‘Dissolve PF structures to restore sanity’

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:44:42 +0000

By PRINCE CHIBAWAH

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu should dissolve the PF structures in Eastern and Copperbelt provinces to restore sanity in the ruling party, political commentator Edwin Nyirongo has charged.

On Saturday, President Lungu branded Copperbelt Province as the base for confusion in the ruling PF.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Nyirongo said some PF officials on the Copperbelt had been compromised by individuals with interest to succeed President Lungu.

“Not so long ago, I counselled President Lungu to be careful with individuals who have huge appetite to succeed him.

“I clearly stated that there were some senior PF members on the Copperbelt who were conducting clandestine meetings to destabilise the party in the region,” he said.

Mr Nyirongo explained that the confusion President Lungu was talking about had been created by such people.

“They are the ones behind the confusion in PF, particularly on the Copperbelt. And the best solution is for the PF to go for self-cleansing,” he said.

He said dissolving the affected structures would help the party to get rid of disgruntled elements.

“Some PF members who are connected to the party leadership on the Copperbelt have made it clear, through their behaviour and activities, that they support the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

“So, you can’t even ask where the confusion is emanating from because there is overwhelming evidence. Get rid of such elements before it is too late,” he advised.

And Mr Nyirongo said the current misunderstanding between PF officials and senior Government officials in Eastern Province had the potential to jeopardise the flow of development in the region.

Recently, some PF officials in Eastern Province held a press briefing to demand for the remove of top civil servants in the province after they accused them of working against the ruling party.

But Mr Nyirongo doubted if such calls were done in good faith.

“It’s very hard to believe that the PS, DPS, DC and the mayor, all can be working against the PF. There is something else the party officials are not telling us.

“Let the PF president just dissolve the provincial party structures so that we can have new party leaders who will be willing to work with the civil servants in the region,” said Mr Nyirongo.