FDD wrangles escalate

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 14:21:28 +0000

By SIMON MUNTEMBA and AARON CHIYANZO

FORUM for Democracy and
Development wrangles have escalated with one camp accusing the other of holding onto power for financial gain and ignoring a court ruling calling for
arbitration in the matter.

The SAVE FDD spokesperson Yotam Mtayachalo has alleged that opposition FDD President Edith Nawakwi was only holding onto power  for financial gain.

He further accused Ms Nawakwi and her group of  planning to hold a  secret convention to the exclusion of the other group, adding that his faction was on top of things and that it would not allow the convention to take place.

In an interview with the Daily Nation yesterday, the SAVE FDD spokesperson said that the aim of Ms Nawakwi and her group to appeal against the High Court ruling was to buy time so that they could secretly convene a convention without the ‘SAVE FDD’ faction.

Mr Mutayachalo was reacting to FDD’s announcement that it would appeal against the High Court ruling ordering the opposition party to settle its dispute with SAVE FDD out of court as provided for in its constitution. FDD national secretary Nathan Mulonga disclosed that the party had instructed its lawyers to appeal against the ruling because the party was not satisfied with it.

This is the matter in which High Court Judge Sharon Newa last month ruled that Mr Chifumu Banda and two others were still members of the FDD as their purported expulsions had not been upheld at the convention.

Judge Ms Newa ordered the party to resolve its differences through arbitration.

But the SAVE FDD spokesperson said his faction was happy with the ruling because the matter was prematurely before court.

Mr Mutayachalo said his faction did not expect Ms Nawakwi and her group to appeal against the court ruling because the matter was straight forward.

He emphasised that the FDD president had been enjoying the money from donors, hence it was not easy for her to give up the throne.

Mr Mtayachalo, however, warned that any scheme by Ms Nawakwi to hold a secret convention would not work as his ears were on the ground.

“We know why they want to appeal, it is because they want to buy time so that they can secretly convene a convention without us which will render the court issue an academic exercise.

“But we also have plan B and we are on top of things. We are going to ensure that the convention does not take place until the matter is disposed of by the court of law,” Mtayachalo said. He noted that arbitration was a quickest method of resolving conflicts as provided for in the FDD constitution and wondered why Nawakwi could appeal against it.

He has further stated that according to the FDD constitution, Ms Nawakwi was no longer eligible to contest for the party presidency.

Mr Mtayachalo explained that Ms Nawakwi had been in office for two terms and that the SAVE FDD Committee wanted was for the party to unite again and respect the party constitution.

“These people do not have the interest of the party at heart no wonder they are going against arbitration which the party constitution provides. We are ready for them and the action we will take shall be radical.