FORMER PF secretary general Davies Mwila says acting party president Given Lubinda does not have powers to appoint people to the Central Committee.

Meanwhile, Kabushi PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo says Lubinda appointed undeserving people to the central committee.

On Saturday, Lubinda appointed 16 members to the Central Committee, among them, Matero PF member of parliament Miles Sampa and Lusaka Lawyer Makebi Zulu.

But in an interview, Mwila said he was not happy and that he would write to the secretary general expressing his displeasure.

“I want to say that I am not happy because the members of the party want us to have a president, to go the general conference and elect a new president, that is what people want. It is like there is that resistance, they want to continue with Lubinda as acting. What we are saying is that for the party to be strong, it needs to have a leader, that is my argument. People should not be appointed, we want to have a president, then the new president will appoint a new team. Then we move forward. But the current leadership, especially the vice-president (Given Lubinda) doesn’t have the powers to appoint. He doesn’t have the power, he is the vice-president. Going by our party constitution, he doesn’t have the powers. Those appointments must be null and void. So I am writing to the secretary general to show my displeasure. But I am not happy as the member of the central committee and the senior member of the party,” Mwila said.

He accused the current leadership of not wanting to go to the general conference to elect a new president.

“We want the party to be strong, to be consolidated. With the way we are moving, we only have an acting president and acting secretary general. We want the general conference, that is what our members want. My argument is that why is it that other people are dillydallying? It is like they don’t want us to go to the general conference. The current leadership are dillydallying.”

Meanwhile, Lusambo said Lubinda appointed undeserving people.

In a Facebook post, Sunday, Lusambo wondered why people like presidential hopefuls Mutotwe Kafwaya, Chishimba Kambwili and Emmanuel Mwamba were not part of those appointed to the central committee.

“I wish to warn that going by the way appointments to the Central Committee are being dished out even to underserving people, the PF will face a tumultuous time which will be difficult to recover from. The list of Central Committee appointments are even more concerning that they have conveniently omitted key members who have publicly declared their intentions to run for the presidency of the party. I ask, why is honorable Mutotwe Kafwaya not on the list? Why is Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba not including on the list? Why is honorable Chishimba Kambwili, one of the founder members of the PF not included on the list?” Lusambo asked.

“For the purposes of strengthening the party ahead of a very bumpy road, I wish to advise the party leadership to consider inviting honorable Kafwaya, Ambassador Mwamba and honorable Kambwili into the Central Committee. The trio is more deserving than those appointments that have been handed out as if they are decorations.”

He said the current leadership needed to consuls elders as the party rebranded.

“As we rebrand, it’s time to consult the Elders. It’s almost 10 months since the Patriot Front lost power to the UPND. As expected, a lot has come with that loss of power. The party has now embarked on a rebranding exercise which has been welcomed across the length and breadth of the party.
As someone who has experienced loss of political power before, I wish to render my opinion on how the party could approach the next few years in opposition.
With everything going on within and outside the party, it is paramount that those in leadership, at the highest level of the party (the Central Committee) consult the elders of the party on its future in the short, medium to long term,” stated Lusambo.

“The PF spent many years in the opposition and in that period, it endeared itself to a lot of noble men and women who wanted to see it succeed. These people worked closely with founding President Michael Sata and some of them never even got rewarded for their gallantry. Some of those people are still around and can still be consulted on the next course of action for the PF. These men and women have proven over the years that their interest is purely the wellbeing of the party.”

But when contacted, Lubinda said “You consult chairman for elections, the national chairman of the party or the secretary general.”