FORMER Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba says PF members should ask themselves whether the new appointments advance the cause of the party, and whether they will help rebuild it.

Asked about his way forward after being left out on the list of the newly appointed PF Members of the Central Committee in an interview, Mwamba said the focus should be to build the party to reclaim its past glory.

He added that leadership should not be used to advance personal or private interests.

“The focus should be to build the party to reclaim its past glory. We need to be driven by the principle of unity of purpose. Leadership should not be used to advance personal or private interest. In all we do, in all plan, in all advance, we should look at both party’s and national interest. Any person or leader pursuing sectional interest must stand aside. The party is far bigger than any individual. In our approach to leadership, we should never be exclusionary or abandoning the larger picture,” Mwamba said.

He said PF should abandon habits which made it unpopular if it had to win back people’s confidence.

“In relation to the new appointments, we should ask ourselves; ‘Do these appointments advance the cause of the party, does it help rebuild the party, does it regain the political fortunes’? If the PF has to win back the confidence, it must abandon habits that made it unpopular or created factional fights,” he said.

PF acting president Given Lubinda recently appointed 16 new members to the Central Committee, among them, Matero PF member of parliament Miles Sampa and Lusaka Lawyer Makebi Zulu.

“In accordance with the powers given to the Acting President as outlined in Article 61 of the Party Constitution and following the resolution of the Central Committee of 4th March, 2022, the following people have been appointed as Members of the Central Committee of the Patriotic Front: honorable George Chisanga MP, honorable Robert Kalimi MP, Elias Daka (Eliboma), MP. Honorable Miles Sampa MP, honorable Melisiana Chibwe Phiri MP. Honorable Makebi Zulu, Davies Chisopa, MP, Alexander Chiteme and Gabriel Kibombwe. Bright Tombi-Tombi, Mrs Purity Muhone and Mrs Brenda Silumesi. Mrs Anne Nelson, Mrs Thabiso S. Mizinga, Mr. Evans Lawrence and Mrs Michelle Phiri Kazala. The total number of Members of the Central Committee has now risen to 72, with 8 more slots remaining to be filled,” read a statement issued by PF acting secretary general Nickson Chilangwa, Saturday.

But Kabushi PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo said Lubinda appointed undeserving people to the central committee.

In a Facebook post, Sunday, Lusambo wondered why people like presidential hopefuls Mutotwe Kafwaya, Chishimba Kambwili and Emmanuel Mwamba were not part of those appointed to the central committee.

“I wish to warn that going by the way appointments to the Central Committee are being dished out even to undeserving people, the PF will face a tumultuous time which will be difficult to recover from. The list of Central Committee appointments are even more concerning [in] that they have conveniently omitted key members who have publicly declared their intentions to run for the presidency of the party. I ask, why is honorable Mutotwe Kafwaya not on the list? Why is Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba not included on the list? Why is honorable Chishimba Kambwili, one of the founder members of the PF not included on the list?” asked Lusambo.

“For the purposes of strengthening the party ahead of a very bumpy road, I wish to advise the party leadership to consider inviting honorable Kafwaya, Ambassador Mwamba and honorable Kambwili into the Central Committee. The trio is more deserving than those appointments that have been handed out as if they are decorations.”