PF vice-president Given Lubinda says party members should not rush for a general conference before the structures are examined.

In an interview, Lubinda said the party was yet to analyse the postmortem report which would help it understand what led to the loss of the August elections.

He said this report would be ready within a week and it was therefore advisable not to hold the general conference in a hurry.

“We cannot talk about when we shall hold a conference before we even receive the postmortem reports. We have to do things in an orderly manner. We have to get the postmortem report which shall be studied by the Central Committee, after that, the most important job is to take stock of the party structures, where our people are and the status of our structures. After we are satisfied that our structures are strong, that is when the Central Committee will decide on when to have the general conference. We cannot and we should not be in a hurry to have a general conference before we take stock of the structures of the party,” Lubinda said.

“It is important, we have to certainly go to the convention to elect new leadership for the party, that is bound to happen but we cannot do it in a hurry. We have to be sober about it, we have to make sure that we do things so that we unite ourselves and remain strong. Those who are calling for the general conference even before there have meetings at constituency level, at district level are in too much of a hurry. Madam Jean Kapata is heading that (postmortem) and she told me that within a week, she must be ready with it.”

Lubinda said it was too early to jostle for leadership positions in the party.

He said the party needed to focus on winning the forthcoming Kaumbwe by-elections.

“Those who are eager for leadership in the party, they are certainly welcome. However, it is too early for us to start campaigning and jostling for positions. Let us first strengthen the party. We have to wait until the date of the conference has been announced, that is when people will apply to the secretary general. Just to remind all members of the party that besides concentrating on strengthening the party, we also have a by-election in our hands. We have to make sure that we win it. People must focus on that,” said Lubinda.