Chifumu Banda
Edith Nawakwi
In a scheme insiders say is aimed at securing Edith Nawakwi’s presidency, Chifumu Banda has been flushed out of the Forum for Democracy & Development (FDD).
But when contact by Zambian Eye, Banda says he is not aware of any allegations brought against him and that the venue of the purported meeting that resolved to suspend him was not communicated to him.
Banda who is the FDD Vice president is seen as a threat to Nawakwi at the forthcoming party’s congress.
Insiders in the FDD have informed Zambian Eye that “the Madam (Nawakwi) still wants to hold on to the presidency and aspire for the Republican presidency in 2021.
She took over the leadership of the FDD from Lt Gen Christon Tembo and she has made three unsuccessful attempts at the presidency and there are growing demands that she paves way for someone else to led the party.
But Banda says he has not been communicated to about the reported suspension saying he is not even aware of the allegations slapped on him.
“The venue of the meeting was hidden from me by Mr Chungu the Chairman .He promised to tell me the venue at 16.15 hours yesterday, but TODATE he has not done so.I have no knowledge of the allegations as I have not been informed,” he explained to Zambian Eye Saturday afternoon.
Banda explained that he has been a long standing member of the party.
“Iam a long time serving member of FDD and I have been on the policy Committee from the first Convention to date. A Vice President of FDD for More than 10 years and an FDD MP from 2006 up to May 2016,” Banda said and added “It is a right of every member of FDD to aspire to any position in the Party.”
Banda, a prominent Lusaka lawyer and former Member of Parliament for Chasefu has however told Zambian Eye that an appropriate time he will aspire to led the FDD.
Nawakwi and her right hand man, political motor mouth Antonio Mwanza have been orchestrating a major political cleansing in the FDD to get rid of potential opponents ahead of their announced elective congress.
FDD is one of the political parties that was formed in 2001 by MMD leaders who opposed Frederick Chiluba’s unconstitutional third term bide.