. Kapata

By JAMES KUNDA and Steven ZANDE –
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) chairperson for elections Jean Kapata has admonished her deputy Kelvin Fube Bwalya and Roan PF Member of Parliament (MP) Chishimba Kambwili for demanding that the party holds intra-party elections forthwith.
Meanwhile, PF Vice-President Inonge Wina said the party would not stifle ‘divergent suggestions’ such as the one by Dr Kambwili on the intra-party elections, but would review them.
Ms Kapata, who is Lands Minister and Mandevu PF MP, accused the duo of being divisive by pushing personal interests ahead of those of the ruling party.
“Calling for elections is not the preserve of individual members, but the Central Committee and I would like to warn party members to desist from pushing personal agendas ahead of party interests.
“Some people are trying to divide the party, but that will not be condoned because the party has a president and a hierarchy, which should be followed in addressing concerns,” Ms Kapata said
Mr Bwalya was quoted in Friday’s edition of The Mast newspaper stating that the party needed elections from ‘top to bottom’ and that the process ‘could not wait’.
In yesterday’s edition of the same paper, Dr Kambwili concurred with Mr Bwalya’s statement on the need for the party to go for fresh intra-party polls.
Ms Kapata said the current PF Central Committee was ushered into office barely two years ago and had three more years to serve before its dissolution.
“PF has a constitution and members in their individual capacity cannot call for elections across the board.
“So my advice to them (Mr Bwalya and Dr Kambwili) is to refrain from talking in a manner that will divide the party and allow the Central Committee to meet and deal with any administrative issues in the party, she said.
But Ms Wina said in an interview with journalists yesterday that every member of the party had the right to give an opinion on internal issues which could be constructive, hence they deserved to be heard.
“That is news to me (Dr Kambwili’s story in The Mast). But if that is the case, I think he is entitled to an opinion and, as a party, we shall consider the proposal and we shall look at it to see if it can be addressed,” Ms Wina said.