By Bright Tembo
PATRIOTIC Front member Kelvin Kaunda says the appointment of Given Lubinda as acting president is illegal and disrespects the party constitution.
On Sunday, the PF central committee appointed Lubinda as acting party president after incumbent Edgar Lungu stepped down.
Kaunda, a former Lusaka Province PF youth vice-chairman, said the appointment of a caretaker president by members of the central committee left much to be desired as far as the respect of the party constitution was concerned.
According to article 53 of the PF constitution, clause 1 states that, “In the event of the President of the Party resigning, or being removed from Office of The President of the Party, he SHALL cease to be President of the Party and the SECRETARY GENERAL SHALL act as President of the Party until the new President is elected in accordance with
provisions of Article 52 of this Constitution.”
Kaunda wondered where the central committee got authority from when appointing Lubinda.
“With regards to the central committee’s decision to request the vice-president to act in the portfolio, our submission is that the decision is illegal and it cannot be supported by any meaningful member of the party. It has no constitutional provision where it is anchored on or premised on,’ he told The Mast in an interview. “As I did indicate, Article 53 of our party constitution is very clear on who becomes the president whenever the president steps down or resigns. The provision in that article goes on to recognise the secretary general as the only person who can act whenever the party is faced with such a situation.”
He wonderers where the move to pick Lubinda as the acting president came from.
“As members we are at a loss to appreciate the decision of the central committee because we have not been guided or told on where the decision is coming from; weather it was based on sentimental reasons or if it was common sense. The move to pick Given Lubinda is illegal and it is not backed by any provision in the party constitution, unless if there is another provision on which the decision was anchored on,” Kaunda added. There is precedency, when Michael Chilufya Sata died we never had an acting president.”
Kaunda argued that the only way PF could have a surest party president was through holding a convention.
He has since congratulated Lungu for stepping down, saying the move had demonstrated a true statesman’s leadership.
“So, technically what this means is that as a party we must begin to reorganise ourselves towards the convention because that’s the only surest way that can give us the legitimate president of the party. I want to congratulate president Edgar Lungu for steeping down and he has demonstrated a true statesman leadership,” said Kaunda. “And that is ability to listen and be able to take corrective measures whenever there is a voice of concern, a voice of reason or when certain concerns are being raised. That’s what leaders ought to do and we would like to congratulate him on that account and we can only wish him well during his period in retirement. As a party we will continue looking up to him for guidance and many issues of the party and national issues. We wish him God’s blessings even as he continues to provide leadership as a statesman.”\