NAWAKWI MUST FALL

Sun, 04 Dec 2016 09:21:35 +0000

By Aaron Chiyanzo

THERE will be no third term for Edith Nawakwi and we are ready to fight to the end, suspended FDD member Bwalya Ng’andu has vowed. Mr Ng’andu has warned that angry members were waiting for the outcome of a court ruling in which they challenged their suspensions. Mr Ngándu dispelled claims by some senior members of the party that there was calm in the party, adding that what passed for peace was a lull before the storm. Ms Nawakwi and her cohorts have proposed to amend the party constitution during its planned 2017 national convention so that she could go for a third term. Senior party officials who included Mr Kaluba Simuyemba, the national secretary who together with another senior official Mr Ng’andu decided to sue Ms Nawakwi in the Lusaka High Court to reverse her plans. In Mr Simuyemba and Ng’andu’s statement of claim in the High court, the duo want a declaration that Ms Nawakwi be barred from going for another term as leader of FDD having served two consecutive five-year terms each as party president. They also want an order that the FDD hold an extraordinary NPC meeting as decided by the National Policy Committee as its last meeting held from March 4-6. They also want an injunction to restrain Ms Nawakwi from amending the FDD constitution to accommodate her even after having completed her 10 years at the helm of the party. But Mr Ng’andu yesterday retorted’; “We are just waiting for the ruling from the court otherwise the fight continues, we will fight this to the end. We are still on it, that nonsense they are talking about, it is their claim, for us the fight continues. There will be no third term for Nawakwi” he said. Mr Bwalya further disclosed that Ms Nawakwi allegedly bribed the police to pick up suspended FDD deputy national secretary Kaluba Simuyemba on charges that he had stolen a motor bike belonging to the party. He said that it was all part of a scheme to intimidate members perceived to opposing the third term bid and that the motor bike was later found in Mpulungu. FDD Lusaka Province Chairman James Musemuna had earlier claimed that the party was waiting for the final ruling from the court on Ms Nawakwi’s third term bid but that there was now peace and calm in the party at the moment. He however confirmed that there had been some petty confusions with regards to the motor cycle that was purported to have been stolen by Mr Simuyemba but that the issue was quickly resolved.