Kabimba dismayed at criminal, violent and corrupt behaviour in PF

MY RESIGNATION FROM PF
29th NOVEMBER  2014
Good morning comrades,
Yesterday I delivered my letter of resignation from the Patriotic Front (PF) to His Excellency the Acting President Dr. Guy Scott.

I joined PF purely on principle and again I have resigned purely on principle.

My life has never been based on sheer opportunism but on the desire to serve the people of Zambia. Here are a few facts about my entry and stay in PF:

■In 2006 I was invited by late President Michael Chilufya Sata to join the PF. He shared with me the values, vision and aspirations of the party and after reflecting I agreed to join the party and became chairperson for Local Government.

■In January 2009 the President asked me to become Secretary General of the party. I was reluctant to accept that position. It took three months for me to finally accept the offer and that is how I became PF Secretary General in April 2009. From January till I finally accepted the appointment, the position had remained vacant.

■In 2010 at my office at Godfrey House, I requested President Sata to leave me out of his cabinet after the 2011 elections. I told him that I knew as early as that time that PF was going to win but I wished to remain outside government.

■In 2011 when PF won the elections, the President invited me to discuss appointments to his government. He again asked me to serve in his government but I turned down the offer, sticking to my earlier wish to remain outside government. Instead I recommended a number of my colleagues for appointment.

■In 2012 the President again asked me to join government. This time he lobbied the support of the people that he knew were close to me and asked them to persuade me. I felt duty bound to serve my President and my country and finally accepted to be in cabinet.

■In 2014, on 28 August, I was relieved of my positions as Minister of Justice and Secretary General of the PF.

That’s been my service, in brief, in the PF. Nothing about opportunism but everything to do with service. I’ve not lobbied for any position but at every turn I was invited to serve in a number of positions.
I had wished that I would continue serving the party as a member loyal to its values and principles. However, my loyalty has been undermined because these values and principles are, sadly, lost.

Recent events have left me dismayed at the escalating criminal, violent and corrupt behaviour in the party.

If I joined PF on the basis of certain values and principles, surely I must resign when such values and principles are lost because I will be serving no purpose in the party.

That is why, dear comrades, I have resigned. I hope you will understand how difficult this decision was, because I still have good friends in the party who mean well. I can’t help but sympathise with them, given the prevailing circumstances in the party.

Wynter M. Kabimba, ODS, SC