PRESIDENT Lungu has said that his running mate in the August 11 elections will be someone who shares his vision and aspirations for Zambians.
President Lungu has said the decision to choose a running mate is his preserve and should not be confused with the 50-percent-plus-one vote threshold for one to be elected as President.
“The running mate will come from myself,” President Lungu said.
Speaking when he addressed Patriotic Front (PF) members at Luangwa House in Chipata yesterday, the President outlined the qualities he will be looking for in his running mate but noted that he will not choose his wife or his best friend as his running mate.
“I cannot choose my wife as my running mate. And I cannot choose my best friend as a running mate, I will choose someone who shares my vision and aspirations for the people of Zambia.
“Somebody who believes in the people. Somebody who is selfless. Somebody who desires to see that which we share in the PF is actualised,” President Lungu said.
The President said he will choose a running-mate whom he will be comfortable with even when he travels out of the country or whenever he falls sick.
“Chakudza sichiimba ng’oma (what harms you comes unannounced),” he said.
Doesn’t make any sense in a democratic country to finger point. That is total dictatorship
I thought it’s the Executive team to choose? Kabwe “convention” part 2 eh? Viva UPND they will do it democratically
This is a non-story. LT, why did you not ask Edgar what he meant when he said he wanted someone who shares his vision when he categorically said he has absolutely no vision to run this country? To cement that statement he shunned all attempts to have him appear on TV with HH and others to debate.
You don’t understand how the running mate works. Even in USA the greatest democracy. The one standing chooses the running mate. You don’t allow people to choose for you. People will just advise then you make the decision yourself as a presidential candidate.
Suddenely the GUY WHO PROCLAIMED TO HAVE NO VISION WHATSOEVER, now has a VISION – so someone who shares his Vision, We should SUPPOSE he is ALSO A CHAKOLWA!!! etc etc !!!
The award for the best joke of the year goes to one Edgar Lungu….”one who shares my vision..” hahahaha!! Bwana we you told us and after 12 months you have proved to us that indeed you have no vision
Dont matter to me, both you and your running mate will be voted out. Are you trying to bring back RB or what.
I guess this person who meets your spec could only be RB. You tend to have so many things in common, ‘plunderers’.
“I cannot choose my wife as my running mate. And I cannot choose my best friend as a running mate, I will choose someone who shares my vision and aspirations for the people of Zambia”.
Finally my Presido has vision! And what’s that vision?
I thought his vision will only come in his second term i.e. after winning on 11/08/2016 because currently he shud be using Sata’s. He is a fast man .. his vision has come too early & has caught us off guard. Why doubt him anyway when he outsmarted the Cartel (Acting Presido Scot, M’membe & Kabimba) even when he had no power & dwarfed Sampa, Kaseba, Simuusa, GBM etc at the Kabwe PF convention which they cud not even dare attend?
He’s right. He can’t choose someone who will be there just to fatten themselves. And its his own choice to make. The party has got no say in it. They just have to trust his choice.
One advantage Zambia has with President Lungu is that the man is predictable. He tells you what he is thinking ahead of time and stops speculation. May I add Mr. President that you will also need someone who is mature and respectful; a professional balancer who will help complement on your leadership and skill short comings; one from a region other than North- East Zambia; and a corrupt free individual to give the presidency a strong image. It is exciting to watch how this all running mate and 50+1 will work out.
chakuza sichiimba ng’oma…someone who will support him even when he fell sick not a person who is power hungry. That is very true…remember when late Mwanawasa trusted V.J in Congo what happened he vomitted his desires. Kambimba by Sata they killed him, Nevers by Mwanawasa he fumbled so these positions once given to wrong characters they might wish you ill so that they run this country. Not one is perfect but we surely should try…as my late presido said, ” that seat is sweet.” FTJ Chiluba.
So BOMA INONGE is OUT and PF lunatics day in and day out are busy focusing of UPND
She’s not out , PF needs her Legal Savvy and capability to steer the Mother ship in volatile waters.
Me, me , me. Myself, myself, myself. So your wife and best friend do not share your vision and aspirations for the people of Zambia? There should be more qualities to a running mate and you really should consult with the collective on you the running mate should be. It should not be your decision alone.
so what is this man saying about his wife and best friend?
I think he meant Nevers Mumba since he said he sent him a text message to be in a pact
Looking for a running mate who shares his vision? seriously? This sounds like the beginning of a very funny joke.
Its hard to type when you are laughing’ but let me try:- Edgar Lungu publicly and categorically informed the nation HE HAS NO VISION of his own. Not only that, as record shows, he further proved that he meant it by going around and echoing “Me also” to whatever HH and UPND articulated.
So now he is looking for a running mate of the same type i.e. A RUNNING MATE WITHOUT A VISION? Well, well, there are plenty of those around. LOL.
Seriously Lungu is completely useless without a written speech prepared for him. He cannot think on his feel.
On and On and On again and again with the same Media sound bite. Come on its 2016, you need to come up with something g better and less tiring than ‘no vision.’
Blind leading blind?
Bland.
We all know that PF and ECL are targeting NEVERS MUMBA OR EDITH NAWAKWIas running mate, i advise u sir better nawakwi than never
I’d go with that. But we are dealing with Nawakwi’s ego here……but I think she’s astute enough to see that an alliance at this time is good.
UPND = DULLNESS, HATRED, ENVY & JEALOUS.
Again this lazy bum is making incoherent utterances of a drunk man…what is this bum’s vision??
He has very blurred vision. That is what happens when you drink too much JAMESONI.
