POLITICAL analysts say the endorsement of President Edgar Lungu as Patriotic Front candidate in next year’s elections has enhanced the ruling party’s chances to remain in power beyond 2016.
Thomas Mabwe and Alex Ng’oma said the decision would also unite the ruling party after a turbulent period during the election and adoption of Mr Lungu to contest the 2015 presidential elections.
The PF Central Committee announced on Saturday that it has settled for Mr Lungu to contest the 2016 tripartite elections.
The announcement came against confusion that rocked the party last year. The PF went under difficult times after the death of its founder Michael Sata last year when two factions emerged in a struggle for leadership.
Mr Mabwe a lecturer in political science at Zambian Open University said the Central Committee’s decision had put to rest uncertainties which arose after the death of President Sata on the future of PF.
“This is the logical thing that they (the Central Committee) have done. Mr Lungu is already there and he is gaining experience, so if they give him another five years, then they have a chance to win because the incumbent always has an advantage.
“I have no doubt that this will also end those problems where everyone wanted to succeed Michael Sata last year to become the president,” he said.
Dr Ng’oma , a lecturer at the University of Zambia (UNZA) in the department of Political and Administrative studies said Mr Lungu would be easy to sell to the electorate because he was already in the right position with resources and privileges than any other member in the PF.
He said there was need for every member of the ruling party to support the candidature of Mr Lungu in the interest of the party.
“This is good for the party because it will be easy for them to sell the candidate, so in the interest of the party. Those that are positioning to take over should now wait but support the person who is there,” he said.
Dr Ng’oma noted that it was a normal practice world over that a President was given an opportunity to do at least two terms unless he or she was not willing to do so.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda has called on every member in ruling party to go flat out to campaign and work for the party to further enhance chances of winning.
Mr Lubinda was one of about 10 people that had expressed interest to succeed Mr Sata before the Kabwata MP backed Mr Lungu for the 2015 presidential election.
However, he said the decision of the party’s supreme organ did not surprise him because Mr Lungu had proved to be the right man not only for the ruling party but also for the nation.
“I support the idea by the central committee entirely and I call upon all the members of the PF to rally behind president Lungu. However, it is one thing to sing for him and another working for him,” he said.
And PF provincial executive committees have welcomed the decision by the central committee to adopt President Lungu as presidential candidate for the 2016 general elections.
The officials have also appealed to the party’s presidential hopefuls to defer their aspirations until the 2021 presidential elections.
“The endorsement of President Lungu as our party presidential candidate is a welcome decision, which has been made by the people,” said Central Province chairperson Benson Chali in an interview yesterday.
Mr Chali said the central committee decision is in line with the PF constitution which says that a person elected as president at a convention, should serve five years, and automatically becomes a candidate for presidential elections.
He said all provincial chairpersons apar t from Northern and Lusaka, who were on official assignment on Saturday when the central committee met, have reaffirmed the endorsement of President Lungu as candidate for the 2016 general elections.
Eastern Province chairperson Mimise Chiwele said the region is happy that President Lungu has been adopted as presidential candidate for the 2016 general elections.
“During this year’s January 20 elections which ushered in President Lungu as Head of State, the party went through a number of challenges that pointed to a leadership problem. Now that we have a candidate well in advance, there will be unity,”
“You saw what happened before elections on January 20. Now confusion will be a thing of the past and campaigns for President Lungu will be much easier,” he said.
“As a party, we are excited with the development because we wanted to have a candidate who is already formidable,” said Southern province chairperson Charles Hamududu.
I still say this is no news at all. it is so obvious. better news is expected from LT than this.
Zambia mashamo fye, why Edgar even himself can’t believe that Sata died.. Too good to be true.
To think otherwise on the impact of this smart decision of the PF politiburo is would be utopia. The resolution manifests maturity and strategy. It consolidates the candidacy and creates political leverage to mobilize resources for decision 2016. In a short time, ECL has carried himself well as a symbol of national unity and leader with a temperate spirit a country needs to sustain national stability.
In Decision 2016, unlike in January bye-election ECL is already a home product daily pitched out to Zambians by a fractious opposition. He is better placed to manage his base and campaign lije never before.
BesIdes, When it comes to change of Government, Zambians are rational actors. They do not take their country for a burger that can be flipped intermitently on the basis of sensations, muckrak and bitternesss. They know no individual can make an overnight miracle to a week economy that produces nothing. Measures being put in place take time to show results. PF is on course but they should quit these debt contractions.
To the contrary, a united opposition could win the election if they endorsed HH as president and Nawakwi as its vice president respectively. Then after two terms (depending on the performance), Nawakwi as presidential candidate for the third and forth terms. How about that??
What do you expect Mambwe and Ngoma to say? On the ground people are fed up with PF. They are on their way out.
THIS IS NOT ONLY VERY GOOD NEWS FOR PF AND THE NATION BUT FOR THE SADC REGION AND THIS IS BECAUSE ZAMBIA IS A UNIFYING FACTOR IN THE REGION. SO, ANY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STRIFE WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE WHOLE REGION. I PERSONALLY, AGREE WITH CABINET DECISION TO HAVE EDGAR A 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. MEANWHILE, EVERYONE MUST NOW CONCENTRATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ZAMBIA IN GENERAL AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION AND NOW THE EURO BOND CAN WORK AS PLANNED AS THRE WILL BE NO NEED FOR TUFILILE MUNSENGA. “…LET’S TO WORK…”, PEOPLE, NOW.
Please Mwebantu. What is happening to our Nation.
The Dollar today is K8.60 !!! (K8600 unrebased)
The economy has totally collapsed but meanwhile PF is just busy politiking!!!!!!!
@Senior Citizen. You are a disappointment in your analysis.
Are you telling me that you can see Maturity and Strategy in the way PF is running the country’s affairs
What measures have they put in place that will take time to show results
Bakalamba. I know you know that how you begin has a great bearing on how you will end. I always say, No matter how fast you run, you will NEVER reach the finish line if you are facing in the wrong direction”
A fraction of a degree on launch, will result in a missile landing hundreds of kilometres off the intended target.
Ala economic development is a process not an activity. We had seen kwacha appreciating in MMD that did not benefit much a poor man. the infrustructure development we are seeing has not only changed face of zambia but brought hope to a poor and rich. pipo failed to visit relatives becoz of roads. lungu teka icalo mwaice wandi
I think you are mad or you are in 90’s
Obviously kayula is just a school boy or fresh from college.
Do you know how the Kwacha started dropping in Kaunda’s time? How the economy started to crumble so fast as a result? Do you know the state of roads that MMD got from UNIP? How many potholes were in Cairo road, Independence road, etc? Do you know how the queues poor people used to line-up in just to buy mealie meal, bread, sugar, even paraffin? Do you know how the shortages of water in the townships,? Do you really know how we used to suffer in the latter days of UNIP? And you say the benefits from MMD never benefited the poor.
Can someone please change this boys dippers?
It is the opposition that removes a govt in power. Pf has performed poorly economically and politically. Every corner of zambia is feeling the bite of the poor economy. Pf stands a slim chance of winning in 2016. The leadership is visionless.
Please Mwebantu. What is happening to our Nation.
The Dollar today is K8.60!!! (K8600 unrebased)
Meanwhile PF is just busy politiking!!!!!
Gentleman with what is happening in our country sure if we allow party of *****s to continue ruling do you think your children will be educated
All you guys are wrong. Its true a united front has the highest chance to win the 2016 election. Look at the opposition, they are divided, how can they win? out of 5 PF will get 3, and 1 each for the opposition. So lets keep dreaming and continue having ERECTIONS over the elections.
Thanks
That’s the thing about elections. It is about turnout. No one really changes their vote to vote against a candidate. They just do not turn up! The economy will kill PF. Mark my words.
Anything is possible. It is their ground to lose so should we expect a sudden turn around of economy, fight against corruption, replacement of mediocre with competent etc. or are we to see more of this blind run to nowhere accompanied by lots of back patting and self praise… Cant get rid of my new mental image of ED huddled in a corner, sucking his thumb, fast asleep hoping when he wakes up someone will have figured out how to run the country just in time for him to wear his newest silly hat, pick up a mic and enjoy his victory lap… Dont shoot me. My mind is permanently warped…
Please Mwebantu. What is happening to our Nation.
The Dollar today is K8.60!! (K8600 unrebased)
Meanwhile PF is just busy politiking!!!!!!!!
