Given Lubinda

KABWATA PF member of parliament Given Lubinda says he will not recontest the seat in the upcoming general election.

Addressing journalists in Lusaka yesterday, Lubinda who is also justice minister, however said he is recontesting his position in the ruling party’s central committee.

Lubinda is the PF central committee’s current chairman for agriculture and livestock.

“Today, therefore my dear friends, I’ve just come to confirm that I have not applied for adoption as a candidate; not for Kabwata and not for any constituency. I must confess that I have been under tremendous pressure. However, I made a decision in 2019 that 20 years of parliamentary business in a country such as Zambia is quite an achievement,” he said. “There were some speculations yesterday (Tuesday) that I had pulled out of the adoption process. One does not pull out of a system that they have not joined. So, those who have made it their business to dislike me, please on this one don’t malign me because the decision I made, I made it in 2019. And I made that decision after wide consultations with my seniors in the party, with my contemporaries, and I have stood by that decision.”

Lubinda stressed his recommitment to PF, vowing to campaign heavily for its presidential candidate.

“And again, for the sake of avoiding any speculation, if I’ve ever been a weak member of the Patriotic Front, today I want to say I redouble my commitment to the Patriotic Front…I feel extremely energised to go out there and build the Patriotic Front,” Lubinda said. “Lest again I’m misunderstood, I enjoy a very cordial and happy relationship with the leadership of the Patriotic Front. And for members of my party, I’m launching my campaign very early. I am recontesting my position in the central committee of the Patriotic Front. And I’m availing myself to campaign countrywide because, like I said in Kasama, I see no real viable option to Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”

Lubinda gave accolades to Kabwata residents

for allowing him to serve as member of parliament for 20 years.

“Kabwata is a highly cosmopolitan constituency. People in Kabwata do not vote on the basis of tribe. People in Kabwata cannot be considered captive; captive in the sense that when one blows the whistle in one direction, they all follow,” he said. “The people of Kabwata can be called the most cosmopolitan in the whole of Zambia. And for them to have continuously given me the mandate to serve them, it’s honouring. And certainly, I’ll go to my grave with a heart that is indebted to the people of Kabwata Constituency. I shall forever remain indebted to them for nurturing my political career.”

On his achievements over the last two decades as a lawmaker, Lubinda had quite a catalogue.

“Over the last 20 years, Kabwata has seen the introduction of more schools than any other constituency in the country. I’m really honoured to have been part of the development where almost all the roads in Kabwata Constituency are tarred. There are more tarred roads in Kabwata than any other constituency in Zambia; and that has happened over the last 20 years,” said Lubinda.

“So, make no mistake, that development started in 2001. And as you all recall from 2001 to 2011 the humble servant of the people of Kabwata was not in government. Today, I am proud to look back and see that what used to be a clinic (Chilenje) is now a Level One Hospital. Today, I’m humbled to say areas which had nothing to be referred to as a dispensary have a semblance of a clinic. I’m humbled to have been there with the people of Kabwata when we constructed new police facilities throughout the constituency. I’m humbled to have been there when close to 80 per cent of the households in Kabwata are connected to water; unlike any other constituency in the country. I’m humbled to have been there when Kabwata Constituency moved from number 71 on the human development indexes, a position obtained in the year 2000, to becoming number one in the country in so far as development is concerned, as was reported in 2014. Seven years later in 2021, Kabwata has still maintained that record as the most developed constituency in the country.”

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