By Patson Chilemba
Opposition PF national chairperson Davies Chama says all the views on the general conference are being taken into consideration, including those calling for the postponement of the general conference which was slated for June, 2022.
And Chama said others are of the view that it is premature to hold the general conference, preferring instead for the party to be restructured, and that restructuring does not entail doing away with old leaders who cost the party the 2021 general election.
Chama further said local businessmen who were known to finance the party during their time in government are scared to come forward and contribute as the “new dawn government have been very very aggressive to pursue those seen to be supporting the former ruling party.”
Asked on information by Daily Revelation that some in the leadership were of the view that the convention should be suspended as there was a risk of splintering the party if they went to the convention now, Chama said there were several opinions on this subject.
“Others are saying let’s go for the general conference because we need leadership that has been elected to lead the party. And others are also suggesting the way you have put it. So there are varying views surrounding holding a general conference and all these views are being taken into consideration as we probably make a decision concerning holding a general conference,” Chama said. “But a decision was already made and now there is a debate. And that’s why there are varying opinions. Others are saying no, maybe it’s premature we need to restructure the party to make sure that we rebrand and make the party strong. And others saying no, let us go for a general conference. And it’s very difficult to scientifically measure which views carry more weight than the other.”
Chama said all the opinions were valid as far as he was concerned and must be taken into consideration as the party makes a decision over the general conference.
He said the decision was made on the holding of the conference, and that if there were any variations to that, all the views being proposed will be taken into consideration by the central committee.
Asked if he was not concerned that as all this is happening in PF, party members were joining other political parties especially Dr Fred M’membe’s Socialist Party (SP), Chama argued that there were also a lot of people that were joining PF.
He said PF would remain strong, notwithstanding the other party members who were joining the other political parties.
Asked what he meant by rebranding, Chama said the term entailed restructuring and repositioning themselves for the future.
But asked how possible it was to restructure with the same leadership that cost the party the elections, Chama said PF lost some elections even during their time in power but they still forged ahead with late president Michael Sata.
“We still forged ahead with the same old people who lost elections,” Chama said. “…rebranding does not mean that you have to do away with experience and people who can make a contribution.”
He said “you don’t do away with people just because they lost an election”, citing President Hakainde Hichilema as having lost six elections in a row but won it on the 7th time of asking.
Chama said the plan was to hold the conference this month, as that was what was decided by the central committee, “all things being equal.”
He said the holding of the conference was premised on a lot of things and that was why the party had the budget they were working towards and were hoping that they could raise the money.
Asked on the “kafwafwa” currently going on in PF WhatsApp groups against the leadership who are being accused of trying to postpone the convention in order to maintain party positions, Chama described the “fire” going on in PF WhatsApp groups as people having their own opinions.
“There are a lot of other opinions that are being floated. Others are saying no, let us postpone, others are saying no, let us go for the convention. Others are so passionate about it, that’s why we have encouraged especially those who are passionate that really if you really love the party as you are portraying on social media, the way you are coming out, why don’t you come forward to make a contribution so that we can hold this general conference?” Chama asked. “But you know in our society we always have a lot of people who want to talk but no action. They want to demand something but there is absolutely nothing that they are doing about it. Of course there are a lot of people like that and we are mindful of that because we have gone through that through the years that we have been in politics.”
He said the party faced the same during their time in the opposition until they went for a general conference, and there were other political parties that never went for a general conference until they were pressured “but they had leadership and the parties were still functioning.”
Chama said people could debate about the conference but the party needed resources to go there.
He said he has been contacted by people that they were mobilising, and “others will be making a contribution, maybe tomorrow, may be next week,” and that he has been receiving a number of calls from people who love the party and are quietly working to mobilise resources so that they can “fast track and go to a general conference, assuming that every member of the party are coming forward to make s contribution.”
“But you know the problem is that there are a lot of people who are sitting on the fence waiting for a few to make a contribution. So that’s why we are calling upon everybody, including those who are so passionate, who are calling, who are demanding, so that they can come forward and even come up with suggestions. Others are suggesting that we can use our own money to come to the general conference. But how many are those? Those are very very few,” he said.
Chama said others, like those in the business world who were known to be heavy financiers of the then ruling PF, may not be forthcoming because because they were scared as “the new dawn government have been very very aggressive to make sure that they pursue everybody who seem to be supporting the PF.”
“They want to make sure that they destroy PF but they will not manage to destroy PF because PF is a very very strong organisation. We have been in this politics for a very long long time and we know the tactics of those who want to make sure that they destroy PF,” said Chama.