Surely, any reasonable person who has traversed across the length and breadth of the country will realise that we have no serious opposition which can dislodge the current PF from power! Serious opposition ended with PF because the current opposition like upnd do not even have structures in areas like Luapula which has a very huge number of voters! Its a bitter pill to swallow but that is what is pertaining on the ground and when i see people jumping like grasshoppers shouting upnd, pund, i just say God forgive them for they dont know what they are saying!
Did you just mention Gods name with a name like that muletina Lesa guys
ine ndelya, chilikuli pf cadre ushileya. am UPND though. .. if itsood for you, then it d
should even be better for me, so dont come crawling by my door asking for salt
POLITICAL ANALYSTS (MATERO UNIVERSITY????) this time it is not much about unity as it was in January, but about the state of the economy. United or not, the PF has failed by all standards. The only thing they have to show are the Eurobonds which they don’t have any clue on how to pay them back. The so called massive infrastructure development through Kaloba can be done by any half brained person. Who can fail to get loans from slave masters who will use the same loans to enslave Zambia? For PF, getting loans and building some substandard roads and other infrastructure is performance.
Please Mwebantu. What is happening to our Nation.
The Dollar today is K8.60 (K8600 unrebased)
Meanwhile PF is just busy politiking!!!!!!
PF has failed the country but the opposition needs to unite. Uneducated voters manipulated with vitenge, Chibuku & mesmerised by choppers during “eretions ” are a let down. Suffice to say it is too early to assume PF is still a united party. I would rather wait for the dissolution of parliament to make such conclusions.
Mr T.C.Mabwe & N’goma are senior citizens & have failed to critically analyse the contemporary political dynamics at play!Its not the mere settling on Failure Lungu as the presidential candidate for Pathetic Diabolical PF,but it all boils down to/ on what they have done in the economic & social progression & realisation on its citizenry’s human development! However,I respect the aforementioned, more especially the former for he’s a radicalist & realist;he taught me at both BA & MA level but I stand to be anathemic to his perception!The fact that HH & GBM are now doing the needfully ie tour & canvass for votes in CB & Northern Provinces,triggered by the failed economy,one sane adult need not to cheat Alungu & PF!In any case,MMD’s RB of 2011 was more viable & popular than this…
Please Mwebantu. What is happening to our Nation.
The Dollar today is K8.60 (K8600 unrebased)
Meanwhile PF is just busy politiking!!!!!!!
when the PF took over from MMD the economy was postive in outlook it was rated B plus the kwacha was k4.58/ the citizens had quite a good disposable income but that is not the case today the oil prices are US$39/barrel if they rise to 70 dollars we will be done.In 2016 it will be the economy stupid.
Ati Icalo Lifupa,
And what makes you suggest that Nawakwi should be the Vice? Why can’t HH be the vice to Nawakwi? After all HH is younger and politically junior to Nawakwi.
He may be politically junior in term of years, but HH has managed to muster more political muscle than Nawakwi. The January 20th Bye election results will tell you that. Besides, UPND is a bigger party, more established and they have more MPs than Nawakwi’s party.
Poor people love suffering and they are used to hard conditions. Majority voters are poor and live in denial but full of hope. Surely, PF has done nothing that should compel people to reelect them in the next elections. But Zambians are so ductile that they get carried away by fake promises from the ruling party. The economy is crumbling while the kwacha will continue plunging low as projected by some experts. I wish that EL could man up and just say they have failed and are stepping aside instead of wasting more resources. Nothing is working as it should in the country and these f00ls still want to be in power so they completely destroy the country while they live in luxury. Pathetic indeed!
THIS MOVE IS AIMED TO ACHIEVE TWO THINGS. THE FIRST IS TO PROJECT A POSITIVE IMAGE OF UNITY IN THE PF THE SECOND AND MORE IMPORTANT ONE IS TO MAKE A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE ON ALL THOSE IN THE PF THAT MAY BE HARBOURING SENTIMENTS OF DISILLUSIONMENT. THE FACTS ON THE GROUND ARE DIFFERENT. EVEN PEOPLE IN THE PF ARE FEELING THE HARDSHIP THAT THE FAILED PF ECONOMY ARE BRINGING. THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, PRICE OF MEALIE MEAL REMAINS HIGH. FUEL AND TRANSPORTATION ARE ALMOST UNAFFORDABLE. ALL THE PF HAVE TO SAY IS “WE WILL WIN”! PF THIS IS NOT ELECTION SEASON IT IS TIME TO WORK! STOP RESPONDING TO THE OPPOSITION AND DO YOUR JOBS. KWACHA JUST TUMBLED AGAIN AND ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS PF WILL WIN. WHO CARES RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! !!
