To date, there is no programme or activity that shows that Mr. Edgar Lungu has returned to active politics as maliciously alleged by the ruling party.
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba,
PF – Chairperson for Information and Publicity.
Lusaka, Oct. 17 – We have noted that a media statement has been issued and covered by The Mast of Tuesday, 17th October, 2023 with headline: “Lungu Is PF Candidate – PF”.
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A further scrutiny of the statement shows that it has been issued by a party official named James Mwape with a position of Youth Secretary in Livingstone.
Please note that Official Spokespersons of the Party on key policy and party positions of the Patriotic Front are a preserve of the President, Secretary General and Chairperson for Information and Publicity, therefore it’s mischief to allege that the statement has been issued by Party.
Our position on the matter regarding our former President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu remains as communicated several times.
President Edgar Lungu was elected as party president in April 2021 for a period of five years. However after the loss of elections in August 2021, President Edgar Lungu informed the State that he had resigned from active politics.
To this end, he appointed the Vice President, Hon. Given Lubinda as Acting President to handle presidential matters of the party. He also delegated administrative and disciplinary powers related to the office, to the Acting Secretary General, Hon. Nixon Chilangwa MP.
In October 2021, the Central Committee considered these developments and accepted these decisions.
The Central Committee directed that President Lungu would remain on leave indefinitely during this period in order for him to be available to hand-over his office to the person that the party will elect as his successor.
As a result of this development, the party began to prepare to hold both the Constitutional Conference and Extra-Ordinary General Conference to elect the new President.
This process is underway but has since been delayed because of financial, legal and logistical issues that the Central Committee is determined to resolve and are being attended to.
According to our party Constitution, a Party President can only be replaced through an electoral process of the General Conference or Extra-Ordinary General Conference.
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We have also noted that Government and UPND officials have expressed concerns that President Edgar Lungu still appears on the list of Office Bearers at the Registrar of Societies. They also allege that the former President has returned to active politics.
Please note that, after the holding of a General Conference, President Lungu will formally be replaced by the successor.
To date, there is no programme or activity that shows that the former President has returned to active politics as maliciously alleged by the ruling party.
As the country may be aware, President Lungu doesn’t participate in party activities including campaigning for by-elections or chairing the Central Committee Meetings.
Although by law, President Lungu is eligible to participate and stand in the 2026 elections, to our knowledge and information, no such decision has been made or communicated to us.
The focus of the leadership has been to build a strong party and vibrant structures, that will be able to carry, to electoral victory, any person or leader as our presidential candidate.
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