The Patriotic Front Central Committee has re-emphasized that the recognition of President Edgar Lungu as Republican President is non-negotiable by and for those who may wish to participate in the pending dialogue process.
In a statement released to the media by the ruling party’s secretary General covering a number of issues, the ruling party party further said that dialogue was not a matter between the Republican President and the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema but all inclusive, involving all political parties and stakeholders and that this must be an on-going process and not an isolated event.
Below is the full statement
STATEMENT BY PATRIOTIC FRONT SECRETARY GENERAL HON DAVIES MWILA, 17TH DEC 2017, KITWE
The Party leadership,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Members of the Press,
A. Introduction
The Patriotic Front Central Committee met on the 16th December 2017 and chaired by the Party President Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who is also the President of the Republic of Zambia.
Let me report that Central Committee continues to deliberate its proceedings in a very democratic manner and after exhaustive debate, common positions are arrived at. Underpinning Central Committee’s democracy is mutual respect and contestation of ideas without taking away anyone’s right to express themselves.
It is this same democracy we seek promote within and among the Party structures. It is the same democratic culture we shall continue to promote between the Party leadership and the membership of the Party.
The Central Committee in its deliberations acknowledged PF’s long-standing principle and strengths – to always be truthful to the people and never hide or conceal its own shortcomings and weaknesses, or the extent of the challenges that we face.
The Central Committee in its deliberations upheld in principle that our people continue to hold the PF in high regard, and demonstrate their confidence by coming out in even greater numbers in support our Party in each successive election.
B. New Appointments for the Central Committee
Following the number of Central Committee who had been sent into Foreign Service and civil service in general, the following appointments were RATIFIED by the Central Committee –
a. Hon Samuel Mukupa, MCC – Appointment as National Chairman for Patriotic Front
b. Hon Chitalu Chilufya, MCC – Appointment as MCC and Chairperson for Health ratified
c. Kebby Mbewe, MCC – Appointment as MCC and Chairperson for Sports ratified
d. Hon Brian Mundubile, MCC – Appointment as MCC and Chairperson for Legal Affairs ratified
e. Mr. Gunston Mulando – Appointment as MCC Ratified
f. Hon Davies Chisopa – Appointment as MCC Ratified
g. Hon Joseph Mulyata – Appointment as MCC Ratified
h. Hon Kampamba Mulenga – Appointment as MCC Ratified
C. Party Constitution Review Central Committee Adhoc Committee
Following the appointments of three members of this adhoc committee, Central Committee resolved to reconstitute the adhoc committee as follows:
a) Hon Samuel Mukupa – To Chair the Adhoc Committee
b) Hon Given Lubinda, MCC (Member)
c) Hon Jean Kapata, MCC (Member)
d) Hon Brian Mundubile, MCC (Member)
e) Hon Susan Kawandami, MCC (Member)
f) Hon Lawrence Evans, MCC (Member)
D. Commonwealth-initiated Dialogue and the Party Position
Central Committee expressed gratitude to the Commonwealth Secretariat for showing concern following the arrest of Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema after his motorcade attempted to bash the Presidential motorcade in Mongu. The process led to Mr. Hichilema’s release on a Nolle Prosequi and the appointment of Professor Gambari to lead the dialogue process. The Central Committee is grateful to the efforts made by Professor Gambari to this point.
In this regard, the Central Committee dispelled the notion that Zambia was in a crisis because it was not. The Central Committee also resolved that all dialogue processes or initiatives must be all-inclusive and spearheaded with and through the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) and other players such as the Church.
It was further resolved that the interface between Government and the Commonwealth will be handled by Member of the Central Committee Hon Given Lubinda, who is also Minister of Justice and Party Deputy Secretary General Hon Mumbi Phiri will represent the Party interests on the process.
Central Committee further resolved that dialogue was not a matter between the Republican President and Mr. Hichilema but all inclusive, involving all political parties and stakeholders and must be an on-going process and not an isolated event.