Can someone tell me what Upnd has done to our country worth voting them in power. The pf founding leader did something worth noting before we elected him president. What has hh the instant millionaire without a tract record done to Zambia worth giving him the presidency which he doesn’t even respect
ukwalola umwele ekobalola…….people blindly go to vote for what they’ve heard and not what they are able to see….they complain about the poor economy of our country and yet ebaba ku forefront mu rallies yaba PF.why not go for a smart government (HH & GBM) …..Let’s move forward from where Mr Michael sata left with UPND because the ruling party is a complete failure.
Comment:
Listen all you haters: ba PF tabalati kufuuka to warrant being voted out of office come 2016. Things will just solve themselves for when such a thing may occur – but definitely not in 2016! .
@Chitutuma. In which country? which home or which company have you ever heard of “Things solving themselves”?Don’t mislead us with your fikaisova principle.
Real men solve issues – Analume ngawo – Basankwa – Abaume abakoma
@ Political,
You are very right! Sometimes its good to remind ourselves of our own history. The kwacha at one time really gained, but did we see anything like development? nothing!
What a few disgruntled chaps in the opposition must realize is that Zambia is not an island and when you see certain things happening, instead of just being cry babies, you need to start scanning the environment.
Why is oil price down all of a sudden
What has America done to strength the dollar against all currencies in the world?
Today and right now, One US Dollar is equivalent to Fourteen (14) Rands
Why has the economy and the markets in China collapsed?
Why is Greek in the situation it is in today?
If you can give answers and solutions to change this situation, then you can blame Zambia’s economy,…
@Tubombeko. Yes I saw development. Zambia had moved from being classified as under LDCs (Least developed country) to a Lower Middle Income Country. From being a country that couldn’t feed it self to country that had surplus food stocks. The GDP was stable. From a country that did not have reserves to a country that had a health reserve. The exchange rate stabilized. The inflation dropped to a single digit. Poverty levels reduced drastically
If you old enough, you will admit that the quality of life in Zambia had improved from what it was immediately prior 1991. All this was done under the MMD.
MMD’s main fault was corruption though BUT the economy development was progressing.
With the Donchi Kubeba govt, all these gains have been wiped out.
As for the rand. JZ is a conman. The moment they removed Mbeki was the day the South African economy took a turn for the worst. Things have been deteriorating by the day. The collapsing RSA economy is why you have such incidences as the Marikana shootings.
Mwebantu, where is FlightHH2015 and Pretty? I understand they are six feet under. The cause were heart attacks to both of them when they went round the country and saw the massive development Mr. Lungu and PF have brought in this beautiful country. One of the projects they couldn’t believe was in Zambia is the Mongu Kalabo road and the transformation of rural areas due to good and all whether roads countywide. Can some affirm this? We used to warn these two but if it is true, too bad because they never lived to see what is yet to be done in this great country by the PF Government.
U.S. oil prices briefly dropped below $40 a barrel on Friday—hitting a six-year low that adds to pressure on pump prices for Labor Day road trips. BUT CHEAP GASOLINE ISNT SURE BET EVERYWHERE.
Source MSN.com
So what is your comment on this imwe tu opposition? Read and know before you expose your ignorance. Zambia is not an island!
UPND can only stand a slim chance of forming government with another candidate,not HH,maybe GBM or Canisius Banda.Altenatively,if this bloated opposition decided to form an unlikely single force.Upnd,you lost the fight the moment Pf decided to drag their feet on enacting a new constitution.Assessing upnd’s numbers,I make this conclusion;change of government isnt any time soon,not even 2020.Trust me on this one!
Has anyone ever heard President Lungu say he won elections..Next year is the same thing..he says I have already crossed the finish line..The election was rigged for him by ECZ/ZAF and Party Cadres…
….Once beaten,twice shy!Never Again..
Pf have failed. The economy matters more than unity at the moment because even unity depends on the economy. Pf will see no unity because many of its members do not believe in the pf’s economic management plan! Too much to even consider them as having an economic plan!