By SIMON MUNTEMBA
FORMER Minister of Health, Dr Chitalu Chilufya is a victim of a dangerous conspiracy orchestrated by businessmen and those with running mate ambitions, a PF member, Maxwell Chongu has claimed.
And Mr Chongu said he was disappointed that some PF members celebrated the dismissal of Dr Chilufya when he was still one of them.
In an interviewin Lusaka, Mr Chongu said Dr Chilufya is a victim of conspiracy amongst businessmen and a politically-motivated battle.
He said despite agreeing with the decision that President Lungu took to drop Dr Chilufya as a cabinet minister to save the face of Government and the ruling party, he still believed that he was just a victim of a politically-motivated battle.
“Yes, I support the decision that President Edgar Lungu took to drop Dr Chilufya as a cabinet minister following the outcry over the alleged defective drugs supplied to the Ministry of Health by Honeybee Pharmacy Limited. That was the only way to save the face of Government.
“As the President for all Zambians, President Lungu made a wise decision to save the face of Government, but when you look at the whole thing politically, Dr Chilufya is just a victim of a dangerous conspiracy amongst businessmen that caught him unaware,” Mr Chongu said.
He added, “He is a victim of not just a dangerous conspiracy amongst businessmen, but also amongst those with running mate ambitions that were looking at him as a threat. But at the end of the day, those who fought him forget that it will be the President who will make a final decision to choose his own running mate.”
He said “the biggest sin he committed is to wholeheartedly support local SME’s or Zambian-owned companies.”
Meanwhile, Mr Chongu said it was unwise for any PF member to celebrate what had befallen Dr Chilufya because he was still their member.
He said, “Dr Chilufya is still a member of our biggest organ of the party, MCC, he is also still our PF Mansa Central MP with a huge following in Luapula Province. So I fail to understand why any sensible PF member can celebrate his dismissal.”
Mr Chongu also reiterated his call for the PF to lift suspensions and expulsions of members to ensure reconciliation and unity.
