In this audio, Patriotic Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says if Chishimba Kambwili is man enough, he will not challenge his expulsion in court but meet the party in Roan Constituency.

And Mwila announced that the Central Committee had adopted President Edgar Lungu as their preferred candidate for the 2021 elections.

Meanwhile, the former information minister today cancelled his highly publicized press briefing citing security concerns.

At a media briefing today, Mwila said had the party been scared of Kambwili and his counterpart Mwenya Musenge’s popularity on the Copperbelt, it would not have expelled them.

“I think all of us have got the experience. I remember in 1992 when I was young, during Chiluba’s time, he expelled 18 MPs and they went for by elections and MMD survived. I have said the party is bigger than individuals. If they are popular, they will face us in Roan. If we were scared of them being popular, we were not going to expel them to us we are geared as a party, we will move in. if he is man enough he should not even challenge this in court. We should meet each other in Roan. I challenge honorable Kambwili, you go and ask him that this is what the party has said that we are ready to face him in Roan then we will see who is popular between the PF and honorable Kambwili,” Mwila said.

Mwila said Kambwili admitted that a fellow member of parliament had suggested that he form another party.

“Extensive debate took place where all members including Hon Kambwili and Hon Mwenya Musenge were allowed enough time to put across their views on this matter and others which came to light. During the Central Committee meeting, inimical activities involving Hon Kambwili and Musenge came to light where they were reported to be carrying out destabilization activities against the Party particularly in Central and Luapula Provinces, including Luanshya District,” he said.

“In addition to these party destabilization reports, Hon Kambwili was in receipt of two letters of reprimand over his indiscipline in the Party. The first letter was written to him by former Secretary General Hon Davies Chama, now Minister of Defence and the second one was authored by myself following his activities in Luanshya District. During the hearing, evidence was put to both Hon Kambwili and Hon Musenge and both failed defend themselves. When he was given an opportunity to further exculpate himself, Hon Kambwili admitted that a former minister who was an MP from Muchinga province proposed to him to form a splinter party to undermine PF. He claimed he declined the idea but this was only after he was challenged to deny whether a meeting took place at his home comprising himself, Hon Musenge and three other former MPs. His response was ‘I was sick and they came to see me and one of them proposed that idea but I refused’.”

He further told journalists that Musenge had dished out K110,000 to distablise the PF in Luapula Province on behalf of Kambwili.

“Another report raised by Hon Nickson Chilangwa, Luapula Province Minister showed that Kambwili went to three places and distributed money and criticized the party as failing. Further the meeting heard that Hon Musenge went into Luapula Province allegedly carrying K110, 000 given to him by Hon Kambwili to destabilize the Party and had just returned from the Province less than 24 hours before the Central Committee meeting. He could not deny the charges either. He accepted visiting chiefs but denied money issue. Hon Kambwili made matters worse for himself when he stormed out the MCC meeting shortly after it resolved to reconstitute itself into a disciplinary committee to consider the charges against the duo,” Mwila said.

Take a listen:

“Let me inform the public that in line with PF’s internal democracy, the duo was provided with an opportunity to exculpate themselves during the meeting and could not deny the allegations laid against them. While the meeting was sitting, Hon Kambwili stormed out of the meeting, walking out on the President and the entire Central Committee in a clear effort to save his ego – a fact he confirmed in his interview to News Diggers. This was ultimate contempt by the Party President and the entire Central Committee! At this point, Central Committee once again deliberated extensively and regrettably, a decisive action to expel Hon Kambwili from the Party was taken to send a strong message of discipline in the Party. The extent of misconduct and other destabilization activities sponsored by Hon Kambwili had reached intolerable levels and posed a danger to internal party cohesion.”

He warned PF members that the party would not entertain any form of indiscipline.

“Lastly, let me warn the membership that the Party will not take to any forms of indiscipline. On this score, I am directing all Party structures and members to watch out for those sowing seeds of discord in the Party and ensure they are exposed,” Mwila said.

And Mwila announced that the Central Committee had adopted President Lungu as their preferred candidate for 2021.

“Let me also announce to the nation that Central Committee adopted the motion to have President Edgar Lungu as the Party’s preferred candidate subject to approval by the 2020 General Conference. Central Committee believes this measure was important in consolidating the Party’s unity of purpose,” said Mwila.

Mwila also announced some new entrants into the Central Committee among them, Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale.

Meanwhile, Kambwili cancelled his briefing citing security concerns.

“Due to security concerns, I have had to cancel the scheduled press briefing this morning. My apologies for the inconvenience, I wouldn’t like to put the journalists lives in danger or at risk,” Kambwili posted on his Facebook page.