Your statement sounds more bummy than ECL’s above! Learn to debate intelligently than uttering insults and demeaning the head of the state where you live. It shows lack of self respect for self!
@Jay Jay
Right now probably, just that he is gonna bury UPND alive 2016!!
Maybe he should hold a PRESS CONFERENCE to tell the Nation about it!
After one year in office we are still waiting to hear about this “vision” that he has now acquired.
But then we all know this guy is too chicken to face a BBC or CNN reporter for an interview.
So is he now asking Zambians to vote for him and a secret vision that only he knows about?
Just imagine if all his proposed running mates also have secret vision! How will he know which one shares his?
CONFUSED CLOWN. HOW DID ZAMBIA END UP HERE?
UPNDs what is your problem? Follow these issues properly. Let me remind you one thing on the VISION issue. In last year’s by election, ECL had no vision of his own as he was there just to complete the term which his predecesor started in 2011. PF under MC Sata sold its vision(manifesto) in 2011 and convinced the Zambians who put it in power. Thats the same vision that ECL used in 2015’s elections. However, ECL openly said like on radio Phoenix’s ‘Let the pipo talk’ program in the runup to 2015 elections said that his vision will be told to the Zambian pipo in the 2016 elections. Thats why he is now saying that his running mate will have to share his vision for Zambia. Todate ECL has been using the 2011-2016 vision and for 2016-2021, we shall hear it soon. I urge you not to confuse…
The concept of a party manifesto is not well understood in Zambia. A manifesto is a written statement in which a group of people, especially a political party, explains its beliefs and what it will do if it wins an election. A political leader cannot have his own vision outside the party’s manifesto and if he does he should form his own party whose manifesto embodies his vision. The pre – independence UNIP party had “one man one vote” in its manifesto which was not in UFP’s, United Federal Party. Vote parties on the basis of manifestos and not tribe. I feel cheated by the PF’s manifesto which promised inflation related pensions.
@Tumbuka man
“Me also” and “Me too” are words consistent with someone with NO VISION AT HAND at all. Period.
Bloggers on this website are very good at insulting their leaders. Consider that you insult your own, what will other people in other countries say about your leader? When I say a ‘leader’ I do not mean the sitting president only, even leaders of various political parties. Good example is of your own parent or guardian. When you insult them yourself, others will definitely take advantage of this. In all, bloggers learn to comment wisely because we are just tarnishing our good image to outsiders.
Misozi, I reeally would like to wish away all the insulting, tribal peddling, demeaning and bad mouthing bloggers, so we could have an intelligent discussion on the pros and cons of selecting the running mate by the president or by th party functionaries. However, knowing the quality of bloggers this discussion may degenerate into an insulting spree.
I feel ECL is right, the presidential candidate for each political party must choose their own running mate to allow for harmony, similar ideological minds, less disagreements and better governance and policy consistence between the president and veep once elected. The disadvantage is that the veep is a presidential stooge.
What do the proponents of running mate selection through party executive body see as pros and cons? One of the…
@Misozi,unfortunately that is what bloggers get from general leadership.We have leaders who will go to public media and declare others lunatic.What do you expect from the rank and file?We need to raise the levels of debate above tribal sentiments and insults.Zambia has got a lot of issues which need to be faced head on if we are to prosper.Issues like poverty,ignorance,diseases,backwardness require people who will raise a barometer of debate above pettiness.Unfortunately,the levels of debate among the youths leaves much to be desired.Youth are too emotional in tackling issues that affect them hence the pettiness they exhibit.
What do the proponents of running mate selection through party executive body see as pros and cons? One of the disadvantages is a possible crush in ideologies between the president and the party selected veep.
Being bent on showing that Lungu has no vision, you end up blind yourself. The man makes it clear that he will not choose his wife or best friend; meaning his choice criteria will not be because you’re a wife or best friend, but because you can work! What’s so hard about that?
How I wish the president could enlighten us on his vision 🙁
Kabimba was a good Secretary General of the PF because he used to move about with the PF manifesto, like a bible, and all his “preachings” were based on it but now he has dumped it in favour of socialism in this day and age.
@skd, “I thought it’s the Executive team to choose? Kabwe “convention” part 2 eh? Viva UPND they will do it democratically”.
Ati uPMD will choose the running mate to HH democratically. Really? uPMD never cease to amaze, they have no idea what they are talking about and yet they will spend all day and night yap yap yap and then present themselves as the alternative government. Surely it should clear to all sane people what a running mate is, that he/she is chosen by the presidential candidate himself, and that there is absolutely no democracy involved otherwise the constitution as amended would have specified an election.
I hope that uPMD can learn from my clarification, it’s for free….kikikikikikiki
Tell them! We know the problem they will have, One Massive Dictatorial Ego…….
Some UPND says they will do it democratically. oh, how will that happen when you have failed to run the party democratically. HH is forced on the people. Since 2006, failing 4 elections the guy clings on like a tick.
Ba upnd bena ku wayawaya fye.
Nice to have Katondo Boys back. PF get ready, we gonna rock this town again all over Zambia.MMD , ‘ Mother of Democracy in Zambia(!), nice of you to take yourselves too seriously. Advice, get on board, the old adage applies here, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.’ Mumba needs to stop being a block to full democracy in this country by lack of humbleness. We need strong gov’t and all Parties in Zambia should align themselves so we can achieve a more robust Political environment in Zambia. Nawakwi, join with PF and contribute more effectively in the lives of ordinary Zambians. Don’t be a voice in the wilderness.