PF CENTRAL COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE FATE OF MPS WHO SUPPORTED BILL 7 – LUBINDA
GIVEN Lubinda says he is meeting the PF Central Committee to decide on disciplinary action against MPs who voted for Bill 7, stating that the public will be informed of its resolutions.
Lubinda, who is the acting PF president, revealed that ahead of the Bill’s second reading, the party held several meetings with MPs and opposition leaders, and invoked a three-line whip to warn them against supporting the Bill.
On Sunday, PF National Chairperson Jean Kapata warned PF MPs that those who would vote for Bill 7 should consider themselves automatically expelled from the party.
However, on Monday, 135 MPs, including members from the PF and Independents voted in favour of the Bill.
Giving an update on the matter, Wednesday, Lubinda said the issue was bigger than it looked and the party needed to find the real reasons behind MPs voting for Bill 7.
“I want to inform the Zambian people that the Patriotic Front had more than eight meetings with members of parliament from the Patriotic Front and a few times including independent members of parliament.
In one of the meetings, I actually invited presidents of opposition political parties to sensitise members of parliament, to beg our members of parliament to work against Bill 7 and to vote against Bill 7. Only two weeks before Bill 7 was presented for the second reading, I invoked the three-line whip, as president of this party, the constitution empowers me to invoke a three-line whip.
I wrote to all members of parliament of the Patriotic Front warning them that the policy of the PF was against Bill 7, and that no member of the PF would be allowed to vote in favour of Bill 7. Beyond that, we also issued a statement the night before Bill 7 went to Parliament and the National Chairperson of the party issued a clear warning,” said Lubinda.
“She said those who will vote for Bill 7 must consider themselves as having expelled themselves from the Patriotic Front. I am to meet the National Executive Committee (NEC), I’m to meet the Central Committee for us to look at this matter because there is more to it than meets the eye.
Why was it that there were so many of our members of parliament who voted for the Bill? We wouldn’t like to just make drastic decisions, we also want to understand the root cause because we don’t want to only cure the effects, we want to cure the root cause and the nation will be informed”.
Meanwhile, PF presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu said he would support the expulsion or suspension from the party of MPs who voted for Bill 7, as the party must uphold its principles and public trust, even at the cost of losing parliamentary representation.
“With regards to the issue of expulsion or indeed suspension of the members of parliament that voted for Bill 7, a man is only as good as his word. And our organisation can only be as good as its policies, its principles and what it seeks to achieve. And if there are going to be treacherous people amongst us who go against the will of the people whom we seek to represent, then they may no longer have anything to do with us.
It’s best that we part company, so that we get back and regain the trust. The issue of the Patriotic Front being in disarray, this has contributed, and unless we are seen to be taking steps that rectify or bring back the trust and hope that people have in us, we will have to remain down,” said Zulu.
“But we need to take those steps even if it includes not having a single member of parliament, so be it, because we have a people to serve. People have trusted us to follow through with what we say, what we say should be what we mean and what we mean should be that which we say. And members of parliament, due to flaws in character, decided the way they did and that goes against the principles of the party. If you ask me if I would support a move by the party? Certainly, I would support that move by the party because we need to regain the trust of the people”.
Further, former Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili stressed that Zambia needed a leader who served the people like Jesus Christ did, and she believed Zulu showed that servant spirit.
“Honourable Makebi Zulu does not only bring the strength of the youth to the table, but also, he is carrying those attributes that Zambia needs today. And what are those attributes that we are talking about? First and foremost, if you have been following what he has been speaking, he has been talking about service. He is coming as a servant and at this time we do not need a businessman or a boss, we need a servant.
Our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and we need somebody who can really identify with our people, the youth, women and identify with those that are in corporate offices and everybody. Another virtue that I see in Makebi Zulu is his love for the Lord. He loves the Lord Jesus Christ, that’s a big one. Zambia is a Christian nation and remains a Christian nation, Zambians love the Lord,” said Sumaili.
News Diggers
Just formalise the expulsion of the mps who voted in favour of Bill 7
Expel those so called Patriotic Front Members without any delay. They have chosen Illegality over the Constitution they swore to uphold.
Those Patriotic Front Rebels who voted for the illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7 have moved on. Keeping them in the party will completely destroy the Patriotic Front. Those people ‘s royalties are elsewhere..And come dissolution of Parliament, the second betrayal will even be worse than the first one. These people will abandon the Patriotic Front and many will join the UPND.
The Illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7 has given a timely warning for the Patriotic Front to know who their true members are…
A Firm decision is required. An expulsion of all those who voted for the Illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7.
A reorganization of the Top leadership should be done. The party needs Organisational Charisma at the top. Appoint Hon Chishimba Kambwili as Vice President – Mobilisation. A reprieve of the Lundazi Law Maker Nyirenda should be done immediately, and her appointment as Vice President – Administration.
All the Party positions held by the rebels should be filled immediately.
Further there should be an invitation through the Party Structures National wide to start identifying Potential Candidates to stand on the Seats currently held by the Rebels.
There should be serious movement to identify shadow MPs in all the Constituencies especially those held by the Rebels.
If there’s no serious and immediate action by the Patriotic Front on the Rebels, the party is Dead.
How will the party go to the people with the same MPs who have betrayed them? EXPEL THE I@IOTS.
When you look at this issue critically, it actually summarizes the end of PF, the over thirty MP’s who voted for Bill 7 are automatically difacto UPND members which leaves only below twenty-five MP’s as “PF”, now these remaining “PF” will be unable to stand on the PF ticket because Chabinga won’t sign there adoption certificates, so they will have to find a new home under which to operate meaning the parliament after August next year will be devoid of PF MP’s hence its burial. This is the reality of things as they stand, and six points nailed it on the head. So for those that believe PF is living, dream on. it is dead, it is decaying, only ticks stick to a dead animal and die with it.
Expelling pro Bill 7 PF MPs will not achieve anything now, if anything it will be a blessing in disguise for them, UPND will easily adopt all of them. The rest who will remain in PF will be orphans very soon, remember the Chabinga led faction is already in alliance with the ruling party. And your Lubinda PF led faction is not recognized by the Registrar of Societies, so those who have vision can not just sit and wait for instructions from rival leaders and be stranded in the last minute. Make hay when there’s still sunshine.
Ba Lubinda, your newly found home in tonse will not make you win anything. Swallow your pride. PF has always behaved in the same way. Nothing surprising there. Carry on as usual and you will survive longer.