CONFUSION has ensued in the ruling Patriotic Front in Eastern Province with youths calling for the removal of provincial chairperson Andrew Lubusha.
Speaking on behalf of others who gathered at the Chipata district PF office on Monday, Chipangali ward councillor Kennedy Shumba said the youths had passed a vote of no confidence in what he termed Lubusha’s failed and retrogressive leadership.
“Petition and expression of a vote of no confidence in the failed and greedy leadership which is also retrogressive of our own chair for Eastern Province, Andrew Lubusha. It is with a heavy heart and we are saddened that the Patriotic Front youths in Eastern Province have continued to be sidelined,” Shumba stated in the petition. “We want to give this message to senior members of the party that Lubusha has failed us in Eastern Province. He has not brought [an] all-inclusive leadership, above all, selfless.”
He said PF was a party for all and not just one person.
“As youths in the party, we believe in the vision of President Edgar Lungu, and as such we find the greedy behaviour, conduct and leadership of Andrew Lubusha to be very dangerous for the mobilisation of our party,” Shumba said.
Lubusha however said Shumba was a suspended member who had been hired to bring confusion in the party.
He claimed to know the people that were using Shumba to cause confusion in the party.
“Recently he [Lubusha] was insulting a member of the (PF) Central Committee who is also a cabinet minister. So he is just [being] used to create confusion in the province which we are not going to allow. Mr Shumba has been on suspension and he is still serving his suspension. What earned him suspension is bad behaviour,” Lubusha said.
Recently, provincial youth chairperson Emmanuel Banda appointed Shumba as a member of the Chipangali district youth wing party mobilisation committee, while Maxson Nkhoma was appointed media director for the party’s Eastern Province youth wing.
The appointments were however declared null and void by provincial secretary Joseph Kolosa who indicated that Lubusha, who is also a member of the central committee, was the only person with powers to appoint party officials in the province.
Meanwhile, provincial information and publicity secretary William Phiri says there is no leadership vacuum in the province.
In a statement on Tuesday, Phiri urged party structures in the region to remain calm.
“There is no leadership vacuum in Eastern Province and Mr Andrew Lubusha remains the provincial chairman and member of the central committee, MCC. The party wishes to appeal to all district and constituency leaders to remain steadfast as we try to investigate the unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances that transpired this week,” stated Phiri. “The party wishes to warn sternly that it will not condone such behaviours from a civic leader, unruly youths or any member of the party. There is a channel to use for expressing grievances concerning party activities. Issuing media statements without the permission or consent of the party is a punishable offence. Issuing press statements demeaning party leaders may lead to expulsion from the party. The party will not be silent while some disgruntled youths or any other members of the party bring anarchy and confusion into the minds of the general membership.”