PF secretary general Davies Mwila says it’s unfortunate that some old PF members are still fighting for positions in the party instead of leaving them for new faces.

And Mwila says PF will lose even in 2021 if it does not rebrand itself.

In an interview, Mwila said it was shocking that some old members did not want to emulate him and president Edgar Lungu by indicating that they would leave their positions for new people to ensure that the party rebranded.

“The issue of rebranding in the party, I think it is important we talk about it. We have made it clear that we have started rebranding the party, we want to bring in new people to lead the party. We have said that the president, myself and the national chairman will leave and let the new people take these positions. As we are in this new process of rebranding, rebranding is not about bringing the old people, the same faces, rebranding means you have to change the faces of the party. You need to bring new people,” Mwila said.

“I am surprised that old faces, they don’t want to indicate [when they want] to leave. All of us, we will leave this party to new faces, they are fighting for positions, I am getting surprised as secretary general of the party. That is why I will stay on until these issues are resolved. We want the youths to take up these positions, young men and women. If the same people take up these positions, people will not appreciate the meaning of rebranding. Rebranding is bringing in new people. It is like you wear a green dress today, tomorrow you wear a green blouse, you are the same person. All that we are saying is that all the old people must be in the background and support the young ones. That is what I call rebranding.”

Mwila said the party would lose the 2026 election if it did not undergo the rebranding process.

“This election that we had, the blame has been put on us, that the old people, so what we are saying is that us, we have indicated to go, what about these others who are not indicating? Others are 70 years old and they are not indicating. So, this is a very serious matter, so if we have to rebrand the party, we move forward in 2026 with a good leadership, we will bounce back if we will bring in new people. But if we are going to go with the old people, I can tell you that we will not go anywhere. I am asking them to indicate because this is the time to indicate to leave,” said Mwila.

“Why are they holding on to the positions? Us we indicated, president Lungu indicated, myself and the national chairman, what about these other people who have been there, the old faces? They should indicate, that is what the members are waiting for. They want to hear from all of us, they are asking us ‘when are you going to rebrand the party’? So that is why I am staying on, until we rebrand the party, we bring in the new people. I am also old, this is an old face which is going, what about others? We started the party together, why can’t they step aside. That is the issue sir.”