According to a new press statement circulated by the Northwestern Provincial Chairman of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) David Kapwepwe, National Secretary Maj. Richard Kachingwe failed to follow procedure during the recent attempt to invalidate the presidency of Nevers Mumba.
“We find Major Kachingwe’s conduct devoid of promotion of democracy, rule of law, observance and protection of fundamental ethics MMD was founded on,” Kapwepwe’s statement reads. “Kachingwe knows very well that the President can only be removed from office as a result of gross violation of the Party Constitution, gross misconduct, insanity, bankruptcy, moral turpitude or incapacity. (…) Section 1 and 2 of article 39 of the MMD constitution is very clear about the qualification or validation of the Presidential candidate. Article 38 section 2 equally allows anyone with queries about the Presidential candidate to bring them to the attention of the Returning Officer ten days before elections.”
The statement continues: “Now since Major Kachingwe seems to have chosen to be ignorant about Party statutes, we wish to remind him that according to our Party constitution, the President can only be removed from the presidency by secret vote of two thirds majority of the Party Convention and not single handily like he attempted to do. On the validation of Dr. Mumba’s membership, Major Kachingwe would have done well to raise his worthless claims 10 days before the elections in May 2012.”
Kapwepwe’s statement also alleges that Kachingwe was acting as a “mole” on behalf of the Patriotic Front (PF) party, assigned with the task of embarrassing and destabilizing the party.
“It is now clear that Major Kachingwe has been a sponsored spent force by the PF especially that his infamous coup of Dr. Nevers Mumba was immediately resounded by the registrar of societies Mr. Andeleki. One wonders what role Andeleki plays. We actually know him to be more of a PF cadre than a Registrar. Thankfully, all our earlier insinuations about Kachingwe and PF going to bed together have been proved in the affirmative going by the outbursts of Andeleki followed by heavy Police presence at Kachingwe’s residence and MMD secretariat barrier.”
The statement concluded by reiterating grassroots support for Mumba’s presidency among the Northwestern Province MMD membership, while also warning against Catherine Namugala and Felix Mutati, who they accuse of having aided Kachingwe’s outburst in an attempt to carry out an internal coup with the largest opposition party.