LUSAKA – Former Roan Constituency member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili has stated that Given Lubinda is not merely the acting president of the Patriotic Front (PF) but the substantive president of the party. Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Kambwili, who is also an aspiring PF presidential candidate, cited the party constitution.
He argued that when a party president dies, the vice president automatically assumes the full presidency, rendering a general conference unnecessary. “We have had this kind of indiscipline in the PF because people think he’s the acting president. As a founder of the PF and one who was involved in drafting the party constitution, the PF constitution has two provisions such as, in the absence of the president, the vice president acts but when the president dies, automatically the vice president assumes the full role of being president,” Mr.
Kambwili explained. Addressing Mr. Lubinda directly, he said, “Comradezayelo, in case you don’t know yourself, I’m telling you today that you are the president of the PF and all those who don’t want to recognise you as such will face the whip.
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As far as the constitution is concerned, we don’t have a vacancy in the office of the president. We only have a flag bearer.” Mr. Kambwili added that Mr.
Lubinda had demonstrated leadership by allowing the party to prepare for a general conference despite already being the president. The statement adds another layer to the ongoing internal dispute within the former ruling party regarding its leadership structure. We all agree that Lubinda is the best candidate, and Mundubile second.
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