EDGAR LUNGU’S SPEECH, PRESS CONFERENCE 1 ST DEC 2014

SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON 1 ST DECEMBER 2014 BY PF PRESIDENT OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT- HON. EDGAR LUNGU MP

MONDAY, 1ST DECEMBER 2014

PLEASE LET US STAND AND OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOUR OF OUR FOUNDING FATHER, PRESIDENT MICHAEL CHILUFYA SATA

LET ME BEGIN FIRST BY THANKING GOD THE ALMIGHTY FOR HIS MERCIES, FOR HIS GRACE AND FOR CONTINUEDFAVOUR OVER MY LIFE.

I WISH TO THANK MY WIFE, ESTHER, MY FAMILY AND THE SUPPORT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MANY ZAMBIANS.

IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT JOURNEY FOR ALL OF US.

I WISH TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT NEGATIVE ATTEMPTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO FRUSTRATE THE DESIRES OF OUR PARTY TO MOVE FORWARD AND OUR COMMITMENT TO HONOUR THE LEGACY OF OUR LATE BELOVED PRESIDENT MICHAEL SATA.

WHEN I WAS ELECTED AS PF PARTY PRESIDENT YESTERDAY, OUR VICE-PRESIDENT, DR. GUY SCOTT ISSUED A MEDIA STATEMENT PURPORTING THAT THE DECISION OF OUR MOST SUPRIOR ORGAN OF THE PARTY- THE GENERAL CONFERENCE, WAS CANCELLED AND NULLIFIED.

HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WILL CONVENE WHAT HE PURPORTS TO BE A FRESH GENERAL CONFERENCE.

FIRST OF ALL THE PRONOUNCEMENT IS UNWARRANTED AND IS AIMED AT MERELY PERPETUATING AN INTERNAL CRISIS THAT NO LONGER EXISTS IN THE PARTY.

THIS IS A CLEAR ACT OF MISCONDUCT AND OUR CENTRAL COMMITTEE WILL FIRMLY DEAL WITH THE MATTER ACCORDINGLY.

FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF OUR BELOVED PRESIDENT, HIS EXCELLENCY MR. MICHEAL CHILUFYA SATA, AND DR. SCOTT HAS ENGAGED IN ACTS THAT DISHONOUR THE PARTY AND ALSO UNDERMINES THE PARTY.

HE FIRED ME AS SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PARTY WITHOUT CAUSE OR JUSTIFICATION.

HE UNILATERALLY CANCELLED CABINET AND CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

WHEN THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ADOPTED ME AS THE PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ON 13TH NOVEMBER 2014, 2014, DR. SCOTT RESPONDED BY NULLIFYING THE DECISION OF THE PARTY.

LET ME ADDRESS MYSELF TO THIS GENERALCONFERENCE.

DR. SCOTT CALLED FOR THE GENERAL CONFERENCE BY A NOTICE ISSUED ON 23RD NOVEMEBER 2014.

HE CHOSE THE DATE AND TIME FOR THE MEETING. HE PREPARED FOR THE DELEGATES

WHEN THE MEETING GATHERED TO ELECT THE PARTY PRESIDENT, DR. SCOTT BEGAN TO CHANGE GOAL POSTS AND MADE OUR MEMBERS AND DELEGATES GO THROUGH A TORRID TIME.

FIRST THEY WERE TOLD TO REPORT TO LUSAKA, KABWE AND KAPIRI FOR ACCREDITATION. DR. SCOTT, MS SYLVIA MASEBO AND MRS BRIDGET ATTANGA HANDLED THIS PROCESS.

ALTHOUGH WE WERE GIVEN NUMEROUS REPORTS REGARDING SECRET REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION, WE REGISTERED OUR COMPLAINTS THROUGH THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

DESPITE OUR MISGIVINGS ABOUT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, WE ENCOURAGED OUR MEMBERS TO REGISTER AND ACCREDIT THEMSELVES.AND

THIS PROCESS BEGAN VERY WELL AND OUR MEMBERS EXERCISED PATIENCE AND QUEUED UP IN AN ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL MANNER.

