PF national chairperson Davies Chama says the former ruling party will soon embark on a consultative process with its members in order to come up with a position on the general conference so that the process is transparent.

Commenting on Kantanshi PF member of parliament Anthony Mumba’s remarks that the party should shelve plans to hold the general conference next month as most of the top members had cases before courts, with some being summoned by ACC, Chama advised Mumba to make his submissions to the consultative or planning committee so that they were taken into consideration.

“We have a lot of other views that have been expressed by members of the party, as we embark on this consultative process within the party concerning a number of other issues besieging the party, concerning issues of rebranding or restructuring and many other issues and also the convention itself. And that’s why over time we have requested members of the party to make submissions either through my office or through the office of the secretary general as we embark on this consultative process with the members of the party. So that whatever decision that will be made, our vision is to hold a general conference as was pronounced by the central committee, that we hold a general conference by June, and we are working towards that,” he said.

“But of course we are taking into consideration a number of other issues that were unforeseen at the time, the latest development like honourable Mumba has referred to and a number of other issues including issues to do with raising the money for the general conference. So yes, honourable Mumba may have a point but we wish he can formally put that to the consultative committee or to the planning committee of the general conference or to the secretariat so that as we embark on this consultative process we are able to take those issues into consideration.”

Chama said the consultative process that would be undertaken regarding the general conference would ensure that the process was acceptable.

“In fact, we have a plan to go to Central Province as a committee which is planning for the conference and later on go to the Copperbelt. During these meetings, we are inviting members of parliament in the province, provincial officials in the province, district officials in the province, constituency officials in the province and other interested stakeholders for these meetings that we are holding as we engage members of the party. So that collectively, we come up with a position and move together so that the general conference that we are going to have is transparent, it has the support of the membership in terms of legitimacy,” said Chama.

“During the consultative process, we are also trying to build a consensus so that we are agreeable, so that the process is acceptable to the members, so that the outcome can be accepted by the members of the party. It will lessen the chances of division after the convention because once everyone accepts that the process is very transparent, there are no maneuvers to malign individuals or to stage-manage, for lack of a better word, the convention so that the outcome of the convention is broadly accepted to the members of the party. I think it will lessen the division ultimately, but whatever the outcome sometimes, there are people who always may not accept even if the process has been very transparent.”