LUSAKA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Chairperson for Mining and Mineral Development of the Zambian ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Kaunda Lembalemba said here Thursday that call for the party to start considering party leadership succession is ill-timed.

    Lembalemba said the call is regrettable as it comes at a time when President Levy Mwanawasa is hospitalized in Paris, France.

    He asked MMD spokesperson Ben Tetamashimba to apologize and withdraw the call.

    Lembalemba told Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation that all MMD members should ignore Tetamashimba's suggestion and instead concentrate on prayers for the president.

    Tetamashimba said Wednesday that it will be important for the party to consider Mwanawasa's successor when he comes back.

    In an interview, Tetamashimba said although he believed that Mwanawasa would come back to lead the party, it was necessary that the issue of succession be discussed.

    Mwanawasa suffered a stroke on June 29 in Egypt where he was prepared to attend an African Union (AU) heads of state summit.

    He was admitted to Sharm-el-Sheik International Hospital in the resort city of Sharm-el-Sheik in Egypt and was later evacuated to Percy Military Hospital in Paris on July 1 where he is still admitted.