. Lungu

By REBECCA  MUSHOTA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said the Patriotic Front (PF) is united and it will not be detracted by people with destructive ambitions to take over from him.
Mr Lungu said yesterday when he spoke to journalists that the PF as the party in Government was focused in delivering development and would not be detracted by people obsessed with taking over from him in 2021.
The Head of State said he was aware of the perception in the media that there was friction in the PF over leadership.
“Maybe you can say that it is friction but it is normal. People will always have ambitions to be president, but some ambitions can be destructive. As a party, we will not be detracted from those venting their ambitions to take over from me. We are focused on development,” President Lungu said.
He said he would not demonise any person with presidential ambitions, because it was normal to have differences in opinion and ambitions.
It was important to observe those with leadership ambitions and see how they managed their desire to be party leaders.
Mr Lungu, however, said the party was united and that party members had love for one another.
The party was aiming at working and delivering to the Zambian people and not on political bickering.
Mr Lungu said the PF would have a party convention at the right time where all positions would be subjected to elections.
He said that unlike some political parties, the PF would go for elections to give the party a new lease of life.
“You can’t say that just because you are doing well, the people are happy then you will not go for elections. Is that democracy? It is like we say, we are doing well, Zambia is doing well so there will be no elections in 2021. Is that democracy? No!” Mr Lungu said.
He said that every political party should at an appropriate time hold a convention at which all positions should be subjected to elections.
The National Restoration Party (NAREP) has had its convention and the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) will have theirs early next year, while the United Party for National Development (UPND) has said they will not have a convention because the members are satisfied with the leadership.