ACTING MMD spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti has called for unity in the party and urged on top leadership to find solutions to the differences among members.

And MMD deputy national secretary, Jeff Kaande attributed the differences in the ruling party to individuals he called 'chancers' who now want to become fake heroes.

Mr Mulongoti said in an interview yesterday that differences of opinion were expected in the party and it was up to the leaders at the top level to find solutions.

Commenting on the wrangles that have rocked the party, Mr Mulongoti said leaders should find solutions to the problems the party was facing, not pointing fingers at members.

He said the fact that the MMD was attracting members showed that it was attractive to people and was headed in the right direction and new members should be welcomed by the leadership.

Mr Mulongoti said those in leadership should promote unity and not point fingers at new comers and added any party which did not attract new members was a dead one.

And commenting on the calls to hold a convention, Mr Mulongoti said those saying the MMD had refused to go to the convention were not being truthful.

"We have never said we will not go for the convention. What we have been saying is that the NEC has not yet sat down to discuss the issue of the convention. Also there is need for elections to be held at lower organs going upwards before the convention itself. The whole exercise requires a huge amount of money," he said.

Mr Kaande also said the MMD would go ahead with the national convention.

He said internal factions being formed by 'chancers' were the cause of the differences which had erupted in the ruling party.

"The convention will go ahead because even the president said it. We are not going to contravene the constitution," he said.

Mr Kaande said the MMD had been flooded with 'chancers' that wanted to turn themselves into fake heroes, hence the problem.

He maintained that the Andrews Motel meeting organised by MMD treasurer, Suresh Desai was illegal and had now caused the problem between the MMD Government and the Barotse Royal Establishment.

He said Mr Desai was aware that it had never been a duty of the national treasurer to organise any meeting but, unfortunately, he decided to go ahead. He described the move as lacking discipline.

"These are the consequences of hijacking what is not your responsibility. It has never been a duty of the national treasurer to organise any meeting.

"The national secretary, being the chief executive of the party, is the only one authorised to convene any meeting and in this case it is only Dr Katele Kalumba and myself. The duty of the treasurer is to solicit for funds and it ends there," Mr Kaande said.

He said the strategic planning meeting was initially planned for by the secretariat but that it was not supposed to be held at the time Mr Desai convened it.

"Of course we had this strategic planning meeting in our plans as secretariat but it was not supposed to be held now. Mr Desai decided to convene it while I was still in Solwezi. Dr Kalumba was also not consulted," he said.

He advised Mr Desai to leave the name of the president out of the whole issue and accept that he made a mistake to avoid problems with the BRE.

"The best thing is to be magnanimous and accept the mistake to avoid problems with the BRE. The BRE is actually not happy going by the statement issued and it is all because of that same meeting organised by Mr Desai.

"This is why we are saying he should leave the name of the president out of this issue but the problem is that he still wants to cover up for his mistake by issuing contrary statements," Mr Kaande said.

On Wednesday, Mr Desai said the meeting had the blessing of the MMD secretariat, and refuted assertions that the party's planning workshop discussed the Litunga and the BRE or any other specific personalities.