A senior member of the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), has expressed deep concern about the leadership vacuum in the opposition political party.

FDD president Edith Nawakwi has been in hibernation since the 2016 general elections in which she polled a paltry 24,149 votes out of a total 3,781,505 votes cast.

Commenting on Nawakwi’s absence from the political scene, former FDD Copperbelt chairman Yotam Mtayachalo told News Diggers! that Nawakwi had failed the party.

“Her absence from the political arena is an indication that she has failed the party. We do not hate her but we think she has lost the capability of ensuring that the party forms government in 2021. Her probability [of winning elections] is 0. 10,” Mtayachalo said.

Mtayachalo further explained the formation of the “Save FDD” group.

“The save FDD group is meant to provide leadership and to save the party ahead of 2021 and beyond, instead of having people in leadership who are only interested in financial handout during an election year,” he said.

“It’s high time we as dedicated members of the party took a leading role and took a different approach when dealing with issues affecting the party.”

He says the FDD needed to go to the convention to elect new office bearers who would be dedicated to providing checks and balances to the government.

“The party membership is ready to change leadership through a convention, and we are entirely behind president Chifunmu Banda for the presidency of the party, so that we can bounce back on the political arena,” said Mtayachalo