PF general conference set for June/ July

THE Patriotic Front general conference to choose the party president who would also be the presidential candidate in the 2021 general elections, has been set for June/July later this year.

PF Secretary General Davies Mwila announced at a press briefing yesterday that the PF Central Committee had set June/July 2020 to hold the General Conference to choose the Party President who will also be the PF's Presidential candidate in the 2021 General Elections.

Mr Mwila also announced that the party had adopted former Kaputa District Commissioner Francis Mulenga Fube as its candidate for the forthcoming Chilubi Parliamentary by-election.

He also said the Central Committee had appointed Members of the Central Committee in charge of Health and Legal, Hon. Dr. Chitalu Chilufya and Hon. Brian Mundubile respectively as the Campaign Managers.

"Hon Chitalu Chilufya and Hon Brian Mundubile will be campaign Managers and will be assisted by Hon Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), Hon Anthony Kasandwe and Hon Mwimba Malama," he said.

"In the spirit of unity and loyalty to the party, the Central Committee is asking all the other candidates who have not been adopted to rally behind Mr. Fube," he said.

And Mr Mwila said in line with the party constitution as well as Article 60 of the Republican Constitution, the party would this year go for an elective conference to choose the party President.

"We challenge other political parties to emulate the good democratic record of the Patriotic Front by also holding conventions," he said.

Mr Mwila further disclosed that the Central Committee also invited Finance Minister Dr. Bwalya Ng'andu to give the committee an update on the 2019 macroeconomic development and the economic outlook for 2020.

"In his updates, the Minister informed the Central Committee of specific policy interventions that the government has proposed in order to enhance Debt Management and the Economic Growth. These measures include; putting a stop to the contraction of new loans, re-scoping of two-thirds of loans that have been contracted but not yet disbursed, enhancing domestic resource mobilization, cutting down on wasteful spending and enhancing engagements with our cooperating partners," he added.

"On the Copperbelt Energy Corporation, Zesco Impasse, the Central Committee directed the Ministry of Energy to amicably resolve the Impasse between the two institutions. As you might be aware, CEC is single bulk buyer of power from Zesco. Talks to extend an agreement which allows CEC to buy power in bulk for resale to mining companies have stalled, meanwhile the contract between Zesco and CEC expires in March 2020," Mr Mwila said. The PF Secretary General stated that the Central Committee has given the Ministry of Energy up to the end of February 2020 to resolve the matter of bulk supply between Zesco and CEC.