MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande has maintained that the workshop convened by its party treasurer Suresh Desai had no authority of the secretariat and that whether or not it discussed individuals or traditional leaders is now inconsequential.

In a letter to Desai dated November 26, 2009, and copied to the party president, national chairman and national secretary, Kaande stated the ruling party's position on the matter had not changed.

“On behalf of the party national secretary, Dr Katele Kalumba, (who is currently unwell and who briefed me fully on the matter of the workshop before he feel ill), I write to express our total surprise that you have chosen not to own up to realities of both the facts and the history of the workshop you convened without the authority of the party secretariat,” Kaande stated.

“We know that the genesis of the workshop in question, is a written proposal by individuals who are sympathetic with the party but do not hold party office.”

He stated that Kalumba was contacted about the workshop when he was enroute to the campaign in Chienge a day before it was convened.

“No formal letter of request or conversation about convening the workshop by yourself had been discussed with him. He clearly instructed the office not to participate in a workshop that had come suddenly without proper planning and coordination with existing efforts.

It is unfair in his absence, to suggest that you discussed this particular workshop and its timing with the national secretary before convening it nor did you discuss its source of funding,” Kaande stated.

“Information available to the secretariat is that you Sir were yourself reported as expressing anxiety over the workshop and its funding. Administrative procedures in the MMD are clear. The question is not whether or not such a workshop was good; but rather, whether we are conducting ourselves as a disciplined party, which recognises our administrative and political structures. A party where everyone believes that he or she is an authority unto themselves would be courting failure.

“You suggested that both I and the national secretary were listed as participants. This bit of information is itself evidence of the poor 'management practice' you refer to because none of us were aware formally. Who drew up the list of participants? In what capacity? The point you raised is relevant here: who ignored the courtesy necessary in such an exercise?”

Kaande stated that as a secretariat, they had an obligation to protect the party from becoming an undisciplined institution.

“Whether or not the workshop discussed individuals or traditional leaders is now inconsequential. The fact is that the party is reported to have done so and perceptions in politics count for very much,” Kaande stated.

“In the context, the national secretary was within his constitutional right to distance the party from the perception that what was reported (wrongly or correctly) reflected an official position by a workshop he, as the chief executive officer of the party, did not specifically sanction.

The national secretary was particularly surprised that such a workshop as reported to him by his office was being convened at the time the Solwezi by-election was just heating up and the party needed all its capacities to focus on the electoral exercise. It is granted that MMD needs to strategise but perhaps under conditions that are part of an approved programme of work by the NEC and the secretariat.”

Kaande stated that the office of the treasurer could not authorise itself to spend money for workshops.

“The national secretary only wished that you had coordinated and cleared this initiative with his office and in no way suggested that it did not have any value at all. Suggesting this, as has been is a very unfair characterisation of our national secretary's reaction,” Kaande stated. “We must all work and move together as one if we are to overcome what has been called 'declining fortunes' of the MMD.”

And when contacted, Desai said he had not received Kaande's letter and therefore it would be premature for him to react.

“I am going out of Lusaka right now. I am going to Southern Province so that has to wait until I come back,” said Desai.