UPND Accuses PF Of Holding ‘Selective’ National Convention

The opposition United Party for National Development has accused the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) of holding a ‘selective’ national convention, with women and youth candidates largely left off the ballot papers and little regional balancing within the party.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, UPND Deputy National Secretary Patrick Mucheleka said the opposition “would like to ‘congratulate’ our colleagues in the PF for holding their virtual convention in [a] peaceful atmosphere”.

“We take note of public outcry that the PF convention ushered in their Central Committee without casting a single vote,” he added. 

On Sunday, President Edgar Lungu was re-elected to the PF’s party presidency after running unopposed. All of the other 54 members of the party’s central committee, of whom only 18 are women, were also uncontested. 

A host of familiar faces have now returned to the PF’s governing body, including Vice President Inonge Wina, national chairman Samuel Mukupa and disgraced former health minister Chitalu Chilufya, who was dismissed from his cabinet post in March for his involvement in the HoneyBee pharmaceuticals scandal. 

Commenting on the lack of regional balancing in the PF’s central committee, the UPND said the situation was “very worrying especially that they are a ruling party”.

The UPND held its national convention back in February, becoming the first Zambian political party to conduct internal elections, despite the process being mandatory under the national constitution. 

Concluding his remarks on Sunday, Mr Mucheleka said the UPND was looking forward to a “peaceful campaign period devoid of hate language and violence”. 

“We should offer the Zambian people positive messages of what we intend to do in alleviating poverty and hunger ravaging the country,” he said.