.LUNGU

By DELPHINE ZULU and CLEVER ZULU –

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Central Committee is within its mandate to decide on the modalities of adopting a candidate for the Presidential by-elections, Secretary General, Edgar Lungu has said.
Mr Lungu said yesterday at a briefing that Central Committee is expected to meet next week to finally agree on the adoption process of the party Presidential candidate.
But acting President Guy Scott has insisted that the meeting scheduled for Monday will focus on planning for the general conference where a candidate would be adopted.
Mr Lungu, the Defence and Justice Minister, said it was only the Central Committee which had powers to spell out the way forward and that the avenue to be used to arrive at the adoption process would not be a secret.
The party had set November 17, 2014, as the date for which the Central Committee would convene to agree on the adoption process of the party Presidential candidate for the forthcoming Presidential by-election.
He said he had been mandated by the Central Committee to direct all party officials at all levels to await official notification through his office regarding the way forward on the adoption process.
“We in the PF, have a clear Constitution to guide us and we shall adhere to it to the latter. Until the Central Committee makes decisions, no official should be cheated into travelling anywhere to attend to anything concerning the party but should await official communication,” Mr Lungu said.
He said the party constitution clearly stated that the Central Committee shall summon regular or extraordinary meetings of the National Council or General conference and initiate and approve changes in the regulations and rules of the party.
Mr Lungu was flanked by Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde, Information and Broadcasting Services Dr Joseph Katema and several senior party officials and deputy ministers.
All aspiring presidential candidates would be accorded an opportunity to declare their intentions because PF was a democratic party.
He said he was not scared to go to the convention should need arise.
Dr Scott, however, announced that the central committee would meet on Monday to plan for the general conference, where the Party’s presidential candidate will be elected.
“On Monday cabinet will meet for the routine cabinet meeting at State House, and then later the Central Committee will meet to plan for the party convention,” he said.
The Acting President said the Central Committee meeting will discuss among other things, the electoral college that will elect the president, the number of people to attend and the budget for the convention.
Dr Scott was speaking at Government House alongside PF national chairperson Inonge Wina, national youth chairperson Chishimba Kambwili, Kasama Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba, Agriculture Minister Wylbur Simuusa, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Nickson Chilangwa and Mwansabombwe Member of Parliament Rodgers Mwewa.
PF national youth chairperson Chishimba Kambwili has called for the members of the PF to unite and rally behind the candidate who will be voted as its candidate.
And PF national chairperson Inonge Wina said the PF is still intact and coming together as a family and that the party has not expelled Dr Scott as the party acting president.