Poll: Lungu favoured to lead PF

Edgar Lungu

An opinion poll has indicated that Defense Minister Edgar Lungu is the firm favourite to succeed late President Michael Sata as leader of the Patriotic Front (PF) after he beat his closest rival Kabwata MP Given Lubinda by more than 40 percentage points.

The poll, which ran on Zambian Eye’s Facebook page was meant to gauge the popularity of the 10 PF presidential hopefuls ahead of the party’s extraordinary General Conference to be held this weekend.

A total of 280 people participated in the poll.

The people who will battle it out for the PF presidency include, Sata’s widow Christine Kaseba, Cabinet Ministers Wilbur Simuusa (Lands), Robert “Bob” Sichinga (Commerce), Lungu (Defence, Justice) and Chishimba Kambwili (Sports).

Others include Commerce Deputy Minister Miles Sampa, Kasama MP Geoffrey B. Mwamba, Kabwata MP Lubinda and former diplomat Col Selemani Banda.

Lusaka Mayor Mulenga Sata has since withdrawn from the race.

Lungu, who is also Justice Minister, easily took the top spot after polling a whooping 47.48% of the vote, while runner-up Lubinda got 12.55%. Miles Sampa came third with 5.32%, while Dr Kaseba took the fourth spot with 3.80%. Kambwili was fifth at 2.66%, while sixth spot went to Bob Sichinga who managed 1.90%.
GBM and Mulenga Sata were joint seventh at 0.76%, with Simuusa managing 0.38% to place eighth. Col Banda got no votes. 14.83% of the responses were deemed invalid.

The poll results represent a stunning reversal in fortunes for both Lungu and Lubinda, who got 3.38% and 47.48% respectively, the last time a similar poll was conducted in August.

Lungu’s surge in popularity can be attributed to him being appointed to act as president at the time of president Sata’s illness and eventual death, a situation that has led many to believe he is ‘the anointed one.’