WE WILL HOLD THE CONVENTION BY APRIL – PF faction Deputy SG Celestine Mukandila

WE WILL HOLD THE CONVENTION BY APRIL – PF

PF faction Deputy Secretary General Celestine Mukandila says the party will hold its elective conference by April next year.

Meanwhile, Mukandila has warned party members that he will not tolerate indiscipline, adding that he will use his office to instil discipline within the party.

Appearing on KBN TV, Thursday, PF presidential aspirant Brian Mundubile said the confusion in the party would calm down once the convention was held and a leader was chosen.

Similarly, in a recent interview with News Diggers, Mpika PF MP Francis Kapyanga asked Given Lubinda, the acting party president, to explain why the party had not yet held its convention. Kapyanga added that the wrangles can only be settled once a president is elected.

Responding to these remarks in an interview, Saturday, Mukandila refuted suggestions that there was confusion in the party, stating that all presidential aspirants were aware of the reasons for the delay.

“I must hasten to mention that the party is not in a confused state, and the party is extremely intact. Those that feel that the party is in a confused state, that is within their bubble of imagination. It’s extremely important to state it out. And of course, every presidential aspirant is aware of the reason why we have not held the party conference. And the reason is that the committee has looked at dynamics that are surrounding the holding of the party conference. And the Central Committee is the one that makes decisions as to what happens in the party. So the Central Committee from inception made a decision to move and have the conference on the 29th of November. Unfortunately, before the 29th of November, Mr Ng’ona decided to file an injunction in a Kabwe court,” he explained.

“And also what transpired thereafter is all presidential aspirants were met by the council of elders of the party. And of course, I was privileged to be in that meeting. And in that meeting, it was unanimously agreed by all the presidential aspirants that we cannot go for a conference before the court matters that are subsisting [are resolved]. There’s an injunction, the Patriotic Front is a law-abiding party. We cannot be seen to be the ones defying court orders. And the unanimous decision was reached. In fact, in that meeting, the person who was even requested to be the one to convey the message to the Zambian people, as well as the party structures, was Honourable Makebi Zulu. I’m sure you are aware of that. Honourable Makebi Zulu informed the Zambian people and the party structures”.

Mukandila said according to the party calendar, the conference would be held by April, adding that the structures remained intact under the stewardship of Lubinda.

“But that notwithstanding, it doesn’t mean that we will not go for the General Conference. We shall go for the General Conference. The calendar of the Patriotic Front holding the convention ends in April. And whether we like it or not, constitutionally, by April we must go for the General Conference. Even the national constitution also backs up the same, because remember now political parties are constitutional authorities. So I think it’s important that we get more details as to what Brian Mundubile means by indicating that the reason why there is confusion… and in fact, there is no confusion in the party. That is within his bubble of imagination. No one should even think there is confusion. The party structures are intact, they are with the legitimate leadership of the party under the stewardship of Honourable Given Lubinda,” Mukandila said.

Commenting on Kapyanga’s remarks, Mukandila said it was wrong for the Mpika MP to make statements intended to mislead the public.

“I don’t think it is right that Kapyanga, who is not even a member of the Central Committee, should make a statement that is solely intended to mislead the public and the citizens. We shouldn’t get to a point of getting such misleading statements. And this is now an indictment to the press and members of the press to be reminded that the only people, the only authorities that will give you the party position include the president, the vice-president and the Secretary General or the Secretariat, period. No other person in this party can give you a position that will stand as a party position,” he said.

“The reality is those that are interested, the biggest interested stakeholders in the holding of a general conference being the aspirants themselves and the party. The aspirants agreed in principle. Further to that, it was informed that the Central Committee would be informed of the decision that was made so that it would be able to be guided by the legal department of the party with regards to the legal technicalities that are existing”.

He said it was unfair to blame Lubinda for every party development, as the Central Committee makes decisions collectively.

“It’s been extremely unfair that everything that happens in this party, people have to point at Lubinda. And yet we’ve got a governing body which is the Central Committee. And the Central Committee agrees on most of these things. And there are unanimous decisions that are made by the Central Committee. And decisions that are made by the Central Committee bind all of us. Even if I was not for the idea of the decision, I am bound by collective responsibility. And that is how management is done. That is the governing principle: collective responsibility. You can’t be a member of the Central Committee and go out there and issue a statement that is well-intended to bring the name of the party into disrepute,” he added.

Mukandila further warned that he would not watch from the sidelines as indiscipline grew.

“And I think at this point, me being the person in charge of administration in the party, I will not sit and watch indiscipline go on. I would rather we have very few disciplined people than having a bunch of indisciplined persons. For me, I say discipline should be the hallmark. And that is what Michael Sata has taught us. Michael Sata taught us discipline, you can’t just go out there. The party gives you directives, you can’t go out there and issue your own instructions or your own statement. Those are levels of indiscipline that we cannot tolerate,” he said.

“Going forward, I shall administer my office with a blindfold on my face, blinding my eyes. I will not look at who it is. I will ensure that the party runs, and it has to run because the Zambian people are waiting for us to give them proper direction. We need to win an election. We will not continue with indisciplined individuals who want to create centres of authority or centres of power away from the party functionaries”.

Mukandila also reminded presidential aspirants that they were not above others in the party.

“And this is also a reminder to presidential aspirants. They are only but presidential aspirants, they must be reminded. The party runs on functions and principles of governance. Those who are presidential aspirants are even lucky that Honourable Lubinda decided to ensure that all of them are members of the Central Committee.

And it was, of course, again, unanimously agreed by the Central Committee that all presidential aspirants should be part of the Central Committee. But they remain ordinary members of the party like myself and any other person, they are not gods. They are not above any other person, they are only but aspirants. The party has well-established structures which must be respected by every person,” said Mukandila.

SE