Central Committee also re-emphasized that the recognition of His Excellency President Lungu as Republican President was non-negotiable by and for those who may wish to participate in the dialogue process.
Central Committee also heard that the Ministry of Justice had made serious headway regarding many proposed constitutional reforms and some of the demands or concerns by some stakeholders might be overtaken by events.
E. Provincial Elections – Western Province
Following the tour of 16 Districts in Western Province, the Secretary General’s political report was tabled before Central Committee. The political report presented detailed challenges and opportunities for the Party in Western Province and recommended early elections for all structures from the section up to the Province.
After presentation of the Secretary General’s political report on Western Province, it was noted that lessons should be drawn from recently held party elections in North-western Province. Central Committee unanimously agreed that early elections should be called for the Province for all the structures. The Elections Committee headed by Hon Yamfwa Mukanga, through the Party Secretariat, shall announce the dates for elections in Western Province.
F. Fight Against Corruption
The Party President informed the Central Committee that he was resolved to fight any form of corruption irrespective of who was involved in the vice. On the issue of corruption allegations, Central Committee was mindful that part of the Opposition’s strategy to make the ruling Party unpopular was by “dressing” every development project with a jacket of corruption.
In this regard, Central Committee resolved that it will fight both the Opposition’s corruption smear campaign as well as deal decisively with those who may fall prey to the vice. Central Committee reminded itself against falling for any form of witch-hunt and as a benchmark, will demand for evidence of corruption to strengthen the fight. Central Committee resolved that there shall be no sacred cows in this fight!
G. Improving Government and Party Interface
Central Committee also resolved that Civil Service, which is supposed to serve the Government of the day must understand the Party manifesto. In this regard, the Central Committee called for more deepened interface between Civil Service and the Party in implementing the 2016-2021 manifesto.
H. Conclusion
Central Committee is mindful of the great task placed on its shoulders in ensuring that the Patriotic Front remains true to its aspirations and commitment to the Zambian people. It also understands that it owes it to the future generations of this country to take bold and forward-looking decisions aimed at creating a better Zambia for all citizens.
Central Committee is alive to the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality among our people and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the 2016-2021 manifesto is translated into tangible programs of action to create a better life for all our people. More importantly, Central Committee is clear that in while Government has a pivotal role in responding to these challenges, the unity, cohesion and strength of the Patriotic Front was a key determining factor.
Lastly, but not the least, let me call on all Party members to abide by the aims and objectives of the Patriotic Front as set out in the Constitution. While the Party seeks to find ways of empowering its membership across the country, our motivation should not be material advantage or personal gain but our commitment to what the Party stands for. To the members of the Patriotic Front, I call on each one of you to carry out tasks assigned to you by the structures. Together, let us defend the unity and integrity of the Patriotic Front and defeat all tendencies of factionalism.
I thank you!
This is a very simple issue. ECZ declared President Lungu winner. I think everyone respect that declaration. But the declaration was challenged. The Concourt did not affirm the declaration by ECZ. Let the Concourt declare President Lungu President so we can move on as a country.
Bye bye PF you are on way out. Start preparing how you will defend yourself. Lungu and his thugs will be out by the forces of nature soon because he likes flying a lot and I think who ever will replace him will not defend PF thugs.
My thoughts too. In fact most of the country has already moved on, while only the grudgeful ones stand still.
The Concourt did not hear the petition because Upnd did not table the same. So the original declaration by the ECZ was still in force.
PF are jokers, first they appoint MCC, just to follow UPND= us too!
Then worse they pick the most notorious bittch Mumbi Phiri to go to negotiations table with HH, her number 1 fantasy lover.
PF is a very retrogresive party under Lungu. Zambia has moved on from the stolen elections. We are now in the Koswe mode and looking to when Jonathan Chaima and his minions will dance to the tune when they’re not in power anymore. Mwila you are a jerk, you have to start planning for life in Jail now.
Shut up1
This all noise, even the people here who are busy commenting.
The only way to ensure serious discussions between PF and UPND, is for Concourt to make a ruling on ECL eligibility for 2021. Whatever the decision (Eligible or NOT), that is the only way these two parties will get serious. For now, they will continue to play this circus.
The concourt ought to make this decision the earliest, waiting until 2020, will create serious political unrest which will bring total chaos leading to 2021.
What recognition are they talking about? The election was rigged and the vote stolen. Is it not good enough that the man who stole the election, and abused our electoral system, is president today? Since when did we start worshiping thieves?
What is non-negotiatable is Zambians not knwoing the truth of what really happened. Please let your Lungu do Zambia a favour and prove with evidence he really won then everyone starting with HH should accept but Lungu must prove beyond reasonable doubt with evidence. Given that there will be a lot of PF members getting ready for jail once Lungu leaves. Becoming a Zambian lawyer would not be a bad idea
it will be easier to recognize that illiterate Mwila has a black anus than to recognize an illegal rulership.
Nostradamus, it seems Mumbi Phiri gives you the chills. You are scared of a her participation in the dialogue. And the last part of your comment…you may have to explain something to Mutinta.
Gen Kan, there is no constitutional basis for this because time has elapsed. The ECZ declaration is constitutionally very valid and binding.
Fi dull PF, the dialogue it called “Interparty Dialogue”, so what do you think? Lungu is coming as PF president and in fact Mwila said it is Mumbi Phiri who will represent the party and Chagwa will not be there. The dialogue is not with the government because GRZ does not have a political party. GRZ is non-partisan. GRZ comprises three wings The Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. The president is the head of the executive branch, so he/she is the chief executive of the government. Dialogue is with the party and not the government. We want the party to stop abusing government machinery, hence the dialogue.
So the dialogue is an Interparty Dialogue why does PF need recognition? Lungu is recognized as PF president (although technically it is Miles Sampa). Lungu attracts controversy everywhere he goes. In PF it had to take a midnight injunction to stop people at Mulungushi to choose a party leader. Now he needs recognition as a party president because the petition is still active and pending ratification of the election results. Petition abruptly stopped after 10 days.
Yes he shud be recognized as the dummy presido. He was illegally installed as the election thief by a court clerk and not chief justices as is the normal practice.
Interesting democracy. The Central Committee members are hand-picked by the President and they expect us to believe that such people will debate democratically against the same person who appointed them? In the meantime, boot-licking Lusambo is waiting in the wings like a vulture to eat any dead carcass thrown out.
What are you afraid of you thieves!
I have disliked this one because HH is equally a thief.
We need an alternative to an alternative party if PF keep getting these over inflated contracts. In the end we really need to follow them to all ends of this earth just to imprison them.
They carry on with their dealings thinking they will never vacate power, they better talk to KK and Mugabe and the leaders before them. If they think they will run cause they got the loot now, they are dillusional because Zambia is their Home, they will be home sick but with plenty money the rest of their misearable lives.
Votes stolen through rigged elections amount to stolen goods. Hence the need for the Proceeds of Crimes Act should kick in, just wait.
Look at the Point F on Corruption. They are saying there are no sacred cows when the same people are the number one culprits. You cant fight corruption when you are heaviy involved in it. Sacrifice a few of you and then we might believe you mean what you say.
They are afraid of the same place they thre HH into a few months ago…Mukobeko Prison, and for some of them, the ICC in Geneva to join other renegades jailed for crimes against humanity. Mwila is one of them ..remember that he shot some people in Sesheke before elections! This guy is a key thug in that criminal organization called PF.
Good move by PF.
Let’s see now.
True we love that… my concern are the deals being struck, over inflated that is what is hurting us. We can’t in all honesty sweep this under the carpet even if we love PF.
UPND cannot come through to rule us but what PF is doing is aiding an alternative party we do not want.
