COMPETITION on who will be adopted on the PF ticket in Kabwata Constituency has heated up, with Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF) national coordinator Clement Tembo joining those hoping to succeed incumbent area member of parliament Given Lubinda.
In 2016 Tembo contested for the same seat as an independent member after failing to secure adoption from the ruling party.
Speaking to party members, Saturday, Tembo said there was fire in Kabwata.
“For Edgar Chagwa Lungu to be popular, he needs a popular candidate. The agenda is about His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia. He has so many enemies now and we are aware. God is good because we have started knowing them. If Given Lubinda, who is the current MP is not happy with what we are doing, I ask for forgiveness, if he is not happy because he has not finished his term. In Kabwata there is a lot that has risen, there is so much fire. What makes people stand as independent is some corrupt leaders who want when people want that this person should stand, then they deprive him; people get frustrated, that is why people go and stand as independents. You know that Uncle T is the one who is supposed to stand, we love him and the people agree with him, then they deprive him because of a person with money. Look at the future of your children,” said Tembo.
“There is only one party PF, I don’t want to hear that here there is my enemy because I am aspiring no, even you God has given you a gift. This party is democratic. Anyone can go and stand, just go in peace and eat some, you come back and greet Tembo and say ‘boss I got some, boss we have gone and got something’. Donchi Kubeba will work this time…I have told people that go there where there is a lot I have heard, go and get but on that day you need to know if love is in their heart. Kabwata Constituency cannot be bought by anyone, this is not for sale. We want to put someone who is going to work with the people. I was young when I stood in 2016, I have grown now.”
And PF Kabwata constituency chairman Trevor Ng’andu said the constituency was only loyal to President Edgar Lungu and would not favour anyone in the adoption process.
“This moment, I am so grateful to God that we have put things together to receive Clement Tembo, a few weeks ago we received Danny Yenga. After we had received ba Danny Yenga, a lot was said that we ‘had sold Kabwata’. I want to tell you, this committee you are seeing, the Kabwata executive, there is no amount of money that can buy us, as long as I remain the constituency chairman. [The media] I want them to quote me right because when we come out from here you go and write in the papers, you write something else. Because I remember after we had received ba Yenga they said Kabwata executive had selected Yenga to replace honourable Lubinda, I don’t remember any words that I said that was on those grounds. The party is bigger than any individual in Kabwata and even everywhere in the whole country. The only candidate we have at the moment is only His Excellency President Edgar Lungu to lead us beyond 2021 until 2026. The councillors and the MPS their time is coming when we are going to write recommendations to choose who is going to lead Kabwata constituency,” said Ng’ándu.
