PF SECRETARY General Davies Mwila says the ruling party is still holding intra-party elections and is yet to decide on a date to hold the general conference.

And Mwila says the ruling party will ensure that the UPND continues to lose numbers in PF strongholds ahead of the 2021 general election.

Speaking to journalists, Friday, Mwila said his party was expected to complete all provincial elections in December after which the central committee would decide on a date for the general conference.

“I want to announce to the nation that we intend to hold elections at the constituency and district. Starting from next week, that is Northern Province and Southern Province. That will mean that we are going to remain with two provinces, and after that, we call for provincial conferences within November. The directive or instruction that came from the central committee is that we have to finish the elections at the provincial-level by December. So, after that, the central committee will decide when to hold the general conference,” Mwila said.

And commenting on the Chilubi Town Council Chairperson by-election result, which the PF candidate Rosemary Chimbini won with 11,225 votes to her closest rival of the UPND Risto Mushambe, who polled 2,960, Mwila said the party would ensure that the UPND continued to record reduced numbers in Northern Province.

“It is, once again, my privilege to congratulate the party on registering victories in yesterday’s pre-scheduled by-election. Congratulations to our candidates, Mrs Rosemary Chimbini, for emerging victorious in the Chilubi Town Council by-election in Chilubi District, Northern Province, and Mr Masenga Chibwe and Mr Chansa Edward in Mbereshi and Kakose ward by-election in Mwansabombwe District, Luapula Province! Never forget that you have been elected by the people and power lies in them. People have chosen development over propaganda. I wish to remind all our structures and mobilisation committees to work in harmony and in line with the party constitution and the terms of reference given to the mobilisation committees to avoid differences,” said Mwila.

“I want to say that our party has been doing extremely well in the strongholds, if you look at the ratios, mainly it is one to five. So, as a party, we are very comfortable with that margin and in the last election, the UPND had 4,000, they have now 2,900, so they have gone down! We want to make sure that as we go for 2021 elections, the figures for UPND have to drop further.”