When I say alternative party, I mean the 6.5 provinces. I don’t care about the tribal 3.5 provinces that targ along tribal conflict with top notch genesis of corruption in their leader called ayatollah under Ka late Chiluba.
Which move?
The UPND are time wasters.
My hope is that they will not be part of this dialogue process to allow the country move forward.
My guess is that they reached the best they could in the last election.
We all know that they are not a national party.They are a regional party.They wont get support from anywhere else especially with their poorly crafted tactics.
UPND engineered the dialogue. How do you leave them out? PF already has one on one talks with the other opposition political parties on a regular basis and no tangible solution have since been found to the current situation in the country. If PF intends to leave out UPND in the dialogue, they should not use tax payers’ money because it will only be wasted. By the way, PF will remember the importance of dialogue after 2021 when they are out. Remember, we voted out MMD despite the development they brought. What can stop Zambians kicking you out also over fire tenders and the dual carriage way?
Warped up thinking! Do you know why we are having this dialog? It is all about HH incarceration. Now if you leave HH out, what is the dialogue all about?
Not with 3 provinces RG. You are lying to yourself. PF is very popular in 7 provinces and while you exhausted the electorate in the 3 provinces in the last elections because they voted en masse, those in the 7 will vote en masse this time around in favour of PF considering the massive development. Votes for PF in the 3 provinces will greatly increase because of non-selective development. And now you are admitting that MMD brought development when you denied it during their time. You are doing it now, denying PF’s unprecedented successes in development. Whatever happened to morals values?
As a PF supporter I’m left to wonder why my party is bothered about being recognized by HH. Life doesn’t change if our presidency isn’t recognized. Lungu will still go in and come out of state house with wiyuwiyuwiyuwiyu ahead of and behind him. He will go to DeadNBC and our puppet press will await him. He doesn’t have to write and ask for a sought after interview. When he flies out our syncomphant women will dance for him at the airport. HH doesnt enjoy these pecks. What more do we need ba Mwila?
All those things u have mentioned has nothing to do with the dialogue with HH. For the PF to seat down and discuss with the opposition, it’s very important to know the kind of people u are discussing with.
Lungu will come to the round table as the president of Zambia and the president of the PF party. That means HH should make a choice here.
Does he want to dialogue with Lungu as PF party president or he want to dialogue with the Zambian president?
Which one does he want?
HH should make a choice here and by making “that choice” he will automatically acknowledge Lungu as a zambian Republican president or rejecting him.
Game on! Bring it on! Love Politics mina.
Dj7, the dialogue it called “Interparty Dialogue”, so what do you think? Lungu is coming as PF president and in fact Mwila said it is Mumbi Phiri who will represent the party and Chagwa will not be there. The dialogue is not with the government because GRZ does not have a political party. GRZ is non-partisan. GRZ comprises three wings The Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. The president is the head of the executive branch, so he/she is the chief executive of the government. Dialogue is with the party and not the government. We want the party to stop abusing government machinery, hence the dialogue.
HH and bantustans are not Zambia or the world.ZAMBIANS AND THE WORLD RECOGNIZED EDGAR LUNGU AS ZAMBIA’S PRESIDENT IN 2016 AND IT WILL REMAIN LIKE THIS UNTIL 2021!!SO WHY WASTE TIME ON THIS ISSUE?this is water under the bridge.2016 elections are long gone,so as PF just start preparing for 2021 general elections!!
Nobody in PF should mind the loser Kainde!!let him mourn his 5th defeats since 2006!!a 6th defeat awaits HH in 2021 as i simply cant see him winning in Lsk,CB,Luapula,Northern,Muchinga,Eastern and bemba speaking areas of central!!
So whether HH recognizes ECL or not,we dont care!!!
COME 2021 NI PF NAFUTI NAFUTI!!!
So u agree pf is regional
PF may be regional in 7 provinces but UPND is tribal only in 1 (SP). You seem to have forgotten about Saboi’s post.
