Friday, March 29, 2024

President Edgar Lungu will be allowed to freely choose a running mate-Father Bwalya

Share

President Edgar Lungu speaking at Statehouse swearing in Ceremony on Thursady 7th January 2016. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/Statehouse.
President Edgar Lungu speaking at Statehouse swearing in Ceremony on Thursady 7th January 2016. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/Statehouse.

THE Patriotic Front (PF) will not allow anyone to coerce or blackmail President Edgar Lungu to nominate a running mate that he would not be comfortable with, Frank Bwalya has said.

And Fr Bwalya has warned party official lobbying traditional leaders and other interest groups to support their candidature as running mate to stop because President Lungu would be allowed to freely choose his running mate.

Fr Bwalya, who is PF information and publicity chairperson, said he was warranted to categorically state that President Lungu would be allowed to freely choose his running mate following the recent manoeuvres by some senior members positioning themselves, motivated by notorious ambition of taking over the Head of State on the PF party ticket.

“Our party acknowledges the dynamics of a running mate who becomes Vice President when his or her party wins the presidential election,” Fr Bwalya said.

Fr Bwalya said PF was conscious of the danger the presidential running mate arrangement could pose in the case where a person with notorious presidential ambition was adopted as running mate.

He said the party would allow President Lungu to freely choose his running mate and that would be a person he would be comfortable to work with.

“Those who are guilty of this behaviour should know that they are wasting their time and that they are effectively eliminating themselves from being considered,” Fr Bwalya said.

He said the party would strongly oppose the nomination of a running mate among those who had exhibiting insatiable appetite for presidency under the pretext of desiring to be vice president.

Fr Bwalya said such people would be a real danger to President Lungu.

“We are aware that one of our members of parliament has even gone further to indicate that he would leave PF and form his own party if President Lungu will not pick him as his running mate. Our message to this ambitious person is that his conduct has already disqualified him,” Fr Bwalya said.

He has since urged all respected traditional leaders not to allow themselves to be used by selfish people whose real aim was the presidency.

“On the contrary our traditional leaders and other stakeholders have a duty to help the president freely choose a person who will not be a danger to his life,” he said.

Fr Bwalya said after winning the forthcoming 2016 general election the PF want President Lungu to govern Zambia and lead it to prosperity without any fear of being harmed by those around him.

45 COMMENTS

  1. Back to the days when Fr. bwalya and Kambwili differed over Chumbu munshololwa issue. We will see if same PF will pour chibuku on him.

    • Lol
      How we forget so easily. Do you remember the exchange between Bwalya and Kambwili, the latter famous for these words:
      Ba father mukabwekele ku bu patilisho. Efyo bebela ati umuntu nga afuma kubu patali balapena. Iwe nawamba ukupena, you are a confused Priest

    • Edgar would not be stabbing Inonge if he chose another running mate. Inonge is a tired woman and is not well. She would still be able to contribute to the party and the country. She still brings wisdom to the table and Lungu will not be stupid to discard and flash her out.

      Lungu has great respect for Inonge and appreciates her.

      HH is the one that has a bigger problem. If GBM does not get it; then forget.

      Meanwhile Banda is campaigning to be the one. He believes HH picked him to be running mate while the constitution was being pushed.

      Lastly, Miles Sampa s very sly and still childish.

    • GOOD News Folks.

      Another over zealous police chief in the name of Charity Katanga has been charged with drug related offences for shielding Nigerian drug dealers in exchange for an undisclosed sum of money.

      Charity katanga thought she was untoucheable when taunted UPND and paid a blinder when PF cadres killed a fellow cadre in Livinstone.

      The purge I predicted has started and very soon all the stupid police chiefs who thought they were invincible will be jobless. Under the current PF economic conditions some will die of stress very soon. Their only survival is to testify against PF at the hague for how PF threatened them to abuse power and ignore crimes committed by PF cadres.

      Wapya munzi.

    • UPND has no problem in selecting a running mate. We have already worked out who to be the running mate for HH and keeping quiet until the nominations day. Leaders in UPND are not in the habit for jostling for positions because most of them have come to realise that they are not in politics to eat but to serve the people.

