By Staff Reporter
The opposition PF has deferred the holding of the convention to an unknown date and raised the money needed for the holding of the conference to K15.5 million.
And the central committee meeting today heard that very little on the previously budgeted for K5 million has been raised, as those who also promised cows and chickens towards the conference have not delivered, with the party holding on to the hope that they would deliver when everything has been ascertained.
Well placed sources who attended the central committee meeting, which finished a while ago have told Daily Revelation that the heated meeting finally resolved that the convention should proceed against the position held by party acting president Given Lubinda and others who feel that they should first reorganize structures, particularly those in Western and North Western provinces which are said to be not intact.
“What has come out of the meeting after long deliberations is that the majority are actually in favour or holding the convention against arguments from the others that the party needed to first of all reorganise. Even people who have been said to favour the status quo and the reorganisation route like Stephen Kampyongo today came out in favour of us holding the convention,” sources said. “The guest list has also been increased to 3800 from the around 1200 that was proposed last time for the convention meaning that the budget has also been increased to K15.5 million from K5 million.”
However, sources said some notable absentees included former Defence minister and party national chairman Davies Chama who has been tasked with organising the convention, and that newly appointed member of central committee Chishimba Kambwili also missed the meeting.
“The meeting did not receive a categorical answer when queries about how much money has been raised were asked. The only answer provided was that the money raised was very little, without providing the figures particularly that the gentleman in charge of the accounts books was absent. Acting president Lubinda also told the meeting that there have only been pledges in form of cattle and chickens which have not been delivered,” said the sources. “So what has been decided is that by next month the date will be set after knowing the school closure at Mulungushi University.”
