PF Secretary General Davies Mwila has with immediate effect dissolved the ruling party’s executive committee for Lusaka Province ahead of the April 18, elections which will usher in new office bearers.

Speaking at a press briefing which was organised by party’s National Women Chairperson Jean Kapata in Lusaka Wednesday, Mwila also announced the set dates for party elections in different structures within the province.

And Mwila said PF could not discipline Former Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba for insulting the party because he is not a factor.

“The party has made a decision that we go for party elections here in Lusaka and the decision that we have made is with immediate effect. The decision has been made that (i) the provincial committee for Lusaka is dissolved with immediate effect. So from today the provincial committee has been dissolved. Secondly, we have set dates for the elections here in Lusaka Province and the dates are as follows; (a) 18-30th April, we are going to do elections in the sections, (b) from 1st -14th May, we are going to do the branch elections; (c) 15th-26th May, we are going to do elections in all the wards, (d) 27th May to 8th June, we are going to do constituency elections, (e) on 9th- 16th June, we are going to hold elections for the districts, all the districts in Lusaka province, and (f) on 16th-30th June, we are going to have a general conference or provincial conference. That is where we are going to elect the new committee for the provincial committee for Lusaka Province,” Mwila said.

Mwila said that lower committee would supervise the elections at lower organs.

“The district committees going down the constituencies, the branches, the sections will remain in office. They are the ones who are going to supervise the elections in the lower organs. So the committee that we have dissolved is the provincial committee. So that is where we are. We shall hold a meeting next week with all the district officials from all the districts in Lusaka province so that we talk about the guidelines. Who qualifies to stand in the party? So we are going to discuss with all the district officials. After that, 18th [April] we have to start the elections,” he said.

Asked if there were any reasons why the party decided to dissolve the provincial committee, Mwila said the decision was agreed at Central Committee level.

He also said that elections in other provinces would start on July 1, 2018.

“First of all, you are aware that the central committee made a decision that we start party elections on 1st July, I think you are aware. But because of the sensitivity of this province, we thought we should do it separately from other provinces. We are going to do these elections [and] that is why we are going to do it on the last day which is 30th June. 1st July, we start all the party elections in all the provinces, that is the decision that we have made,” said Mwila.