By Daily Revelation Reporter
State House has made life a living hell for former finance minister Felix Mutati, whose attempts to find a vehicle to kickstart his political life is being frustrated at every point.
Well placed sources have told Daily Revelation that after Mutati lost the MMD presidency to Dr Nevers Mumba, he was desperate to kickstart his political party by trying to find another political party vehicle. However, sources said attempts by his supporters to register a political party named Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), where frustrated by the Registrar of Societies, following instructions from State House and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The sources say State House fears that Mutati, would draw support from the ruling, though not much but significant enough to tilt the 2021 elections, which President Lungu narrowly won after defeating opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
“The position from State House is that they don’t want new parties coming up, especially those that have some alignment with the PF, especially that we are only a few months before the next election. There is also a fear that drawing away support from the ruling party, no matter how little will be strengthening the opposition,” the sources said.
The sources revealed that noticing lack of movement with the registration of a new political party, Mutati and his supporters entered into talks with officials from late Mike Mulongoti’s People’s Party, and just when they thought they had concretised the deal, there was a sudden uprising from some members in the PP against the alliance, effectively killing the talks.
The sources said thereafter, Mutati and his former faction members in the MMD attempted to get into a merger with Highvie Hamudu’s party, and just when they thought they were making progress there was a sudden change on the part of Hamududu, and no progress was made on that score.
“We told him that that us we already have a membership, therefore let’s merge. But we have word that everything failed after State House got involved,” the sources said.
The sources said the same happened with the talks involving Jackson Silavwe’s Golden Party, who after initially agreeing to join hands with Mutati, State House’s hand proved too generous to deny.
“We only received word of him telling us, after we had made progress that you can join but you must work under me,” the sources told Daily Revelation.
Contacted for comment, Emmanuel Kalasa, Lusaka Province chairperson for the unregistered party, refused to address himself to the matters, saying he was not privy to the discussions.
However, Kalasa added that no human being could stop that which God had destined.
Efforts to talk to Mutati have proved futile, as during the last time he picked his call he indicated that he would call back, but he has not picked followup phone calls that have been made to him. –Daily Revelation