By ROGERS KALERO
SOME Patriotic Front (PF) aspiring parliamentary candidates’ verbal clashes only goes to show what kind of leadership they will provide to the people if given chance to hold office, PF Kitwe District Chairman Evaristo Chilufya has said.
He said it was unfortunate that some PF candidates were involved in verbal clashes over adoptions instead of waiting patiently for the central committee to conclude the process and announce the adopted candidates.
Incumbent Nkana Member of Parliament (MP), Alexander Chiteme, and aspiring candidate, Binwell Mpundu, have been on each other’s throat.
The latest political fight erupted after Mr Mpundu accused the incumbent of wanting to petition the PF to adopt him.
But Mr Chilufya wondered at a media briefing in Kitwe yesterday how ‘warring’ PF aspirants would work together during campaigns.
“It is unfortunate that some PF parliamentary candidates can be involved in verbal clashes over adoptions. It is a sad development and only goes to show what kind of leadership they will provide if they are given chance,” Mr Chilufya said.
He said he had decided to call for a press briefing to announce that the district executive had concluded interviews for the adoption of PF candidates for parliamentary, Mayoral and local government
He said the party in Kitwe received 19 applicants for the five constituencies, 11 applicants for the position of Mayor and 139 applicants for the 32 wards in the city.
Mr Chilufya said he was saddened by the low number of women and urged the women Non-governmental Organization (NGO) to encourage women to aspire for various political positions
“The number of women who aspired for various positions on the PF ticket was very low at various levels. This is very worrying and it is important that Women NGOs encourage women to contest political positions,’ he said
Mr Chilufya stressed that the party district executive was not doing any adoptions, but was merely making recommendations after interviewing aspiring candidates.
“It is lack of understanding for some aspiring candidates and their supporters to celebrate after hearing that they have been recommended for adoptions by the district executive committee because this committee does not adopt but merely recommends.
“The adoption is done by the higher authority hence no one should be misled that the district has adopted someone for adoption. No, it is a lie,” he said.
