PATRIOTIC Front national deputy chairperson Davies Chama says the ruling party cannot be affected after the firing of one individual.

And Chama says despite his dismissal from Cabinet, Dr Chilufya remains a member of the ruling party’s Central Committee as well as member of parliament for Mansa Central.

On Sunday, President Edgar Lungu terminated Dr Chitalu Chilufya’s contract as Minister of Health with immediate effect, replacing him with Bwana Mukubwa member of parliament Dr Jonas Chanda.

And in an interview, Chama who is also Defence Minister, said no one in PF celebrated Dr Chilufya’s dismissal but they respected President Lungu’s powers to hire and fire.

“The President has powers to hire and fire. Dr Chitalu Chilufya is not the first one to be fired by the President or other presidents. We are hired at the pleasure of the President and these are privileged positions that we are given by the President. So when the President decides that he needs the services of another person to steer the portfolios that we preside over, it is not an issue and should not be an issue. A number of people have been dropped, people have moved on. Just like in the UNIP times, ministers used to be dropped and the party moved on. There is no one who is indispensable, the party moves on. And Dr Chilufya is still a member of the Central Committee, he is still a member of parliament for Mansa Central so he has not been moved from the party. Talk to him, maybe he will tell you a story himself instead of speculating. No one owns the party. PF is bigger than all over us I can assure you. No one individual can destroy the party,” Chama said.

“No one is celebrating the dismissal but the President has the power to hire and fire ministers as he seems fit. The reasons are with the President. Who has told you Dr Chitalu Chilufya is leaving the party? You are the one imagining. I know the party inside out and the dynamics. I know where this party has come from and I know where it is going. We will never be affected, Dr Chilufya took over from somebody, dig the history of this party. The party moves on. We are cool and collected.”

Chama said politics was not about government positions.

“For me, things do not begin and end at a position of a minister. I can give you a typical example of myself, I was a provincial chairman for Lusaka Province for six years, I was provincial chairman for Lusaka for three years but I was suspended. I never left the party. I still continued to be a member of the party as a mere member because we are dedicated to this party. So it is not about the positions. So for those that have joined politics because of positions, that if they are disappointed, they leave the party. If you are insinuating that he is leaving, for me he is not leaving unless he decides to do so. People from outside want to imagine that this will happen, no. Even if I am dropped today, I will still remain PF. So it’s you people who will be saying ‘no, Mr Chama has a following’, that is neither here or there,” said Chama.