I’VE NO AMBITION FOR PF TOP JOB - MALANJI
IDO not have ambition of becoming Patriotic Front President, Joe Malanji has said.
Mr Malanji, who is PF Kwacha Member of Parliament said he would not vie for the top most party position after the incumbent, Edgar Lungu, officially steps down.
He said he was not ready for such an appointment and neither would he be ready to be elected to that office.
Meanwhile, some PF officials have stressed the urgent need to have a president to lead the party.
They said that this was more urgent and that the party should start mobilising and positioning itself as a strong opposition.
The officials said the PF should offer credible and formidable checks and balances to the UPND government.
Rufunsa PF district chairperson, Emmanuel Tembo, said despite the urgent need for a president, the party leader must not be handpicked.
Mr Tembo said the culture of handpicking was long gone because it had yielded negative results.
He appealed to the PF members of the central committee not to entertain the idea of handpicking because it was not supported by the grassroots.
Acting Chongwe PF chairperson, Charles Mumena said the best that the party could do was to avoid handpicking.
Mr Mumena said the general membership must have an input in the choice of the party president.
He said that unlike the current president who was handpicked by a few MCCs, the membership was of the view that an elected president would be more representative.
He said that handpicking of a president was what cost the party the loss to the UPND and that this must not repeat itself.
Mr. Mumena however proposed that should it be urgent, then the provincial committees and central committee members can choose an acting president.
He said that the acting president must also be chosen by these two organs in consultation with all the district committees.
He insisted that the PF president must only be chosen through an election at the general conference.