By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
Acting Patriotic Front (PF) President Guy Scott has dropped Edgar Lungu as the party’s secretary General.
Dr Scott has since appointed Chipili Member of Parliament Davis Mwila as the new party chief.
But Mr Mwila has  turned down the appointment.
This is according to ZNBC’s 19:00 hours main news monitored last night.
The acting party President dismissed Mr Lungu in a letter dated November 3, in which he thanked him for the services rendered to the party.
Meanwhile, Dr Scott has challenged individuals questioning the legitimacy of his position as acting Republican President, to seek legal redress.
Dr Scott said if there were any people thinking that his acting as Head of State following the death of President Michael Sata was a matter for legal debate, there is nothing stopping them from taking the issue to court if they so wished.
According to Article 38 of the Constitution, following the death of Mr Sata, Dr Scott took over as Acting President for 90 days until elections are held to fill the void on a permanent basis.
Dr Scott has also warned Patriotic Front (PF) members against indiscipline during the funeral of President Sata.
He said in a statement issued by his Senior Private Secretary Robert Kamalata that he would not allow any party member, including Cabinet ministers, to disregard party discipline while the country was mourning Mr Sata.
Dr Scott reiterated his call for the country to mourn Mr Sata with dignity and respect.
“Last week, I appealed to all my colleagues to mourn our departed President in dignity and desist from fractious succession campaigns,” Dr Scott said.
He said it was unfortunate that some individuals took his warning to be an idle threat.
The Acting President would not allow Mr Sata’s funeral to be marred with indignity.
“I have taken this step as party President to warn again all those who are disregarding a very sensible and humane request to reflect on their conduct,” Dr Scott said.
Mr Sata, who died last Tuesday at King Edward VII in London, will be put to rest at Embassy Park on November 11, 2014.
Meanwhile, African Union (AU) Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has said she learnt with sadness the death of Mr Sata.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma said that Mr Sata would be missed not only in Zambia but Africa as whole.
She said this when she signed a book of condolences for the late Head of State in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mr Sata was a frank and forthright man who served Zambia well in various portfolios even before becoming President.