CONFUSION ROCK PF OVER ECL SUCCESSOR.
Former Minister of Lands Jean Kapata who is among the founding members of the former ruling Patriotic Front, says, “We are now going for our own true green member to take presidency”.
Kapata said this shortly after PF media director Antonio Mwanza said on radio today that not all those who paid the K200,000 Presidential nomination fee are eligible to contest, at the coming general conference of the former ruling party.
Mwanza’s declaration has sparked debate within PF and has already caused splits of opinion. Those supporting Mwanza’s assertions are pointing to article 10 of the Patriotic Front constitution which demands that anyone who has not been a member of the party for five years, can’t be a party President.
This article technically knocks out Chishimba Kambwili, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and Miles Sampa all of whom had once left the former ruling party,only to rejoin later towards the 2021 elections.
Meanwhile, there are assertions within PF that there is a group of party members pushing for an Edgar Lungu come back. These members are mainly former MMD. This is according to a PF youth who spoke to The Candidates. The PF youth says the scheme by the MMD group in PF is to pave way for “unpopular” Brian Mundubile to take over PF on temporary basis after which, he would surrender the party to Edgar Lungu in 2026. Mundubile is largely seen as a crony of Lungu by majority PF youths whose support lies with Miles Sampa.