Maravi

PF to hold convention

PF to hold convention
By George Chellah
Monday March 26, 2007 [02:00]

OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) plans to hold its first-ever general conference to elect national party leaders between June and July this year. PF president Michael Sata said the party has began its democratisation process countrywide. "Around May this year, we are starting the process of electing party leaders at all levels. There will be elections at the section, branch, ward, constituency, district and provincial level," Sata said. "Once we do that, somewhere around June or July this year we will call a general conference where party leaders will be elected. Our constitution demands that the general conference should have 6,500 delegates in attendance.

"And it's those 6,500 that will facilitate the policy and future of the party. Not these other parties like Mr. BY Mwila's NDF who had a fraction of delegates to elect him as leader. Even UPND they had a small number of delegates, that's why PF will have 6,500 delegates to elect the leaders since we are democratic."

And Sata has proposed to the Central Committee to amend the party constitution to facilitate the creation of the position of party vice-president.

Sata made the proposal through a memo to the party's central committee dated March 23, 2007.

"Members of the Central Committee will recall at the central committee meeting held on 24th February, 2007 at Avon Guest House, in my memo I proposed to the central committee that the party is growing and it must be accommodating," Sata stated.

"I am therefore proposing the following amendments to Article 51 of our constitution, re-arrangement of the party's committees and the party's hierarch. In my memo of 24th February, 2007 I did not include the post of vice-president of the party which I am pleased to include in memo 2/2007."

He stated that the combination of the office of the secretary general and that of vice-president has created inefficiency and lack of direction in both offices.

"I am therefore proposing the creation of the office of the vice-president of the party with the following functions; (a) to be the principal assistant to the president of the party, (b) to exercise all such functions as may be delegated to him by the president, (c) to act for the president in his absence and (d) to exercise the functions of the president in case of death or removal from office in terms of Article 52. A candidate of the office of vice-president shall not be less than thirty years old," Sata stated.

"The current party constitution has no specifications of the functions and duties of the secretary general. This has rendered the office of the secretary general confused and defunct. As the party is growing rapidly, it is important for the central committee to specify the function and duties of the secretary general."

Sata has also proposed for an enlarged central committee of 55 members.

"If the central committee approves the above proposals, there will only be four members of the central committee without portfolio. I am therefore proposing the enlargement of the central committee as follows: 35 members elected, 10 ex-official members of the central committee (provincial) and 10 nominated member of the central committee," he stated.

He also proposed that the party president should appoint five members of the central committee from vulnerable groups.

Confirming his memo yesterday, Sata said his proposals where part of the party's democratisation process.

"When you are in government democratisation becomes very difficult and democratisation of the party should be done when you are in opposition," Sata said. "For example, the office of vice-president and secretary general is very demanding and I am not aiming at anybody. In fact, our current secretary general Dr Guy Scott has been very efficient but unfortunately he needs assistance."

Asked whether his proposals would not create divisions in the party, Sata responded: "We have to be bold if we want our party to grow to greater heights. We are talking about the Constitution having flaws so we are merely perfecting it," Sata said.

"If we show humility and accommodation as a party by handling our party constitution issue maturely, then we will have authority to speak about the perfection of our national constitution."
Sata said in doing so the party was also preparing for unforeseen circumstances.

"Yes, it's good to be secretary general and it's also good to be president but what happens to PF if these two people drop dead today? We are simply strengthening the party. So what I have written in the memo are mere proposals subject to approval by the central committee," Sata said. "If at all the central committee approves them, then they will become party of interim party constitution, which will be looked at by our party members at the general conference.

Labels: CONVENTION, PF

posted by MrK @ 3:38 AM