PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said the MMD will follow its constitution when dealing with issues to do with the national convention.

The MMD constitution allows the national executive committee (NEC) to make a decision on behalf of the party to either allow the convention to go ahead or to do otherwise.

Mr Banda said the MMD Government was too busy developing the country and would take care of the business of holding the party national convention when the time to do so comes.

"My advice to my colleagues is that as a party, we shall do everything possible to follow our constitution. We shall be a good example of democratic party, not a tribal party, not a party which has its national leader imposed on the people," he said.

The president also condemned the riots by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) miners in Chingola, saying the law should take its course on the culprits.

Mr Banda said he had a duty of defending the constitution and the country and advised miners to desist from being used by some opposition leaders who wanted to destabilise the country.

He said he was aware that some people were going round the country inciting people to cause confusion in Chingola.

"Those who burnt other people's property in Chingola will be found and sent to jail while the people inciting them will just be free," Mr Banda said.

He called upon the people of Zambia to regard the MMD as a vanguard party which was championing people's interests and wondered when UPND and PF would hold its first-ever national convention.

Mr Banda said at Kyawama market during the campaign rally for MMD candidate, Albert Chifita in next Thursday's Solwezi Central by-election that the Patriotic Front -United Party for National Development Pact was short-lived.

"Just give the two leaders (Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema) chance, you will see what will happen soon. The only pact which will survive in this country is that of the MMD and the electorate," he said.

Mr Banda said he was confident that the people of Solwezi Central Constituency would use the November 19 by-election to choose a new leader who would contribute to national development in Parliament.

Earlier, during an interview at Solwezi Radio, Mr Banda urged the people of Solwezi to vote for Mr Chifita to replace the late Benny Tetamashimba to enable the party complete the development process in the constituency.

He said while Mr Chifita would join a team running the Government, the other candidates, once elected, would not make any changes to the make up of Parliament as they would only add numbers and earn money without any influence.