IT’S POLITICAL MISCHIEF – MWAMBA HITS BACK AT MWELWA
Amb Emmanuel Mwamba writes…
I’ve noted a write up done by Dr. Lawrence Mwelwa commenting on the recently held Patriotic Front General Conference.
It is surprising and mere political mischief that Dr. Mwelwa even invited himself to this matter especially if any discernible comparisons were to be done by processes done by the PF and the outfit he speaks for.
What is expected is a congratulatory note from Dr. Mwelwa to the victor of the election than ridicule and scorn.
The write up by Dr.Mwelwa demonstrates a clear faultline and major weakness seen with the Zambian Opposition where its members expend energies on fighting one another than their common political opponent, where they tear down their sister political parties than unite them, where they devote unimaginable time to petty issues than on co-crafting and sharing proposed national policies that can emancipate our country and its people.
Further it seems that Dr. Mwelwa’s analysis was based on a parallel voter tabulation (PVT) screenshot done when a few districts had voted.
Anyway here are some brief facts.
The race was highly competitive as seen by the heavyweights of the party that have previously paid upto K250,000.00 to contest the presidency of the Party.
Adequate notice has constantly been issued to the party structures and the presidential candidates held numerous meetings the weeks preceding the conference to agree on important parameters such as the mode, structure and delegates list of the General conference.
Further the Central Committee has also held numerous meetings to this effect.
The process also had an independent and credible electoral commission.
The delegates were drawn from across the entire country and only 6 districts out of the 116 districts did not participate.
This action was preceded by dispatching printed and numbered ballots sent to every district in the country and independent monitors were included to supervise the process.
It appears that Dr. Mwelwa expected thousands to gather in Lusaka! No Bwana! this was a virtual general conference.
The Patriotic Front under the leadership of Hon. Given Lubinda has tried extremely hard to hold a legal, legitimate, democratic and free and fair General conference since 2022.
The encumbrances especially the legal ones, nearly paralyzed the holding of the conference as seen on Saturday and has previously caused defections and break-aways.
Therefore it must be recognised that the PF leadership has been innovative and recognised the present threat from the ruling UPND whose leadership vowed that they would not allow the Patriotic Front on the ballot in the August 2026 general elections.
It is for this reason that the leadership banded together in unity with other political parties and social formations and Infact adopted a working document that described, defined and elaborated our participation in both political and electoral alliances.
Hence the birth of both United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) and Tonse Alliance.
Dr. Mwelwa knows the genesis of this matter and there has been no hurried process. The outcome speaks to a successful resolve of a longstanding crisis caused by the delay, that has occurred.
On legality of the PF; under these circumstances over the years since it suffered severe state attacks to attempt to deplatform its leadership from the largest political party in the country, steal and destroy it, it has demonstrated resilience and has participated in national activities, held meetings, appointed and disappointed individuals despite not having its status
Under this arrangement, the PF has even won council and parliamentary seats despite its lack of legal status.
All these decisions have been and accepted by major stakeholders.
This General Conference was therefore held under the same atmosphere.
As advised by our President at the time, President Edgar Lungu, and recognizing the country was being ruled by a tyranny with stranglehold of over democratic, wings of government and independent institutions, he advised that we should act more POLITICAL than LEGAL in order to achieve the goals to wrestle power from the UPND and set the nation on a plan to national development.
Is Dr.Mwelwa hopeful that the PF can have a “legal” conference? That this Judiciary will restore Justice due to the PF? And the Party will meet the deadlines spelt out in electoral calendar?
It is mischief