PF Prepares For Virtual Elective Conference

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Mwila has confirmed the party is working to hold its upcoming national conference virtually. The move to a virtual format will involve the development of new COVID-19 standing orders. 

Mwila has also stated that the party’s Central Committee plans to go into the August elections only with popular candidates at the grassroots, stating that President Edgar Lungu is the grassroots preference for the polls. 

The virtual conference is expected to be a far cry from the first-time selection of Edgar Lungu as the party’s flag bearer in 2014 following the death of former President Michael Sata.  

Lungu’s selection in 2014 was plagued with allegations of threats and violence, including reports of attempts to forcibly coerce former acting President and Vice President Guy Scott. It was then that Lungu first became known to some as the ‘Panga President’, with reports of armed cadres flooding Kabwe to secure his selection at the party's disputed convention.  

The position was heavily contested with rival PF factions holding separate conferences and Miles Sampa also claiming to be have been victorious in the contest. Following the conferences, it was up to the courts to declare the winner, paving the way for President Lungu to contest the 2015 and 2016 elections on the PF ticket. 

Meanwhile, the United Party for National Development (UPND) held its general assembly last month, with reports of 5.28 million Zambians participating either online or in person. The process was overseen by the chair of the Independent Electoral Commission Judith Mulenga, who confirmed the re-election of party leader Hakainde Hichilema. National Chairperson Mutale Nalumango was also re-elected to her position, narrowly beating her rival Patrick Mucheleka by just 31 votes. The assembly was widely hailed as a triumph for democracy, running without incident and electing delegates to the NMC from across the ten provinces.