PF readies for convention

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

The PF central committee has appointed a seven-man committee to spearhead the organisation and planning of the forthcoming party’s extra ordinary general conference.

And PF acting Secretary General Nickson Chilangwa has wondered why UPND was in a hurry to change the Constitution which it opposed few months ago.

Mr Chilangwa said the central committee yesterday set up a preparatory committee headed by acting party chairperson Mr Davis Chama to expedite groundwork for the extra ordinary general conference slated for June 2022 to elect a its new President.

He said the preparatory committee members were Mr Raphael Nakachinda, Ms Sylvia Chalikosa, Mr Remember Mutale, Mr Anthony Kasandwe, Mr Syachaye Madyenkuku and Reverend Godfridah Sumaili.

He also announced the central committee ratified the appointment of Christopher Kan’gombe as member of central committee and further appointed national youth chairperson, and Mulenga Kampamba as national chairperson for women.

He said Mr Remember Mutale, had been appointed Member of Central Committee and has further been appointed national chairperson in charge of elections.

He said other appointments made were that of  Ms Elizabeth Phiri as Chairperson for community development, Captain Walusiku Lyambela (Rtd) as  national chairperson in charge of party security. In an interview, Mr Nakacinda also said the PF will participate in all the forthcoming local government by-elections.

He said the party would soon announce successful candidates for Mongu District Mayoral by-election, and the ward by-election in Luwingu, and Katimba Ward in Southern Province slated for Thursday April 7.

Meanwhile, Mr Chilangwa said  it was strange that the UPND, which when in opposition worked round the clock to frustrate every effort aimed at judicial reforms that were initiated by the previous administrations is now lobbying for support.

In 2008, he said, the UPND sabotaged the National Constitutional Conference by boycotting the vote in Parliament.

Mr Chilangwa said the PF was concerned that the UPND regime had sidelined almost all other stakeholders in its proposed constitutional review process.  He wondered why UPND in a hurry to change the Constitution which it opposed few months ago.