Munkombwe leaves PF

————Former Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has relinquished his membership from the Patriotic Front Party (PF).

Mr Munkombwe said he would not attend the disciplinary committee to be called by Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama.

Mr Munkombwe said he has left PF because he does not agree with some internal party happenings which he alleged that were undermining him as a veteran politician.

Speaking to Journalists in Choma today, Mr Munkombwe said he would not protest his removal from his ministerial position because he has done enough for this country.

“I have done my job for this country for many years, and now I want to live in peace at my farm,” he said.

Mr Munkombwe said that President Lungu was right to drop him because it was the President’s fundamental decision to constitute a new Cabinet to work with.

He however, said he will not attend any disciplinary committee to be organized by the PF because he is no longer a member of the ruling party with effect from today.

He said he is now free to support a party of his choice saying his party of choice now is the United Party for National Development (UPND).

“I am not defecting to any party, get that right, I am only leaving the PF to support a party of my choice, the UPND, for I am ready to be used by UPND if they find me useful,” he said.

And commenting on the tribal talks that arose during the campaigns, Mr Munkombwe said he wondered why some people criticised him when he endorsed Mr Hichilema but remained silent when former President Rupiah Banda endorsed the candidature of President Lungu during the campaigns in Eastern Province.

He called for collective efforts among Zambians to denounce tribalism saying Southern Province should not only be labelled as tribal when other provinces had similar experiences.

Mr Munkombwe who is also former PF Provincial Chairperson said there was nothing criminal he has done with his decision to support UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

He said his decision to join PF was necessitated by late President Michael Sata due to his popularity and that soon after his death, parallel structures emerged which he was against.