Central Province PF chairman Remember Mutale says the party will not allow an anarchist lawyer like Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF) to divide the ruling party.
And PF Lusaka Province interim secretary Kennedy Kamba says KBF should not even show his face at the 2020 party convention because he is not qualified.
But Copperbelt PF provincial chairman Nathan Chanda says KBF is free to challenge for any position in the party.
In a statement, Mutale stated that KBF’s pronouncement to challenge President Edgar Lungu at next year’s PF convention was laced with malice, and that the party would not allow KBF to divide it through his “theatrical performances.”
“The Patriotic Front in Central Province wishes to state that Kelvin Fube Bwalya’s recent theatrical performance of a press conference (on Tuesday) clearly demonstrates that he does not mean well for the ruling party. We found his calling on the party and Republican President to pass the baton over to him because the President had allegedly failed, to be in very bad taste and laced with malice! However, we politely caution him to keep his drama to himself; we will not accept his anarchy to divide the party. This anarchist is supposed to be a senior lawyer, but is displaying very junior manners. He should not abuse the unparalleled intra-party democracy in the Patriotic Front,” stated Mutale.
“We have always been aware of Fube’s scheme to form a political party and he is free to form one of his own and stand on its ticket. We say so because if he is truly PF and meant well, he should understand that he can only subject his aspirations to the General Conference/primary elections where he must compete and should promise to accept the outcome thereof. The prerequisite to this must be that he ought to be in good standing with the party. PF has very clear guidelines and Fube is very much aware. However, it is clear that KBF’s ambitions are based on a very weak foundation because they are based on vanity and jealousy! It is so clear that Fube’s aspirations are built on pride self-promotion and envy. It is unimaginable that Fube believes his booklet is far greater than the PF’s party manifesto. He believes his booklet is the blueprint, which is superior to the party manifesto 2016-2021. We, therefore, ask who Fube thinks he is to arbitrarily pronounce himself as a presidential candidate for 2021 without following laid-down procedures? Who does Fube think he is to belittle the Patriotic Front manifesto?” Mutale asked.
And Kamba in an interview said KBF should not even show his face at the party convention because he is not qualified.
“I think KBF’s intention is to bring confusion in the party because he has seen that there are no problems in the party. The party is stable. Firstly, KBF is not qualified. He is not a member of the Central Committee, he is not a member of any provincial committee in Zambia; he doesn’t have a party position even at the district or constituency level. And where he is saying that ‘it is time to stop the untouchable thugs shielded by corrupt decisions,’ let him point at who is corrupt because the President day in-day-out is fighting corruption, even today, I don’t want to talk about it because there are ministers who are being investigated; we have got ministers who are facing the courts of the law; we have got PSs’ who have been fired regarding corruption. So, I don’t know what he means,” Kamba said.
“So, if you have a person who is claiming to be a party official and the same party is now washing dirty linen in the public against the party officials or the party President, then you should know that that person wants to bring confusion in the party. But as the party officials, especially in Lusaka Province, we are not going to allow KBF to bring confusion in the party. He knows that he is not qualified at the convention and he knows which organ of the party elects or votes in a presidential candidate, it’s the convention. So, where is he standing at the convention? Is he coming as an ordinary member? Is he qualified? Is he a councillor? Is he a member of parliament? Is he a provincial official? Is he a member of the Central Committee? So, if he is not a delegate, then he is not qualified at the convention,” Kamba argued.
He also said KBF would not last long in the political space if he chose the political route he had taken.
“Even if he was qualified, we cannot allow a qualified party official washing dirty linen in the media, meanwhile he is saying that he loves PF and the same mouth is saying that ‘this party is corrupt, this party is protecting thugs.’ That is unacceptable! We are not going to allow such kind of nonsense,” cautioned Kamba.
“As far as I know, KBF is not PF and does not love PF. KBF doesn’t want PF to win in 2021. So, he is behaving like a mad person [and] let him check his mental capabilities because as far as I know, I think things are not okay for KBF! And if he is going to do politics like that, he is not going to last in the political arena in Zambia.”
Meanwhile, Chanda in a statement observed that KBF was free to challenge for any position in the party.
“PF member Mr Kelvin Bwalya Fube’s call for President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to resign is unimaginable, wishful thinking and a daylight dozing dream! Mr KBF should be reminded that PF is not a ‘katemba’ party, but a political party that is established on rules and procedures. We have noted with concern the continued levels of power hungry and bitterness being exhibited. Ba KBF should be free and is free to challenge for any position in the party. But we note with concern the allegations levelled against the party and its leadership he wants to stand on. We are not saying that he should not criticize the leadership, but the manner in which it is being done,” stated Chanda.