Lungu group in shortlived celebrations

Lungu group in shortlived celebrations

AS THE all-villain PF cast continues to entertain the country to ceaseless and unscripted drama, the Edgar Lungu-led ensemble yesterday took to Facebook celebrating what they believed was a decisive blow to their Miles Sampa-led opponents in the ferocious battle for the control of the former ruling party.

The group’s reason of celebration was a document from the office of the Registrar of Societies purporting that former president Edgar Lungu was still appearing as an office bearer and president of the PF.

Armed with the document, lawyer of the Lungu group, Makebi Zulu quickly wrote to Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti, demanding that she renounces PF Secretary General Morgan Ng’ona’s appointment of Mafinga Constituency member of parliament Robert Chabinga as leader of the Opposition and instead reinstate Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile.

Zulu said he was only giving the speaker 24 hours to comply to his demands or she will face him in court.

“Had you been diligent and truthful in the discharge of your duties, you would not have disregarded the communication to you by the Patriotic Front party, who stated in no uncertain terms that there had been no change of office bearers and that Mr Morgan Ng’ona was not the secretary general of the Patriotic Front party,” Zulu wrote.

The said documents showing Lungu and company as PF office bearers was then widely circulated by a handful but staunch sympathisers of the former president.

But as the Lungu group celebrated their “victory” Miles Sampa, Chabinga and Ng’ona were rolling on the ground with laughter, knowing too well that names of the PF office bearers had been changed on the morning of October 25, a day after their extraordinary general conference.

Added to that, observant eyes quickly cast doubt to the form after noticing that according to it, Lungu became PF president on February 17, 2002 while residing in a ministerial house on Lewanika Close in Lusaka’s Woodlands area.

The “unchanged” list of Lungu’s office bearers contrasted with the one submitted by Davies Mwila on April 17, 2021.

The pro-Lungu list office bearers even featured a name of a party member, Bernanddate Mvula, who died earlier than late president Micheal Sata whose death came in 2014.

Sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security dismissed the circulated document branding it a misrepresentation and a desperate attempt in the battle for the PF.

“The glaring errors are clear for anyone to see that it was done in a hurry without consideration for facts. It was meant to serve the interest of one group. That document is a fake,” a source from ministry of home affairs told Kalemba.

“At best, the document can be described as Mingalato gone wrong,” the source added.

On October 30, Chief Registrar of Societies Thadiwe Mhende wrote to Mutti revealing the names of new PF bearers submitted to her office following the October 24 extraordinary general conference.

“You may wish to note that the verification of the submissions and attachments has not yet been completed. However, find the list that was submitted as new Office Bearers for the Patriotic Front,” Mhende wrote to Mutti before listing 10 names including Sampa as president and Ng’ona as Secretary General.

But for her role in issuing the dubious document, Mhende has been removed as Registrar of Societies and handed over to Public Service Management Division PSMD for redeployment.

Since its loss of power in 2021, the PF has been plunged by infighting.

Two weeks ago, Lungu was forced to prematurely announce his return to politics after Sampa out-maneuvered Raphael Nakacinda and Given Lubinda whom he had been tasked to delay the PF convention and reserve the party presidency for him.

Although Sampa seems to be miles ahead of his once upon a time political comrades, his controversial election as PF president is being challenged and his opponents don’t seem to be giving up just as yet.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba