By Patson Chilemba
PF member Ponde Mecha says President Hakainde Hichilema has set the bar very high and is fast gaining the respect of Zambians and the international community, therefore PF must elect someone who can match up to those standards.
And Mecha, the immediate past Chifunabuli member of parliament (PF), says people must scrutnise the principles and character of people like Chishimba Kambwili, whom he said claimed to be a founder member of PF and NDC at the same time.
He said the PF should be careful against electing someone who risked being found wanting in the future, and thereby denting the party’s image even further.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Mecha said the PF must consider having a leader in the mould of President Hichilema, both in terms of age and standing.
“Some people are saying now we need one in the age range of or below that of HH, and somebody vibrant. HH has set the bar very high. I think his profile is rising with time. He is slowly gaining the respect of the International community, the respect of Zambians,” Mecha said. “We need somebody to match and even go beyond that standard. So we will be looking at such a leader who would match the standard of HH.”
Asked if the PF had such a person with those standards, Mecha said he knew a number of them but would not mention as he might do so, only to find that such a person is soiled, in view of the many revelations of impropriety that are coming out involving certain former leaders.
Asked if Kambwili was the right person to take the PF forward, Mecha said the people should focus on the principles and character of someone “who claims to be one of the founder members of PF and NDC at the same time.”
“Why did he leave? We need to understand that. We need to understand how he performed where he went. There was also an association with UPND, what happened? We are also aware that he formed his own party where he is a founder member,” Mecha said. “So he has been a founder member of PF and also NDC. What really is his allegiance to NDC and also PF? Why should we trust him when his political life has been nomadic?”
On the issue of personal integrity, Mecha said: “I know he believed in collective responsibility in the party, (but) did he divulge anything when he went somewhere else? When he came back did he divulge anything else about where he had gone to? Could he be a danger to the proper functioning of PF?”
He said the PF needed to be careful in rebuilding the image of the party, saying due diligence was required as the party’s dented image could not be rebuilt with a dented leadership.
On former Justice minister Given Lubinda, Mecha said he had a lot of respect for him in the manner he carries himself.
“I am not sure if he is also soiled or what, but we are still trying to find out. For him in terms of rebranding PF he could be up to the task,” he said.
On Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), Mecha said: “Uhmmmm, does he come any closer to top leadership? I am not sure, so I can’t comment.”
On Professor Nkandu Luo, Mecha said she was a very principled person who has a strong character, which some people may not like despite it being a good attribute.
He said Prof Luo came out exactly the way she thinks.
“There is a certain combination that you would want like Given and Madam Luo combination…it’s a proper combination of people who reason properly and are frank in their discourse,” said Mecha. “You must be honest in your discourse, and nobody should take away that quality from you. And that is the quality Given has and Madam Luo has. And such people are never liked.”
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