PATRIOTIC Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says constitutional lawyer John Sangwa State Counsel and Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu cannot dictate a candidate for the ruling party.

Speaking when he met party officials in Mwense, Friday, Mwila insisted that the Constitutional Court ruled that President Edgar Lungu was eligible to stand in next year’s general elections.

“Ifwe natu kwata insambu. Nga twalanda ati tuleya naba Edgar Lungu nifwebo, efyo tutemwene tefyo? (We have authority as a party. If we say we are fielding President Lungu, that is our decision and that is what we want isn’t it?) Nomba umuntu ushaba mu party yesu ali mu opposition aletweba ati…like ba lawyer ba Sangwa, ba Bishop ba Mpundu, bonse naba UPND balecita dictate kuli ifwe (Now a person who doesn’t belong to the party, he is in opposition and wants to make rules for us… like Sangwa and Bishop Mpundu together with the UPND, they want to dictate a candidate for us), they can’t dictate. It is us to make our own decisions. And the Central Committee has made a decision that we are going with President Lungu in 2021 because he qualifies to stand. The Constitutional Court ruled that he is eligible to stand next year no argument,” Mwila said.

Mwila told the party officials to encourage children in the area to get National Registration Cards.

“Iyi (this) exercise bonse tubekemo abana (we should involve the children). You have to start from the districts, the constituency, and the ward abana ebo mubalilepo elo muleya kuma (prioritize the children then you can get to the) members. Ba chairman balimpela (the chairman gave me a) budget. I am working on that uku tila twabako (so that we are) mobile. As we are heading to the general elections, you are supposed to have transport such as bicycles. The Central Committee ileloleshamo ukutila (is looking into it to make sure that) transport ifwile yabako (is readily available),” Mwila said.

He emphasized that the adoption process would be based on merit.

“Ba MP benu nga taba bombele takwakaba sale (if your member of parliament has not worked, we will not adopt him). It is very clear, all the adoptions shall be based on merit. Abantu nga mwabe iminika, utumpundu tulelila. Candidate nga mwamu imya balemwinta bantu, we are not going to allow that (When we select a candidate, people should to ululate and not murmur). Bonse ama (all the) councilors you have up to march ukubomba (to work). Bonse ama MPs, ifi ndelanda bafwile baleumfwa. Ifwe tulekonka interest ya party, not umuntu. (I bet all the members of parliament are hearing what I am saying. We are following the party’s interests and not a person’s interests). Party nga ya wina naba President tukalaseka bonse (we will all be happy when the party and President win.) By 10:00, tufwile twawina election, twa bachila (we have to win and surpass them) by one million votes,” said Mwila.