PATRIOTIC Front (PF) chairperson for elections, Sylvia Masebo, says all members who are not in “good standing” with the party will not be allowed to contest Copperbelt provincial elections taking place in Ndola today.
Ms Masebo, who is also Minister of Tourism and Arts, however, said that the dissolved provincial executive committee members are eligible to stand.
She was speaking at a press briefing which was attended by PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba and chairperson for legal affairs, Ngosa Simbyakula, in Lusaka on Wednesday evening.
“The composition for those who are going to qualify as delegates shall be members of district executive committees on the Copperbelt,” Ms Masebo said.
“Those who are not in good standing with the party, those that are facing disciplinary cases and those serving any disciplinary case or indeed anybody who has been jailed and anybody who is not a delegate will not qualify to stand,” Ms Masebo said.”
She said according to the party constitution, PF members who are not delegates will not stand and that the PF secretariat has a record of all names of party officials which will make it is easy to conduct screening.
“The central committee made a proviso to allow the dissolved Copperbelt provincial committee members to be delegates. So, the delegates are the only people that will be eligible to contest any position and to vote,” Ms Masebo said.
According to the party constitution, all PF members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors on the Copperbelt will be delegates to the conference.
“We are going to get three members from all the 22 constituencies on the Copperbelt,” she said.
The provincial conference which is scheduled to take place at Hindu Hall today will be officially opened by Vice-President Guy Scott and more than 560 delegates are expected to attend.
The members are one from the youth wing, one from the women’s wing and one from the main body and chairpersons,” Ms Masebo said.
She said people should be allowed to campaigns freely without any intimidation and that the voting process should not be interfered with.
Ms Masebo said even if some previous elections were characterised by challenges, she is optimistic that the Copperbelt elections will be orderly and peaceful.
She said as a ruling party, the PF needs to show that it can conduct credible, free and fair elections.
“As chairperson for elections working with other party members and the party secretariat, we have put everything in order in terms of logistics. So there should be no problem. What happened in Lusaka will not happen on Copperbelt,” Ms Masebo said.
She advised party members who are not delegates to the conference not to come near the venue as the PF wants to have a peaceful and fair election.
“I wish to appeal to those that are standing to conduct their campaigns in peaceful manner. I also want to say that please you know the rules of the game,” said Ms Masebo, “Don’t use money to buy votes because there is evidence, and if it comes out that you were using money, you will lose your money and election will be nullified,”
Meanwhile, Mrs Bridget Atanga says in a spirit of fairness, any aggrieved member is at liberty to appeal against the decision of the appropriate primary organ in line with the party constitution.
Mrs Atanga said this in a circular copied to President Sata, national chairperson Inonge Wina, Mr Kabimba and Ms Masebo.
“You will remember that I had lifted all suspensions countrywide but then some of those serving suspensions had appealed. So in the spirit of fairness, it is better the cases are concluded,” she said.
Mrs Atanga clarified earlier media reports that had indicated a blanket lifting of members’ suspensions in the party.
She said once these cases are heard, the affected members will be at liberty to participate in the party elections.
“I also wish to urge those who have appealed to push for their cases to be heard at their respective organs,” Mrs Atanga said.
I cannot wait to hear about the confusion, fighting and insulting that will happen at these elections kaili it wouldn’t be a PF gathering without fights. That’s their M.O.
@dudelove
Some one will be hacked to death for sure in these PF elections.
Hahahaha mama Masebo….!!!
UPND has already takrn CB ,Luapula and Northern Provinces by storm.
Sata will remain with Muchinga since thts where he wants to b the HEADMAN AFTER 2016.
Viva HH Viva UPND.
how does this party maintain records of its members when there is no register and membership cards
Predicted CB provincial Committee:
1. Chairperson – Mr Chanda
2. V/Chairperson – Mr Mutale
3. secretary – Musonda
4. V/secretary – Kabwe
5. Publicity – Mukupa
V/publicity – Nkole
6. Treasury – Chilufya
7. V/treasuary – Nkonde
It all written on the wall as part of the distribution of position with the family tree.
Come on my friend! These are all bemba names.You mean Lambas and other tribes can’t contest.I am eagerly waiting for results to see if the results will be as per your prediction
When did Masebo get in good books with PF? Is it not just in 2010 she was calling the leader of PF, HE M C Sata all sorts of names? May be the memories of people in PF are too short to recall that this is the same lady in Chadzi who call HE M C Sata a lot of things which can only be recited by her kind. PF needs true leaders to be raising serious issues of this nature and not this Masebo lady.
This lady doesn’t speak from her senses. Who doesn’t know her that she speaks from pretence and full of hypocrisy? From RP to MMD and now in PF. Jumping from one ring to the other. Now pretending to be a true PF, Kalilo fye mulefwaya twalimishiba, if there are such people who are not well standing in PF, according to your words, the list should start with you then you continue listing.
People must expect confusion tomorrow just as always whenever PF members have a gathering. How is Masebo going to identify those that are in good standing with party when the party has no records? What criteria will be used? There is no order and democracy in PF because the delegates’ standing with the party will be arbitrarily determined by Masebo and her team. And since when did Masebo become the one to determine whether one was in good standing with the party? Already this is a source of conflict. That’s why whenever PF have such gatherings, they also ensure there is a heavy presence of police in riot gear, ready for action. When people say PF is a violent party this is exactly what they mean; there is so much confusion. Violence is right from the president down to the lowest organs.
Surely that statement shows how UN- DEMOCRATIC Masebo & P.F is.
In a Democracy, Good Governance, which enhances development allows for differing views, & NOT merely being Sata’s Rubber Stamp like You Masebo, hence its called Democracy.
I’m actually wasting my time because Democracy & “Belly Politics” don’t go hand in hand!
What Masebo means is that those delegates not in “good standing” are those who are anti-Kabimba. Those in “good standing” are those who are pro-Kabimba. This is where the whole thing will lead to disaster. Chishimba Kambwili and his supporters are opposed to Kabimba and are therefore not in “good standing”. Can you imagine Kambwili backing down to Kabimba and Masebo’s intrigues? Can Kambwili allow the disenfranchisement of his supporters. Let’s wait and see!
@ Max Mbizo…….
Kabimba, Lubinda & Guy Scott brought the down Fall of MMD in 2011. Kambwili Katemo is not a Political heavy Weight including ba GBM who lost to Lubinda in Kabwata whn Lubinda Stood on UPND & GBM on MMD ticket.
I dont support the DIVISION but Lubinda & Guy DEBATED MASSIVELY whilst Kabimba OUTSIDE was TENACIOUS tht with or without an ALLIANCE PF is forming Govt