PF distances itself from members commenting on Chiluba
PF distances itself from members commenting on ChilubaBy Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday July 02, 2007 [04:00]
THE central committee of the Patriotic Front (PF) on Saturday resolved that members of the party making statements on second Republican president Frederick Chiluba were not representing the party but their personal opinions.
And PF will in the next three weeks start the party's re-organisation.
The committee resolved during a meeting on Saturday that in view of the big differences of opinion concerning second republican president Chiluba, the party had no policy or stand on him.
"So people who are making statements on either side of debate are not representing the party, they are expressing their personal opinions. The only stand the committee adopted was that we shall always demand fair trial of all matters not only on Chiluba's case but all other cases. People should be given an opportunity to defend themselves. On Chiluba, PF doesn't have a stand and no one has spoken on behalf of the party," said party spokesperson Given Lubinda.
And Lubinda said within the next three weeks the party would elect local leadership starting from local leadership from sections, branches, wards, constituencies, districts and provinces.
He said when the party was done with district elections, it would hold provincial and national conferences.
Lubinda said all members of the party willing to stand in the central committee should first identify with the party leadership throughout the structure.
He said there was no position which had been preserved, not even that of the presidency.
"President Sata said he was very emphatic that all positions in the central committee should be open to elections including the position of the presidency. One condition though is that as the central committee, we will not allow any personal mudslinging and insults during the campaign period. People should address issues and not personalities. Politics of insults and personal attacks are not going to be tolerated," he said.
Lubinda said the committee ratified the decision by Sata that they would continue to participate in activities of the Zambia Centre for Inter party Dialogue (ZCID) on condition that the two issues regarding the chairmanship and operations in the way the ZCID had been operating were addressed.
"As long as these two issues are addressed, we are willing to continue to participate in ZCID. In the next sitting of ZCID we will make proposals on how ZCID should relate to civil society in the constitution making process as PF we don't subscribe to the notion that the constitution making process should be preserved for politicians," he said.
Lubinda said the party's stand was that the civil society should be heard by politicians.
He said the party wanted the ZCID to identify and engage civil society in the constitution making process.
Lubinda said the committee also resolved that the membership on the ZCID board be changed.
"Sylvia Chalikosa will continue but the vice president Guy Scott will be replaced by me," he said.
Lubinda said the committee also resolved that in the next 30 days, all sub committees of the central committee must be operational, all chairpersons of the committee had been instructed to fill in all positions in their committee.
He said Sata had been mandated by the committee to address members of the party on July 9, 2007 so that they were adequately prepared in the next sitting in Parliament because the committee wants to ensure that PF takes leadership in the House so that they address issues affecting the Zambian people.
posted by MrK @ 5:10 AM
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