We did it for delegates – Inonge Wina

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) national chairperson Inonge Wina has said the party decided to go ahead with the general conference for the sake of delegates.
Ms Wina said the conditions at Mulungushi Rock of Authority were poor and that the PF leadership could not allow more than 3,700 delegates to suffer in poor conditions.
“The chairperson of the party took over because the acting President refused to address the more than 3,700 delegates that gathered at Mulungushi Rock of Authority in poor conditions,” Ms Wina said.
The PF national chairperson said the provisions in the party constitution were followed for the general conference to take place which elected party president Edgar Lungu.

Ms Wina explained that the delegates had suffered enough after having their accreditation from Lusaka cancelled and kept waiting to undergo new registration in Kabwe.
During the conference on Saturday, the delegates waited the whole day for the conference to be officially opened by then acting party president Guy Scott but to no avail.
The next day, Ms Wina and the other Members of the Central Committee held the National Council before calling the general conference to order.
The meeting subsequently elected Defence Minister Edgar Lungu as party president which effectively split the party into two factions after another general conference was held on Monday at which Matero MP Miles Sampa was also elected party president.
It has however, emerged that the Monday meeting did not form a quorum and was held despite the conveners being served an injunction which Ms Wina was granted to prevent the conference from going ahead.

Times of Zambia