      Banda and GBM don’t really care about who takes the VP as long it benefits the party strategically to be elected. Once elected HH will still appoint the one who is not a running mate VP as well. Which means that in the next election cycle the other one will be running mate.

      This smart way of doing things can only be done by selfless smart people in UPND.

      PF thinks that if GBM is not chosen then it will dangle running mate carrot to snatch him back in PF. GBM…

    • GBM is a strategist and as a business man he knows very well which party has the capacity to win in 2016 the one which will increase his wealth .And that party is UPND.

      Many northern PF MPs are courting GBM and enlisting with him so that after parliament is dissolved they should be adopted on UPND ticket to prolong their political careers post 2016.

      There will be a massive exodus of PF members to UPND after dissolution of parliament. Just watch the space.

      Remember most of what I predict comes to pass. Thats because I have friends in intelligence services.

    • & these clowns want us to think its the opposition having headaches over the running mate issue. We will be watching as they do what they know best, panga politics. This time around we pray KK at police HQ will be equal to the task. Bbamba the *****s Mwata.

  2. MILES SAMPA CHECK!!! IT SEEMS THE LUNGU MACHINE IS TARGETING MILES SAMPA FOR ISOLATION. ANY PERSON THAT SHOWS ANY LEVEL OF INDEPENDENT APPROACH TO ISSUES IN THE PF WILL BE FLASHED OUT. MILES SAMPA MAKE YOUR MOVE PF LUNGU STRUCTURE SAYS “CHECK”!!!!

    • I dont understand this hatred towards Miles. The man brings a lot to the table -ability to organize and mobilize voters, educated, practical solutions to problems (as demonstrated with the various youth projects he has started in his constituency), young (for the future of PF), etc. If you want to win, then you need a good campaign manager and Sampa can really help Lungu. But alas, they hate him.

  3. I would suggest either Dr. Chitalu Chilufya or Dr. John Phiri to be appointed as Edgar Lungu’s Running Mate. These 2 can do wonders for Zambia.

  4. Why cant the Central Committee sit and choose a credible candidate if at all there is any remaining in PF? Leaving it to Chagwa will create more problems within the party and Chagwa will create more enemies for himself. This is not a simple issue which must be left an individual alone to choose his friend even when he has no leadership qualities but someone who will in turn be a republican president should anything happen to the incumbent hence the need for a collective agreement after thorough scrutiny from the party member.

    • @..Dombwa
      ….I like your sense of humour…’…credible candidate if at all there is any remaining…’…
      even the committee’s choice may bring problems…supposed they come up with someone who ECL already detest like Simusa or Sampa..??

  5. …in my opinion, this running mate thing has come too soon for Zambian politics…..all we needed to do is to amend and allow which ever VP shall be in office at the time of the demise of the president or the president becoming incapacitated to finish the remainder of the term…..suppose MCS had chosen GBM as his mate and they differ on say Chitimukulu saga…expect a big problem…we shouldn’t compare ourselves to USA, their politics are by far matured than we are….suppose ECL goes for Dora or Kabwili…just by virtual of voting for ECL we assume Zambians are all for his running mate..??..rubbish…

  6. And the games have begun. Both PF and UPND are in serious trouble over this issue. Can you imagine how Inonge is feeling right now?

  7. LT why do you precious waste space on parasitic stone throwers such as BUFFOON Kambwili, Chama, Mumbi and this shameless father Bwalya?

  8. Simbyakula is not a politician. We need one who will win votes for the president also preferable a Tonga so that we defuse the ubutonga way of voting.

  9. …by the way, those of you who have read the new constitution in full….what does it say on replacement of the VP when he dies since he hasn’t got his own running mate to automatically succeed him….do we go for a bye election…

    • When there is a vacancy for VP the President will be allowed to appoint his or her VP subject to a two thirds approval of parliament. Hence parliament will have a big say now….

  10. My guess is EL will pick running mate from SP or WP or NWP. He needs to find a way of diluting HH ‘stronghold’.

    • NOPE, UNLESS PARLIAMENT DECIDES ON ADVICE FROM A COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION SUCH AS MEDICAL GROUNDS OR CRIMINAL OFFENCES.

