. SATA

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
PRESIDENT Michael Sata yesterday held a closed door meeting with Copperbelt Patriotic Front (PF) officials in Ndola.
Mr Sata landed at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport aboard a Zambia Air Force plane at 10:59 hours and was greeted on arrival by Local Government and Housing Minister Emmanuel Chenda, Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Susan Kawandami, Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela, senior Government officials and PF members.
The President then proceeded to the presidential guest house on Kabelenga Avenue where he held closed door meetings with Government officials and senior Copperbelt PF officials.
Copperbelt PF chairperson Stardy Mwale said in an interview later that President Sata appealed for unity in the party as the tool to win the 2016 general elections.
“The President has sent a message to all PF members on the Copperbelt to be united despite the recent happenings and to work closely with the new General Secretary so as to win the next elections,” Mr Mwale said.
He said President Sata appealed for order, discipline and loyalty.
Mr Mwale said in turn, the PF Copperbelt top leadership assured the President of total loyalty and support.
He said he would not hesitate to discipline anyone who would defy the orders of the President here on.
Meanwhile, PF General Secretary Edgar Lungu said scooping three out of five by-elections held on Thursday was an indication that the ruling party was on course for an overwhelming victory in 2016.
Mr Lungu said the party grabbed three more seats on Thursday from the opposition which was clear that PF was on a good course.
“People have been saying the party is disintegrating but these election results show that we are strong. Come September 19, we will have four new seats out of six that we have taken within one month,” he said.
Mr Lungu said the fact that it was three women out of five that won elections on Thursday showed that women had an important role to play in elections.
He said he was grateful to the electorate for conducting generally peaceful elections, saying that was how things should be.
Mr Lungu left for Lusaka with President Sata and the First Lady Christine Kaseba who had accompanied the President at the presidential guest house in the afternoon.
They left at 17:39 hours after greeting PF members and Government officials.