Mwamba now orders cadres to sort out anyone campaigning for PF presidency

Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba commonly known as GBM has told Patriotic Front (PF) cadres in Western province to sort out anyone who will go to campaign as Presidential candidate in the province.

Mwamba who was in the province to check on the security status following the reported swearing of an Administrator General to preside of the affairs of the province took time to do some politicking. He urged PF cadres to be vigilant and not allow some individuals with presidential ambition saying the position is reserved for President Sata.

“You sort them out if they come here,” Mwamba told the cheering crowd in Kalabo.

The Defence Minister who is also a senior member in the PF party ranking and played a big role in financing the party in the run-up to it being voted into government said it was “stupid” for people to start campaigning for presidency when Sata has only served for two years and still has a full five-year-term. He said there was no one at the moment ready and capable of taking over from Sata.

Mwamba who is also on record of expressing interest that he will succeed Sata said the Head of State has not started grooming his successor. He said the PF should concentrate in help government to deliver on its promise. He also commended the provincial leadership for endorsing President Sata as the sole candidate for 2016 elections.

Elections Chairman Edgar Lungu who is also Home Affairs Minister and accompanied Mwamba to Western province said the successor to President Sata will only be known in 2021.

The PF is supposed to go for the convention before 2016 to elect the new Central Committee Members that includes a president. But with reports of poor health coupled with old age some senior members including Mwamba himself are position themselves to take over. The race for now seems to be between Mwamba and General Secretary Wynter Kabimba though information reaching Zambian Eye is that they are so far seven members that have expressed interest.

“Some members are just waiting for the right time to come up in the open but are working underground,” an insider told Zambian Eye. ” But for these two (Kabimba and Mwamba) they have indirect kicked of their campaigns.”

Vice president Guy Scott has charged that the endorsement of Sata for a second term is unnecessary saying those doing so perhaps have nothing to do. He said it is obvious that Sata still has one term and what is important now is for him and the party to deliver.