24 hour security was offered to him by President Sata though the Zambia Police.
Later on that day, Dr Mumba announced the expulsion of Major Kachingwe for gross indiscipline and insubordination which decision has now been endorsed by the NEC and was announced at the press briefing this morning.
Dr Mumba said Senga Hill MP Kapembwa Simbao would act as the party’s National Secretary until a substantive replacement is found.
During the press briefing, MMD members from NEC and more than 30 MPs were present to rally behind Dr Mumba.
“You have to be here at Dr Mumba’s residence to see how much support he has from NEC, MPs, and the general membership,” an MMD said.
MMD national chairman Kabinga Pande said following the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting yesterday, Simbao will act as national secretary until the elections are held.
Pande said NEC also declared a letter that Major Kachingwe wrote invalidating the presidency of Dr Nevers Mumba as illegal and lacked the endorsement of the party leadership.
He said the NEC also reaffirmed their support to Dr Mumba as the democratically election leader of the MMD. He also rubbished threats by Regisrtrar of Societies Clement Andeleki that he would de-register the party if they fail to pay the remaining balance by Friday this week.
Pande said when the issue was initially raised, the party was owing K390 million to the Registrar of Societies but that they have reduced their indebtedness remaining with only about K90 million.