RENOWNED Lusaka lawyer Kelvin Bwalya Fube says if the PF blocks him from attending the elective conference, he will go to court to say what he knows.

And KBF says dishing out money to the electorate is a sign that the party has run out of massages to deliver during campaigns.

Speaking when he featured on a Muvi TV programme, Saturday, KBF insisted that in contesting the PF presidency, he was not expecting to be up against President Edgar Lungu, arguing that the incumbent was ineligible to contest this year’s election.

“If it’s about denying me to go to the national conference, then I have a right to go to court. This constitution tells me, if we can’t resolve matters, my doors are open, then I will tell the courts what I know. Then I will speak in court and then we will be wasting more time in court. I have been saying this all along, let’s talk. I’m an open book. I’m not antagonistic but don’t think I have no options, we will waste time in court until my issues are resolved,” KBF said.

He said it did not make sense for the PF to say anyone was free to challenge the President, when at the same time the party leadership was declaring Lungu as the sole candidate.

“You see the contradiction, the same mouth says ‘anyone can challenge the President’, the same mouth says ‘we have a sole candidate’. Where is the logic?” KBF asked.

“I have refused to attack the leadership of my party because this is illogical but when it’s an open fight, it’s an open fight. The truth of the matter is that time is not on the party’s side. It’s not about me, it’s about the party, getting the house in order as a ruling party we must lead by example. I’m a member of the PF by heart. The President knows that. Tell me what I did wrong so that I can apologise. Remember, I have rights. I have refused to cause confusion in the party that’s why I don’t go to court. Remember, I am a man. I wear many hats; I’m a lawyer so let’s not take that lightly. I also have to exercise my rights at that national conference.”

And KBF said it was bribery for the PF leadership to dish out huge sums of money in the name of empowerment.

“I’m ashamed [of the ministers who dish out money]. That’s not who we are, you never saw ba Sata dishing out money. That’s not who we are. It’s boring and it’s because natwita bamwinsa ukwisa mu party (It’s because we have brought outsiders into the party.) I want to condemn this act of dishing out money because it is giving us a bad name. And most of these ministers and some of the members of the PF, it is wrong, it is simply bribery. You are buying votes. In Proverbs 18:21 the Bible says the power of life and death is in the tongue. Speak to your people, give them the right message that’s what they want to hear. Not money, you give them money today, they go and buy bread tomorrow and that money is finished. But words can build, ba Sata had very simple words for us, more money in people’s pockets and we still remember. Do you remember ba Sata dishing out money? No! and I’m glad to report to you that the deputy chair of mobilisation my brother, Davies Chama honourable has put a stop to it,” KBF said.

“Let me ask my leaders in the PF, have you failed to take your message to the people with everything we have done? Why are you failing to articulate everything in the party, why are you failing to attack the opposition? If all you do is give out money, you want to tell people that all you have been doing is amassing wealth, because where is all that money coming from? Because I know the salary of a minister so where is the money coming from?”

When reminded that some PF officials donate money using the President’s name, KBF said they were just trying to cover up illegalities.

“As far as I am concerned, I don’t think the President would be calling out a Minister, [to say] ‘get this K500, 000 go and give people’. But that’s what they have said because they want to cover up their own illegalities. We don’t campaign like that in the PF, we have a message. If you think you have stolen enough, go. What will that money be? I know what it is to be disciplined, so of these indiscipline we see in these boys, cadres can be modelled. The Ministers for me, those who want to continue to work under the umbrella of the PF, under my leadership, any smell of corruption you will be fired. That’s how you lead,” he said.

He said the country wouldn’t be in its current position if late President Michael Sata was alive.

“If President Sata was alive, we would not be in this position. That man had a vision but he also had leadership. The President (Lungu) says he is following in the vision of President Sata; in certain respects, yes, but in many aspects, he has brought in his vision,” said KBF.