  11. No a running mate can’t be dropped. He’s directly elected just like the President or MPs. Interestingly, in Africa, we try to frustrate running mates by expelling them from the party. But so far no single country that has this law has succeeded in flushing out such VP even with this ruse. eg Bingu Mutharika vs. Joyce Banda in Malawi & Jerry Rawlings & his VP (forgotten the name) in Ghana.

    • Jerry Rawlings & Kow Nkensen Arkaah, also the Running mate clause has potential to bring problems in a country (Young Democracies) when misunderstandings emerge between leaders like in South Sudan between Salva Kiir Mayardit VS Riek Machar. The current civil war in South Sudan mainly emerged because of this law. The USA, the main architect of this law, has over 200 years of testing the systems, and has moved toward a perfected system!

  12. Lungu is a jerk I cannot see any light at the end of the ducking tunnel with the guy. I have a problem with this man.

  13. What happens when a VP dies while in office.Are we going to be subjected to by election.Is the new constitution silent on this issue?

    • When there is a vacancy for VP the President will be allowed to appoint his or her VP subject to a two thirds approval of parliament. Hence parliament will have a big say now…

  14. President Edgar Lungu must not pick unactive Ngosa Simbyakula!!i guess he is his favourite but Simbyakula is not a crowd puller.ECL must seriously talk to Felix Mutati, Nevers Mumba or maybe Mulenga Sata!!these are the people who will attract so many votes to PF.maybe even Dr Kaseba Sata can be ideal.madam Inonge Wina or anybody from southern,western and North-western must not be adopted.THEN JUDA ISCARIOT MILES SAMPA MUST NOT BE BROUGHT ANYWHERE NEAR THE PRESIDENCY AS NOBODY TRUST HIM.HE ALMOST MADE US LOSE THE BY ELECTION IN 2015 TOGETHER WITH GBM,GUY SCOTT AND MASEBO!!time for people like Miles Sampa,GBM,Guy Scott and Masebo in PF is over!!

  15. THIS IS GOOD. PF SHOULD BE CAREFUL ON THIS ONE. IN THE AST, THE PRESIDENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE WHILE THE VP WAS HIRED AND FIRED BY THE PRESIDENT. THINGS HAVE CHANGED NOW. THE VP IS ELECTABLE. AND HE AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES PRESIDENT IF THE INCUMBENT DIES. THUS THE PEOPLE MUST HAVE A SAY IN CHOOSING A VP AT PARTY LEVEL. THE VP IS A POTENTIAL PRESIDENT AND THUS THE CHOICE SHOULD NOT BE LEFT TO ONE PERSON ALONE.

  16. Its best to give the president to choose a running mate but the president shud this does not affect our party mother inonge pf is powerful like this bcos of what she did to rescue the party from that terrible confusion.
    First choice shud be her
    Next shud be a tonga,one from nwp or a lozi of gud liking from the president or
    On merit DR chilufya
    (keep away from choosing anyone from pf previus presidential hopefuls to avoid confusions again)

  17. I we Ka Bwalya stop saying our party,you betrayed the founder our beloved Sata,there is no way you will have peace in PF,your end will come unceremoniously .you think by sidelining founder members you will survive,go back to your failed party which you failed to organize and leave our party PF.Iyi in party yabene,the beloved Michael Chilufya Sata who built the party from nothing,toiled day and night with a number of people you and Edgar are sidelining.wekapuba we.

  18. This Running mate clause has potential to bring problems in a country especially for young and emerging democracies like Zambia. When misunderstandings emerge between leaders eg in South Sudan between Salva Kiir Mayardit VS Riek Machar. The current civil war in South Sudan is mainly attributed to this law. The USA, the main architect of this law, has over 200 years of testing the systems, and has moved toward a perfected system! Britain our colonial masters do not have this law so is the so called 50% + 1, Its the nonsense of Africa coping even un-worked things, in the name of democracy! what a shame!

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading