The United Party for National Development (UPND) has threatened to take the ruling Patriotic Front(PF) to court and stop the ruling party from taking part in the 2021 elections because the weekend’s convention was not in compliance with the provision of the law set in the republican constitution.
Speaking to the media today, UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said that the constitution requires that a party holds an elective convention and that the ruling party did not hold an elective convention because there was no ballot that took place at the just-ended convention.
Mr Mwetwa further gave PF a 48 hours ultimatum to reconvene their convention and conduct elections and not just select their members of the Central Committee.
Over the weekend, it emerged that President Edgar Lungu handpicked Central Committee members who were then approved at the National Council which will preceded weekend’s PF General Conference
Before the convention, both PF Secretary General Davies Mwila and National Chairman for Mobilisation Richard Musukwa confirmed separately that there going to be no elections to elect members of the Central Committee.
“Elections! Which elections? There will be no voting this weekend. We will only be endorsing the list of names that will come from State House,” Mr Mwila said in an interview.
He said the powers for the President to submit a list of officials he wants in the Central Committee is provided for under Article 57 of the PF Manifesto.
And Mr Musukwa said the delegates will be given a chance to deliberate on the President’s picks once the names are submitted to the General Conference. and the constitutional provision was designed to ensure that only those that are capable of working with the President at all times.
That was a sham/ rubber stamp convention with selective “elections” like the dictatorial China’s Communists Party style.
PF has really turned into a cartel that will always do things in their interest for as long as they have the power in the form of Presidency!! But the future implications could be deadly!!
Check mate..! Ba ntewewe muli kwiii? Kikikikikiki
The PF constitution is a copy and paste of the pre 1991 UNIP constitution. KK picked the names and then the National Council endorsed. The PF constitution also says that only those who are members of PF will head State Owned enterprises. I wonder why no lawyer in Zambia has sued this party for discriminating against Zambians.
Most of my posts are not published by LT. Will see about this one.
Haha but upnd are f00lish maggots. They know they cannot win at the ballots and are now desperate to prevent pf contesting. They are experts at court cases. Maybe the should become a law firm rather than a political party. Can they tell us how it is possible for hh to stand over 5 times. A55holes with no plan.
Ignore this fu
You did well when you decided not to recontest your seat, indeed your brain has stopped working. This isn’t a matter for the Courts
UPND could save their breath – PF will NOT hold a new convention, and if UPND goes to court they will loose the case as the judiciary is in the pocket of PF. Go do something useful, UPND, like correcting all spelling and grammar mistakes in your manifesto!
Poor reporting LT. Which clause of the constitution does Mr Mweetwa rely on for his assertion. Journalism mu Zambia #thelizno
This is to be expected from the Panga Family.It happened in 2015 at Mulungushi Rocks and it has now happened at the Virtual Convention. No Election and no to Constitutional
Democracy in PF.
Let pf hold a new convention as per the constitution of the Republic. They have been several times been warned that the laws that they push forward with the purpose to trap other parties will one day bite them, like the Bible story of Haman and Mordecai, this is the beginning of the end for PF. When we will come to August 12, PF will be reduced to rugs, God is Almighty who judges all.
THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME AND PRECIOUS CAMPAIGN FUNDS , JUST MEET PF ON THE BATTLE GROUND , THERE ARE ROUGHLY 14 WEEKS TO THE ELECTION.
1.THIS CASE SHALL TAKE FOCUS OFF THE MAIN ELECTION ISSUES DUE TO LENGTH COURT TIMES AND CASE PREPARATION .
2.THERE ARE URGENT NEEDS THAT THE PARTY SHOULD BE ADDRESSING AND REVIEWING THE MANIFESTO PRESENTLY PLUS SENSITISING PARTY ORGANS AND VOTERS AT LARGE.
3. USE THE LEGAL FEES TO BUY FOOD FOR THE MASSES WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
PRAY THAT ALL GOES WELL FOR THE COUNTRY TO BE HAVE PEACEFUL ELECTIONS.
GOD BLESS
How can you expect fair competition in general election in PF when that is not happening in their party. Charity begins at home. Compete internallly and stregthen yourself and then face general election. It is a sad story.
KZ
whdt happened to your bid to be considered to the PF MCC ???
You were discarded like the used condom that you are………
This is blunt attempt by UPND to mud the water and negate allegations of manifesto plagiarism .. Tutwa gave upnd 48 hours to withdraw from the public the plagiarized manifesto.. the smart brains of upnd decided to ‘turn’ the table… nice one fellows..your are geniuses with twisted logic
This statement is coming from a man who a short ago had completely made his mind not to stand for his seat. Because, he knew UPND was not up fro scratch to win this year’s General Elections. Then, HH begged him to stay.
There is no Confidence, Energy, Determination in his statement. Apart from the fact that Mweetwa knows its all over.
UPND I will keep reminding you. You always pick up wrong Fights and Strategies, especially in election year’s.
Boils down to one thing, and that is the “TIT FOR TAT” Politics in Zambian.
Because PF dunderheads, criticized the UPND Manifesto, now its UPND returning the heat.
THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY !!! Now for next few days, the PF machinery will be all out to find one silly issue against UPND….. the song goes on and on….
KBF should have been on the ballot at the convention, but they intimidated and expelled him for merely trying to exercise his democratic right.
Soon they will be demanding for PF change their candidate or they will go to court. These chaps never cease to amaze me. Always fall at the last hurdle. Who cares if they did not go to convention? Imagine if they lost the elections, are we going to say no let’s re-run them because PF did not hold a conversation and it’s against our constitution? It’s clear that we have individuals thinking within their own box and not outside it…and they claim to be over qualified to govern? some people, mai weh!
Soon they will be demanding for PF change their candidate or they will go to court. These chaps never cease to amaze me. Always fall at the last hurdle. Who cares if they did not go to convention? Imagine if they lost the elections, are we going to say no let’s re-run them because PF did not hold a conversation and it’s against our constitution? It’s clear that we have individuals thinking within their own box and not outside it…and they claim to be over qualified to govern? some people, mai weh!
Just go and proofread your manifesto full of grammatical errors and you guys can’t even spell.
Akaps I have never stated that I wish to become member of MCC. I am a senior servant and so cannot hold a party position. At present I am happy in my job of securing victory for pf until I die. You won’t stop me haha
What was Mr. Mucheleka congratulating PF for? Why are you filing to the courts in whom you have lost confidence? Please let the acting president Hon. Mwiimbu summon the AU and SADC? Still, PF will apply for an injunction to restrain UPND from interferences or throw out of court Hon. Mweetwa’s nuisance
How many of these 48 hours do we have now? Has Nawakwi apologized to HH. Has Emmanuel Mwamba apologized to Sishiwa. People who are serious to sue do not start by issuing warnings. They just go to court chapwa.
Senior servant (not civil servant) because if you are a professional civil servant you would know better than being a loud mouthed political cadre who is ever blogging portraying ignorance on pertinent issues that pertain to national development.
You are no better than your perceived enemies. Grow up!!!
Bushe ba UPND are you for real? Your main competitor PF is already out with campaigns and you talking about going to courts.?? You need to be strategising on how you win votes under the current situation. The war/election this year won’t be child’s play.
Can we have the contents of the invitation letter from PF Secretariat to party members so we know exact wording ? Were applicants misled into paying “nomination” fees believing elections were going to be held ?
Why is UPND so worried about what happens in PF bedroom?
UPND is a useless party
We are just keeping receipts, bare with us please. The Courts are slow, so either way we can lodge that in the Courts and we’ll attend to it when the time comes. Its not us if we’ll be sleeping in the Court buildings waiting for dawn…..kikiki. We’ll Campaign in between. Its called multi tasking, something PF don’t know.
Any Zambian who feels some type of way can still take Gov to Court. In the UK its happened before. Its not a reserve of UPND to sue PF if something is not being done right way. Remember this, “if they can it to UPND, they will do it to you” A man lost his life, he had nothing to do with UPND or PF.
No one is safe!!!!
You have an under dog fighting for you, at least cheer him or her instead of trying to coach and laugh during the fight.
Civil servants should by law NOT be getting themselves involved in politics.
Instead of getting into such issues, which are none of your concern, why not find out who lifted the content for your manifesto? Had you been this vigilant about your party’s affairs, you would have made much progress.
What makes you think that court will even entertain such a flimsy petition? Who are you to comment on internal matter of PF? It is complete mindless thing to do.
It is the irony that people, who take pride in being slaves of a rich and selfish politician, are lecturing the most democratic party. UPND should get its house in order first. Try and keep the flock together.
If PF has conducted the convention in undemocratic manner, how does it affect UPND? I think you should see a good psychiatrist. Only an insane person can make such statement.
What if PF starts questioning the manner in which HH runs UPND? What if people ask why there was no one to challenge HH in selection to the post of party president? Those living in glass house should not throw stones at others.
You seem to have read the PF constitution. Now, having done that, can you share the copy of UPND Constitution? Has anyone, even in your party read that? Is it available online somewhere?
It is the transparency in PF that you are able to access its constitution and details of the routine affairs. Now, tell me one thing, do you have even fraction of this information about UPND? Can you allow people to access the internal information, the way you have done with PF?
You need to read the PF constitution once again carefully. There was nothing unconstitutional. Everything was done as per the Constitutional framework of PF. And anyway, it is internal matter of the party, outsiders should not poke their nose in it.
Why UPND has not published its constitution on line? Why is it not accessible to general public? What is there to be so ashamed about it? Does HH think that people will dissect his dictatorial nature once it is in their hands?
Well, you should ask some questions to Mr Ujeni. Are you aware that he has quietly changed the UPND constitution and gifted the party to himself so that he can be the President for life! Go and set your house in order first. Then come and lecture others.
Ba UPND don’t waste precious time taking PF to ConCourt, that will be an academic exercise instead go flat out campaign vigorously as the only way forward. Whatever they did at the General Conference is their own business, Voters want to hear how HH and UPND team will fix the fractured ECONOMY. Courts don’t vote.