By JOHN SAKALA
MMD President Felix Mutati says bye elections should be stopped forthwith as they are a drain to national resources.
The MMD leader said MMD ponders on making submissions towards the current Constitutional Amendments, a mechanism to stop bye elections.
Mr Mutati who said this in a directive to his National Secretary Raphael Nakacinda said by elections are a drain and worst of national resources and hence should be stopped forthwith.
He said the country needs money that goes to by elections to be channeled to other spheres that would develop.
Speaking in Monze during a meeting with MMD party officials from five districts of Southern Province yesterday, Mr Mutati also encouraged members to keep hope as the former governing party had chances of getting back to power.
He asked the members to help build the party from inside and stay focused on growing the membership for a possible comeback.
“We have made mistakes in the past but never should we fall again. This is our time to unite, stay focused and be truthful to ourselves as a party,” he said.
“Further, there is need to refresh ourselves by conducting elections from the very bottom level to Presidential. I will also be available to contest that election,” he said.
He said as the “mother of democracy” in Zambian politics, anyone will be given an opportunity to contest any position at the 2020 Party convention to be held in Kabwe, without intimidation or being stopped.
“We are a democratic party that allows anyone to enjoy their democratic right and we don’t want to go to court again over an election, twapenga,” he notes.
Meanwhile, the MMD National Secretary Rapheal Nakacinda condemned the action of suspected UPND cadres that came to the lodge where they were having a meeting from with a view to disrupt it.
“So baya bantu mbatuma, to come and disrupt our meeting should be condemned in the strongest terms,” he said.
The suspected UPND cadres demanded that the MMD get permission from the UPND to hold a meeting in Monze.
