PAMBASHE Constituency PF member of parliament Ronald Chitotela says the party has dispatched people across the country getting information relating to the rebranding process.
And Chitotela says, “I will not be available beyond 2026 to pursue active politics. I am not available. 2026 I am exiting the political landscape of Zambia.”
In an interview yesterday, the former tourism minister said the PF is not short of leadership to take over from Edgar Lungu.
“We are short of leadership as the boss said. But right now we are waiting for us to have a clear direction. We are waiting for a postmortem report. We first begin by getting a postmortem report and once the postmortem report comes out then it will give us a direction we will take,” Chitotela said. “In the next 10 or so days I should be able to give a comprehensive statement on the rebranding after the postmortem. Before that it will be a little bit premature because I will be speaking my emotions and personal opinion instead of being informed by the happenings on the ground.”
He said the postmortem committee would inform the position on the way forward in terms of the rebranding process.
And Chitotela said the PF is ready to represent Zambians and become the most effective opposition political party.
“We will provide checks and balances. We shall give our friends an opportunity to govern but we shall provide fair checks and balances without malice,” he said. “One thing we must assure them is that we shall ask for them to among the so many promises they gave the Zambian people like free education and other things to actualise them. I must tell you, the people mukomboni baleipusha ati akabunga kalebwela lilali .Nali ku Matero ba bululu balenjipusha ati akabunga kalefika lilali pa K50 then I said awe tukesaipusha mu (I must tell you, the people in the compounds are asking when the price of mealie meal will drop. I was in Matero and my relatives were asking when the price of a bag of mealie meal will drop to K50, and I said we shall ask in) Parliament.”
Further, Chitotela said farmers in Pambashe have been asking about the promises of the Food Reserve Agency buying a 50-kilogramme bag at K250.
He said people have not sold maize to the FRA because they are awaiting the announcement of the K250 price.
“So tukesa ipusha (we will ask) so that we fairly represent in Parliament,” he said.
Chitotela has also revealed that he will retire from politics in 2026.
He said he contested in the 2021 elections because Lungu stood and the people of Pambashe wanted him to renew his mandate up to 2026.
“After 2026 I am not renewing. I will not be available beyond 2026 to pursue active politics. I am not available. 2026 I am exiting the political landscape of Zambia,” Chitotela said. “So I formally call upon the children of Zambia who wish to take up the leadership from me to start identifying the people of Pambashe and for a smooth transitioning.”
He said, although former president Lungu lost the general elections, he would not step down as doing would disappoint the people of Pambashe with a costly by-election.
Chitotela had promised to retire from politics once Lungu retires.