UPND Northern Province Chairperson Nathan Illunga says the party in the province is grateful to the National Management Committee for appointing former Lubansenshi independent member of parliament Patrick Mucheleka as deputy secretary general.
In an interview with News Diggers! Illunga said Mucheleka’s appointment would contribute to the growth of the party in the region.
“As Northern Province UPND, we have received the appointment of Honourable Patrick Mucheleka with both hands and we are very grateful to the party and the president as this is a recognition of our contribution towards the growth of the party. You know, Honourable Mucheleka comes from Northern Province and Lubansenshi in particular, and this recognition, I think will go a long way in sensitising people that after all UPND is not a tribal party because you know the position of Deputy Secretary General is a very senior position in the party. It will dismiss the notion that UPND is a tribal party,” Illunga said.
He said Mucheleka’s appointment was also a recognition of the contributions Northern Province was making towards growing the party.
“In 2011, when Northern Province combined with Muchinga, we got about less than three thousand votes, now in 2015 we got almost twenty thousand votes in Northern Province alone, and in 2016 we got almost ninety thousand votes, so we are making serious strides in Northern Province and therefore it (the appointment of Mucheleka) is a sign of recognition by the National Management Committee and the President of the UPND and we are very grateful,” said Illunga.
UPND, through its national chairperson Mutale Nalumango on Saturday announced reshuffles in the party leadership ahead of the party’s General Assembly.
Other prominent people appointed were former Kafue PF member of parliament Obvious Mwaliteta as Lusaka province chairman and former Sinda MMD member of parliament Levy Ngoma as chairman for agriculture, food and water development.
Below is the full list of appointees:
1 Vice President (P) Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba
2 Deputy Secretary General (P) Mr Patrick Mucheleka
3 Deputy Secretary General (A) Hon Gertrude Imenda
4 Deputy National Women Affairs Ms Gladys Lundwe
5 Deputy Treasurer General (Res Mob) Mr Felix Ngoma and Ms Subeta Mutelo
6 Deputy National Youth Chairman Mr Gilbert Liswaniso
7 Chairman, Health & Nutrition Hon Dr Christopher Kalila
8 Chairman, Education Mr Peter Mumba
9 Chairman, Agric., Food & Water Dev. Mr Levy Ngoma
10 Chairman, Mines & Min Dev. Mr Percy Chanda
11 Chairman, Commerce & Trade Hon Ambrose Lufuma
12 Chairman, Livestock & Fisheries Mr Raphael Muyanda
13 Chairman, Religious Affairs Pastor Kelly Mukonka
14 Chairman, Industrial Development Mr Bernard Mpundu
15 Chairman, Labour & Social Security Mr Gabriel Namulambe
16 Chairman, Elections & Campaign Hon Gary Nkombo
17 Chairman, Energy Mr Charles Kaisala
18 Chairman, Finance & Economic Dev Hon Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane
19 Deputy Inform & Publicity Chair Hon Patricia Mwashingwele
20 Deputy Chairman, Fin & Econ Dev Mrs Grace Chibwa
21 Deputy Chairman, Local Govt Mr Brian Ndumba
22 Deputy Chairman, Tech Education Mr Sibote Sibote
23 Deputy Chairman, Religious Educ Mr Pastor Kangwa Chileshe
24 Deputy Chairman, International Reltns Mrs Rose Sakala
25 Chairman, Lusaka Province Mr Obvious Mwaliteta
26 Trustee Mr Andrew Banda
27 Trustee Hon Sarah Sayifwanda
28 Nominated NEC Member Mr William Banda
29 Mr Ackson Sejani
30 Hon Elijah Muchima
