BE LOYAL – MILES SAMPA

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 12:09:22 +0000

By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

 THOSE with presidential ambitious must first prove they are loyal and can be trusted to impress the incumbent, President Edgar Lungu, says former Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa.

Mr Sampa said those who knew politics would agree that politics was about loyalty to the President and the party, and that President Edgar Lungu could even assist position them for the future.

He said the PF was established and built on the basis of loyalty from the days of inception which has held the party together through turmoil, including the death of its founding father, Mr Michael Sata.

“I wish to echo what my sister Ms Jean Kapata said in Luapula that President Lungu will have the biggest say on who succeeds him in 2026.

“For those who are ambitious, I advise them to be loyal and work hard to impress President Lungu. Politics is all about loyalty to the President and the rarty. You can’t claim to only have loyalty to one of the two,” he said. He said those wishing to succeed President Lungu should care to be loyal and work extra hard for the party to appreciate them, as well as President Lungu who was the ultimate person to impress.

Mr Sampa explained that Ms Kapata was speaking from experience as she had risen through the ranks from the time the PF was in the opposition up to now that they were in Government, and urged younger politicians to tap into her wisdom that has earned her a cabinet position.

He said the Mandevu MP, who is Lands Minister was among the few PF loyalists who refused the National Constitution Commission (NCC) payments in support of President Sata’s directive.

“She refused to split her loyalty between Mr Sata and PF at whatever price.

“I remember her pledging loyalty to him (Sata) while other MPs flocked to receive NCC allowances claiming their loyalty was with the party PF and implying not Mr Sata,” he said.

“I know some are quick to bring in the court cases but I am speaking as a PF member where the central committee has made a decision and as a party, we are optimistic about the ECL 2021 crusade and confident of any legal battles along the way,” he said.