Central Province Police Commanding Officer Lombe Kamukoshi has issued instructions to immediately stop the planned convention organised by a Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) faction at Kabwe’s Mulungushi University, on grounds that the courts have served Contempt of Court charges against the conveners namely suspended National Secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima, suspended National Spokesperson Rafael Nakacinda and expelled former Lunte MP Felix Mutati.
But the Mutati/Mbulakulima faction has defied the police order and vowed to go ahead with the convention.
Former Ikeleng’i Member of Parliament, Elijah Muchima, who has since defected to the UPND, Felix Mutati, Anna Chungu and Kangwa, former Provincial Chairman for Central Province, took the matter to the Constitutional Court for interpretation of the MMD Constitution with regard to holding conventions.
The Constitutional Court is yet to rule on the matter as it only came into effect on 2nd May, 2016 when President Edgar Lungu signed the relevant bill into law.
Speaking to the media later, MMD leader Nevers Mumba said the group that is organising the convention is facing disciplinary action from the MMD and therefore have no authority to handle any MMD affairs.
He disclosed that Mbulakulima has been going round the country organizing the gathering using a letter with an MMD letterhead signed by himself as having been re-instated as MMD National Secretary when it is not the case.
Dr. Mumba explained that there is no one mandated to convene an MMD Convention apart from the NEC and it has not sanctioned this gathering. He thanked the police for their alertness in handling this matter to avoid plunging the nation into lawlessness, bloodshed and anarchy.
But addressing a media briefing Wednesday afternoon, Mbulakulima said the convention will go ahead as planned.
He challenged Dr. Mumba to transport his supporters to the convention slated for Kabwe this Saturday.