By Staff Reporter
Opposition PF central committee member Paul Moonga says it’s foolish for his party colleagues to argue that Chishimba Kambwili should not stand for the party presidency when they allowed him to campaign for former president Edgar Lungu in the 2021 elections.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Moonga said he has told his party colleagues not to repeat the mistakes of the former ruling MMD where they allowed splinter groups and the party collapsed in the process. He said they should emulate the ruling UPND who managed to remain intact in their 23-year existence.
He said “for the party if they will look at who has been in the party for how many years, we shall lose popularity.”
“It’s foolish for anybody to think like that. Kambwili is a member of PF. He was campaigning for PF. We allowed him to campaign for PF. When it comes to standing for president we say no he can’t stand. What nonsense is this,” Moonga said. “He was there campaigning for the president. I am not supporting him, I have no candidate. People campaigned for the president in 2021 why should you block them to say you don’t qualify? I want to ask the president and the party as long as you have a grade 12 certificate allow a person to stand as president and those who lose should not leave the party.”
Moonga said the PF stood a chance of winning the by-elections if they handle themselves well and pick a credible candidate, without entertaining selfish motives like like “he’s my relative or friend and I will benefit.”
“Our brothers and sisters in the UPND there is nothing they can point at in 100 days plus. As long as PF get a credible candidate without being stupid among ourselves. It’s not time to say that is my friend my relative I will benefit, no,” said Moonga. “(Given) Lubinda left a very good record in Kabwata which could never be matched by anybody. But I have not done any assessment…Kabwata is one of the most developed constituencies in Zambia. As to whether people of Kabwata would want him to continue where he left I can’t tell. Jay Jay we knew he could win but the character of the person, we were in the ruling party. You can’t adopt people because you want to win an election. Look at their character.”
