PF CONVENTION IN QUANDARY
By ADRIAN MWANZA and KETRA KALUNGA
WHILE PF youths are protesting the decision by the central committee to hold their convention next year, PF chairperson for Information and Publicity, Raphael Nakacinda has warned that attempts to hold the convention prematurely will only lead to the destruction of the party.
Mr. Nakacinda said the party was for now focused on gaining the confidence of its members and that of Zambians hence its resolve to hold the convention in June next year.
“This time we are trying to give confidence to our members across the country, that is what the central committee resolved to do on Saturday, that we will not hold a convention until next year June.
“The issue is that any attempt to hold the convention or general conference prematurely will only lead to the destruction of PF,” he said.
Mr. Nakacinda was responding to views from some party members that the party should not rush for a convention but should instead focus on explaining to its members what led to the loss because there are some who are still hurting.
But PF youths in Lusaka have protested the decision by the central committee to hold their elective meeting next year on grounds that the party did not have enough time.
Lusaka Province youth chairperson Kelvin Kaunda in an interview said the party did not have time to wait for next year to usher in new leaders to replace former republican President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Kaunda said the party structures had been crippled because they did not have leaders in place to start preparing for the 2026 general elections.
He said Mr Lungu had indicated that he was not interested in taking up the leadership so it would be difficult for him to continue working with the same vigour as he did.
Mr Kaunda said PF members in Lusaka and other provinces were not happy with the decision to hold the general conference next year.
“We needed the general conference like yesterday, so that we continue with the rebranding process of the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, PF deputy secretary-general Nickson Chilangwa said Mr Lungu had not endorsed anyone to take over the PF presidency.
Mr Chilangwa said that they would level the playing field and that Mr Lungu had remained neutral over who takes over from him.
Mr Chilangwa said in a statement that the party would use this period to mobilise resources for the general conference and take an audit of the party structures.
