Mon, 08 Jan 2018 13:38:59 +0000
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
HARRY Kalaba’s recent resignation has boomeranged as all constituencies in Luapula Province have thrown their weight behind the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu.
This is despite Mr Kalaba, who recently resigned his ministerial position as Foreign Affairs minister, hailing from the Province as Bahati PF member of parliament (MP).
And PF officials in the province have demanded that Mr Kalaba resigns as an MP for having accused the ruling party of being corrupt without giving details.
In an interview, Provincial PF secretary Francis Musunga told the Daily Nation that the ruling party in Luapula was behind the party and leadership of President Lungu.
Mr Musunga said all the constituencies in Luapula province on Friday conducted a solidarity march and pledged total loyalty and support to President Lungu.
He said party structures from across the constituencies in Luapula gathered and held a solidarity march in Mansa to reaffirm their support for President Lungu.
Mr Musunga also confirmed that PF officials have petitioned PF provincial chairperson Nickson Chilanga demanding the resignation of Mr Kalaba for not only labelling PF a corrupt but also being treacherous.
“Hon. Kalaba branded the party corrupt, so he can’t remain in a party that he has accused of being corrupt. He must leave the party.
“In fact, the party structures from all over Luapula have petitioned the central committee through our provincial chairperson Hon. Nickson Chilangwa demanding for Hon. Harry Kalaba’s resignation,’’ Mr Musunga said.
He said Mr Kalaba’s resignation as a Minister was a relief to the party because he became a danger to unity due to his treacherous behaviour.
“Hon. Kalaba was sponsoring confusion amongst party members in the province,” he said.
And PF provincial Chairlady Mary Nkandu who is a resident of Bahati constituency said despite Mr Kalaba’s exit in government, the party in the province was intact and in full support of President Lungu.
She said Mr Kalaba’s resignation had not in any way shaken the party in Luapula adding that he wielded no influence as evidenced by the number of members who turned up demanding for his resignation as an MP.
