MCC Given Lubinda has the Constitutional authority to make appointments to the Central Committee of the Party – PF Chairperson for Legal
6th May, 2022
There has been a lot of debate lately among some members of the Patriotic Front and the general public, questioning whether the PF Acting President, Hon Given Lubinda has the power to appoint Members of Central Committee.
On behalf of the Patriotic Front we wish to state the position on the matter with the view to bring this debate to a closure;
ARTICLE 61 of the PF Constitution provides that:
“The President of the Party shall:
(f) Give instruction to any official or member of the Party;
(g) Empower any member of the Party to exercise any powers or specified functions on behalf of the President, Party or the Central Committee”
Following the tripartite elections of 12 August 202, the President of the party Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu in the exercise of the powers vested in him by the PF Constitution, delegated all the powers, including the power to appoint Members of the Central Committee and to run the Party in the meantime to the Acting President, Hon. Given Lubinda, in writing. On this basis Hon. Given Lubinda has the Constitutional authority to make appointments to the Central Committee of the Party.
- WHY HAS THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE BEEN INCREASED FROM 54 TO 80
The Central Committee in its meeting of 4th March, 2022 resolved, in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party to increase the number of Members of the Central Committee from 54 to 80 to ensure inclusivity and effective management of the Party affairs. This was done in accordance with Articles 68 and 69 of the Party Constitution which mandate the Central Committee to make Regulations and Standing Orders that can be enforced in the MEANWHILE.
Article 68 states that, “Party Regulations and Standing Orders may be made by the Central Committee in respect of any subject to facilitate the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution. Regulations and Standing Orders of the Party made by the Central Committee may be enforced in the MEANWHILE pending ratification by the National Council.”
- DOES THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE PARTY REGULATIONS
The Central Committee has the right to make changes to the Party Regulations and Rules such as increasing the number of Members of the Central Committee from 58 to 80. The Party Constitution does give Central Committee the powers to make such changes. Article 58 provides that the Central Committee has among other powers, the powers to:
“(I) initiate and approve changes in the Regulations and Rules of the Party;
(m) Take action which in the opinion of the Central Committee is in the best interest, security and development of the Party and the State”
- WHAT IS THE TENURE OF OFFICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
According to Article 46 of the Constitution of the Patriotic Front, the tenure of office for Members of the Central Committee is five (5) years. On this basis the Current Committee will remain in office until 2026 when the Party will go to the next general conference to elect a new Central Committee. This will happen before the next Presidential and General Elections of 2026
We wish to emphasize and reiterate that the Acting President’s desire in appointing portfolio holders is to increase the number of members in decision making positions. It must be noted that since the last conference of the Party in 2021, only the Vice President, Deputy National Chairperson, Acting Secretary General and Chairman, Information have been appointed into their positions. This is the rationale and spirit with which the Acting President made the appointments. Consequently, any suggestions that the Acting President has an ulterior motive in making these appointments is simply false and utterly malicious and members and the public are urged to contemptuously ignore such a narrative
Further, Members of the Central Committee were invited to submit more names for consideration to be included into the Central Committee at its next meeting.
Members may also be interested to know that some of the names that are being floated in the media were actually mentioned in the last meeting and are currently being considered for appointment.
Now that all the questions that have been making rounds in the media have adequately been answered, we wish to call upon all members of the Party to let this matter lie and instead concentrate on the work of rebuilding and rebranding the Party in readiness for the 2026 general elections.
I thank you.
Issued by
Hon. George Chisanga, MP, MCC
National Chairperson, Legal
Patriotic Front