Dr SCOTT

By MAYA NTANDA and CHATULA KAMPO –
THE Patriotic Front (PF) is today expected to usher in a new provincial executive committee on the Copperbelt following the dissolution of the previous executive last year.
The entire provincial executive committee was dissolved in August last year alongside their Eastern Province counterparts for alleged poor leadership.
The provincial elections set to be held at Hindu Hall in Ndola are coming exactly a week after the party witnessed district elections in Mufulira which were marred by confusion after two different lists of voters were produced.
Vice-President Guy Scott is expected to officially open the provincial conference which will attract at least 50 per cent of all constituency officials on the Copperbelt, representing three officials from each constituency.
Expectations will be high for the new leadership on the Copperbelt, a province considered as one of the PF strongholds in the country.
The new leadership will be expected to unite and coordinate party structures in readiness to deliver the Copperbelt to the PF again during the 2016 general elections.
For the position of provincial chairperson, battle lines are drawn between Mines and Minerals Deputy Minister Richard Musukwa and Stardy Mwale.
Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda and former Fibobe Ward Councillor in Chifubu Constituency in Ndola Jones Kaliati are vying for the position of youth chairperson.
Kitwe’s Riverside Ward Councillor Christopher Kang’ombe has declared himself ready to take up the mantle of youth information and publicity secretary.
Selita Chisanga, Agness Chomba, Hildah Kawesha, Beauty Bwalya-Daka, and Mary Banda-Mulenga are all vying for the position women’s chairperson.
PF national chairperson for elections Sylvia Masebo said in Kitwe yesterday that the party delegates should vote for capable people who would deliver positive results in 2016 and are loyal to President Michael Sata.
Ms Masebo further called for free and fair elections.
Nominations for the candidates vying for the 24 positions in the executive committee successfully took place yesterday at Kwacha Centre in Ndola.
A Times reporter yesterday found different candidates with their supporters filing in their nominations.
Nominations coordinator Anthony Katongo said in an interview that the nominations went on smoothly.
He, however, said there was a group of more than 10 cadres believed to have been ‘imported’ from Lusaka and attempted to cause confusion during the nominations.
Mr Katongo said alert security personnel thwarted the scheme by the cadres who were later picked up by the police.