Jonathan knows he’s President by “HOOK & CROOK”.
He’s so desperate for an endors
And HH wants the presidency COME HAIL, COME SUNSHINE. So who is desperate here? NINANI UPANFIWE, the incumbent or the one ULELWA NE CHIBI (HH)?
He’s so desperate for an endorsement from the opposition because that’s the only way he can feed he’s ego and feel legitimate.
Very soon he will finish his term and you will still be talking about desperation.
NOT TO MENTION HIS LAST TERM FROM 2021 – 2026
Did anyone expect anything tangible from a Central Committee that is appointed by one person? I am not surprised.
Why dialog with hh ,was the President not duly elected as Ba kateka? What is he affred of , or may be the counting of votes was not on his side? And why the court clerk, and not the judges? Some thing is wrong with this leadership.
I fail to understand how it can be anything else. Hh why don’t you land and accept the reality that yours is a failed project and hand over to another ofyour tribesmates?
What you fail to understand is your jealous and fear that HH will question corruption and the Koswe, not HH’s aspiration and never say die altitude. If you are waiting for his retirement from the game of making Zambia a better place, you’ll die before that.
We preaise sata fir his commitment when he was losing elections yet when HH shows the same commitment to his party we denigrate him. PF where is our logic
Sata recognized the presidency, but HH has not. That’s the difference.
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8 (495) 255-02-25
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Mr. Mwila
Can you in your “learn” (sic) opinion refer to the point of law which prescribe mandatory recognition of the elected official?
Still consulting “A Team” of “learned” (LOL) S.C. Kaluka and S.C. Mwenye?
The source of the conflict is the Disputed and petitioned 2016 Election. Lungu who is the Respondent in the Presidential Petition has to prove in Court that he won the Election in 2016. As soon as Concourt validates Lungu’s re-election HH and UNDP will gladly recognize Lungu as a Duly elected President. There are no preconditions in this Dialogue and the Petition is between HH & GBM and Koswe Lungu and Inonge Wina. Koswe is scared of this Dialogue becoz he knows that he has No Evidence to show that he won the 2016 Election. Koswe is illegitimate and clinging to Power illegally and will eventually pay the price for committing Treason. Time is the greatest equaliser.
BMF. blowing money fast
Ba PF
I LIKE MANDELA AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM,MHSRIP, THIS WAS THE REAL AND HAD THE HEART FOR THE PEOPLE WISHINH HE WAS OUR LEADER TODAY
I LIKE MANDELA AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM,MHSRIP, THIS WAS THE REAL AND HAD THE HEART FOR THE PEOPLE WISHINH HE WAS OUR LEADER TODAY
Looks like this meeting was really struggling to make any sense. That is what happens when you try hard to avoid ‘the elephant in the room’.
I LIKE MANDELA AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM,MHSRIP, THIS WAS THE REAL MAN AND HAD THE HEART FOR THE PEOPLE WISHING HE WAS OUR LEADER TODAY
“WHAT COUNTS IN LIFE IS NOT THE MERE FACT THAT WE HAVE LIVED. IT IS WHAT DIFFERENCE WE HAVE MADE TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LIFE WE LEAD” (NELSON MANDELA)
You are dead right. Travel around the country and see what difference Lungu has made to the lives of many Zambians. He is a darling to many around the country.
We are in a democracy. You do not force anybody to recognise you. Where is Chivula the electronic thief from UGanda who was caught pants down stealing votes?
It’s the pain of walking in public naked. Edgar Lungu knows he is walking in public naked. He stole the election.
I did not vote for ECL BUT the fact that he is president, I have had to accept it as God’s decision! So what occupies my mind is not if he is the president or not but what he does for the country! Not everybody accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God; BUT he was! So let these people just meet and resolve whatever that needs sorting out whatever needs resolving….we are fed up of these silly childish demands!