PATRIOTIC Front National Chairman Davies Chama on Wednesday stormed a caucus which was being chaired by acting party president Given Lubinda and told him that the appointments he had made were illegal.

On Monday, Lubinda appointed Raphael Nakacinda as party secretary general, Bowman Lusambo as Mobilisation Chairperson, Emmanuel Mwamba as Information and Publicity Chairperson, among others.

But Chama told News Diggers that the appointments came as a surprise to him and he wondered why they were done in that way.

And according to sources, Lubinda convened a caucus meeting for members of parliament on Wednesday which Chama was not invited to.

However, as the meeting was going on, Chama walked in and went straight to Lubinda, telling him that his appointments were illegal.

“You quoted Chama for a story in your paper today (Wednesday) saying he is shocked by the appointment. We had a caucus meeting as PF MPs with Lubinda at Fatmols Guest House. After the meeting started, Davies Chama walked in and started telling off Lubinda that ‘these appointments you are making are illegal’. The meeting was between 10:00 hours and 13:00 hours,” said the sources.

And in an interview, Chama explained how he found himself at Fatmols place and said he believed in being candid.

“I was called by officials who came from Luapula Province, the district chairman and the former district commissioner who is our former provincial youth chairman from Luapula. They called me some time back, they wanted to come and visit me. I was coming from my plot and they called me. I asked them ‘where are you’? And they told me the location, so when I went to the location then I found one honourable outside after I greeted them, he indicated that ‘there’s even a meeting’. So I said ‘a meeting’? Then he said let’s go in the meeting and I said I cannot go in the meeting, I have not been invited and I’m not part of that meeting so he said but just go and greet them. So, he led me to where the meeting was, so I went in to greet the people and I greeted the people. So, I didn’t storm any meeting. I was requested to go and greet people and I greeted them. Members of parliament were caucusing and I don’t know what they were caucusing [about],” said Chama.

“I was received warmly, obviously when a chairman arrives, people were shocked to see me. We believe in telling what somebody has to be told, not behind their back but in their faces, I don’t shy away. I will not go and tell somebody what this guy or girl is doing is not correct, I will tell you in your face, period. Because I’ve told you in your face, if you hate me, that is your problem because you won’t have to hear it from somebody, you hear it from myself. We are getting into discussions to resolve some of these matters and I hope the matter will be resolved, if it’s not resolved, you will hear from me. That, I can promise you.”

Meanwhile, the newly appointed PF Secretary General Nakacinda declined to give any comment on the matter, asking this journalist to tell him who had informed her about the meeting.

“Information from whistleblowers, I do not respond to. Who is it that has told you about any meeting of that nature so that I can be answering to a face or individual. If it is a meeting with a whistle blower, if there’s anything, I should respond to a specific individual because that’s the only way someone can be held accountable. I can’t respond to a whistleblower. Zambia and ethics of public discourse particularly journalism is you don’t expect me to respond to whistleblowers because how can they be held accountable? I’ve had a lot of meetings today and I’m coming out of a meeting now. If there’s any information you want me to respond to, tell me in terms of a person because people must be courageous when they give you information, you can’t be peddling either gossip or malice and expect us to respond. But if there’s an individual that has talked to you, just mention them,” said Nakacinda.

“If you want me to respond, the person talking to you must have the courage to put their name to the story that you are peddling out there because that’s the only way people can be held accountable but if you ask me what’s happening on the ground, I don’t know which ground because I will participate in aiding speculations, rumour mongering. If the whistleblower was not courageous to put their name there, then why are they talking to the media? Is it not malice? If they don’t don’t want any wrangles in the party, then why are they coming to you and say don’t mention me? For me, anything that is of good intention, is building in good faith, nobody will be afraid to put their name on it. Just encourage them to be courageous and put their name on it”.