BUT DR. SCOTT QUICKLY CANCELLED THE PROCESS AND NULLIFIED THE ACCREDITATION THAT WAS ISSUED ALLEGING THAT THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS HAD BEEN HIJACKED BY UNKNOWN PERSONS.

THIS WAS RIDICULOUS AS SCOTT HAD APPOINTED THE ACCREDITATION BODY AND TEAM DOING THIS PROCESS.

HE ORDERED THAT OUR PEOPLE TRAVEL TO KABWE.

DESPITE THIS UNREASONABLE DEVELOPMENT, WE ENCOURAGED THE DELEGATES TO TRAVEL TO MULUNGUSHI ROCK OF AUTHORITY.

OUR PEOPLE TRAVELLED TO MULUNGUSHI ROCK OF AUTHORITY WHERE DR. SCOTT FAILED TO SET UP ACCREDITATION CENTRES.

ON THE DAY OF THE CONFERENCE, THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP WORKING WITH PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS BEGAN THE MANUAL VERIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION PROCESS, AS HIS ELECTRONIC ACCREDITATION SEEMED TO HAVE FAILED.

DR. SCOTT FAILED TO COME TO THE CONFERENCE TO MEET THE DELEGATES AND ISSUED NUMEROUS IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENTS.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THE HIGHEST AND SUPREME BODY OF THE PARTY.

OUR NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO INVITE DR. SCOTT AND HIS FEW COLLEAGUES THAT STAYED AWAY FROM THE CONFERENCE TO JOIN THEIR MEMBERS AND DELEGATES.

DESPITE THE FAILURE BY DR. SCOTT AND FEW OF HIS COLLEAGUES, TO FRUSTRATE THE GENERAL CONFERENCE, THE CONSTITUTIONAL BODY PROCEEDED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AS PROVIDED FOR IN OUR PARTY CONSTITUTION.

FROM THE ABOVE, IT HAS BECOME VERY CLEAR THAT;
1. DR. SCOTT IS WORKING AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE PARTY, AGAINST THE WISHES AND LEGACY OF PRESIDENT MICHAEL CHILUFYA SATA
2. HE IS ENGAGED IN A SERIOUS PROGRAM DESIGNED TO KEEP THE PF FROM NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS
3. DR. SCOTT IS ATTEMPTING TO IMPOSE A PRIVATE AGENDA AGAINST THE WILL OF THE PF, AND ON THE WILL OF THE NATION

AS A PARTY WE ARE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE WITH THE LEGACY AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR BELOVED FOUNDING LEADER PRESIDENT MICHAEL SATA. SO THE ILLEGAL AND CORWADLY ACTS OF DR. SCOTT AND HIS GROUP WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND THE PF WILL DEAL WITH THIS MATTER VERY FIRMLY.
CHANGES AND ACTIONS;

1. I HAVE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT RELIEVED MS BRIDGET ATTANGA AND MR. ANTHONY KASOLO OF THEIR DUTIES AND I HAVE REMOVED THEM FROM THEIR POSITIONS OF ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL AND DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL RESPECTIVELY

2. I HAVE SUSPENDED PF CHAIRPERSON FOR ELECTIONS, MS SYLVIA MASEBO FOR ACTS OF GROSS INDISCIPLINE AND HER CASE HAS BEEN REFERED TO THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

I CALL UPON OUR MEMBERS TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK AS A UNITED FAMILY. TIME HAS COME FOR US TO PUT OUR DIFFERENCES BEHIND US AND WE MUST RECONCILE AS ONE FAMILY.

GOD BLESS YOU,

GOD BLESS THE PF

GOD BLESS ZAMBIA

HON. EDGAR LUNGU. MP
PRESIDENT
PATRIOTIC FRONT