Acting PF President Given Lubinda Explains why he isn’t constantly meeting with former party President Edgar Lungu
…says doing so would unnecessarily link Lungu to active politics
By Staff Reporter
8th June 2022
Hon. Given Lubinda has reduced the amount of time he spends with former President Edgar Lungu because doing so would unnecessarily associate the former head of state to “active politics” in a Capital Radio Interview with veteran broadcaster Frank Mutubila.
Hon. Lubinda said President Lungu has “made it clear” on several fora that he has retired from active politics therefore it is best to let him rest and not burden him with politics constantly.
The former Minister of Justice in a reflective tone, however, said he wished he could meet the former leader who is also his friend more often.
“I wish I could spend more time with him (former President Edgar Lungu),” Hon Lubinda said, “but for many reasons we don’t spend that much time together.”
One of the reasons according to Hon Lubinda is that “I don’t want to create an impression that he (President Lungu) is still active in politics.”
However, Hon Lubinda nostalgically said, “whenever we have met we have spent quality time together discussing politics, national and international.”
Mr Lubinda said, “we have also discussed PF politics we discuss. Sometimes I ask him which people we should engage as we go forward but I can safely say he is out of active PF politics, and we don’t want to bother him with that.”
Mr Lubinda said it is important for party politics not to be couched around the BMS or “Big Man Syndrome” who finances or becomes the “nexus” of the party when he was asked whether President Lungu would finance the planned PF conference that would elect someone to take over from President Lungu following his retirement after last August’s polls.
Below are some major take backs from the interview:
• Unlike MMD and UNIP that were formed as a movement one to champion the return iof multi party politics after years of UNIP and the first to remove the colonial leadership, PF was formed solely as an opposition party and therefore stands a chance of returning to power at some point as discontent among Zambians grow from the hardships of the current UPND government
• Hon Lubinda will not “impose” himself on the Pf leadership mantle and shall, as acting leader allow the party rank and file to elect the next leader
• Hon Lubinda does not mind the fact that several names or people have come up and shown interest in the party leadership saying the development is good for party democracy instead of stifling others
• Hon Lubinda said he is concerned that despite the PF and other’s having reported the UPND for the fertiliser scandal where the government singled sourced expensive fertiliser for $1500 per tonne compared to the previous administration sourcing the commodity at $700 per tonne to ACC, nothing has happened
• Hon Lubinda described the administration of the K25 million CDF as “shambolic” which wont work unless the red tape is c
• I was shocked when I arrived at Woodlands police station 60 or more armed police today during the arrest of former Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba whom he was not even allowed to visit
• “I wondered why a person charged with corruption was attracting heavily armed police presence. What impression are we creating, have we turned into a police state? Hon Lubinda asked.
• Hon Lubinda said the PF is currently in the process of incorporating fresh faces in the midst of old ones, but the intention is not to completely erase party leaders from the past
• He said the central committee will increase its membership to 80 from 56.
• Hon Lubinda expressed concern yet again at the amount of contempt and disrespect Chief government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda spewed on President Lungu following his absence at the KK Wing of the Mulungushi Conference Centre recently saying the former head of state had a right to choose which public function to attend or not, just like President Hakainde Hichilema aka Sammy Bally did in opposition.
• He called on Bally to invite President Lungu for cordial chat where the two can chat as brothers just like President Lungu extended and shared tea with Mr Hichilema during his stay in office.
For the full interview see link below from Capital Radio with Frank Mutubila: