By Patson Chilemba
Ruling PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says it will be unfair for her to argue against Paul Moonga’s statement that the party’s presidential running mate for 2021 must be a strong, mentally fit male from Luapula, Northern or Muchinga Province.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Phiri said Lusaka Province PF chairperson Paul Moonga was free to air his opinions as a party member, saying there was maybe a reason why he said what he was saying.
“That’s his opinion and PF is a democratic party, he’s free to put his opinion. He’s our member. I cannot refuse or deny the way he’s feeling. That will be unfair that is his opinion. That’s all,” Phiri said. “I have told you that that is his opinion, it’s not mine. It’s his, so do you want me to start commenting on somebody’s thinking? I am not even thinking about it, it not on priority like my provincial chairman. Maybe there is a reason why he’s thinking like that. For me whoever is picked is not part of my agenda. That’s a prerogative of the President. Even if I had my own opinion it won’t have an effect.”
Asked how she felt over Moonga’s statement, especially that the current Vice-President Inonge Wina was female and had expressed interest on continuing, Phiri said: “Why should I feel because it’s coming from Mr Moonga? Us women we replace each other. I was a member of parliament in Munali, wasn’t I replaced by a fellow woman? So it’s up to whom they want. It’s up to whom the President wants.”
Phiri said her only concern was to pick someone who could help the party win the elections, whether male or female.
“I am not bothered whether it’s a youth, if the President will think of bringing a 21 year old because we have a lot of young people…that’s his prerogative,” Phiri said.
Moonga said the PF could not be selfish against the people of the three Northern Bemba-speaking provinces, saying he had nothing against any tribe but was just being realistic.
“If you put ba (Richard) Kapita he’s a good man, qualified accountant, very intelligent from North WesternProvince, (do) you think he would add more value? The answer is no. What about those people giving more votes?” Moonga said. “A child whom you send all the time, go and bring this, even when there is left over food you call this child. Even the voting pattern should be the same.”
Moonga said if he were President Lungu, he would not look beyond those three provinces.
“And this time around I am talking about a male. Any male. All the good male candidates. I have nothing against the gender issues, I am looking at a person who would run the race. This country is 762,000 square kilometers,” Moonga said. “Somebody strong enough to hit the ground all over the 10,000 polling stations. We have got over 10,000 polling stations to go round and check every thing. That’s a strong man. Not just a man, a strong physically fit and mentally fit. Mentally stable. That’s a man I am looking at from those three provinces if I was Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”
Asked to comment on another female, President Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila, who has been in the media for the wrong reasons having fenced a national forest in Eastern Province, something the Ministry of Lands has described as a criminal offence, Phiri said it would be wise to get a comment from Tasila herself over the matter, saying the media had not bothered to hear from her directly.
“Get it from the horses mouth herself. She’s a councilor follow her and ask her. Yes does she work for the Ministry of Lands? No she doesn’t. That’s why to balance this story as a journalist you should follow her…you can even go and wait for her at Church she goes and St Ignitius,” said Phiri.
Well placed sources in the Ministry of Lands and Environmental Protection have told Daily Revelation that Tasila has decided to surrender the fence she erected around the Forest to the Ministry. The sources said this was necessitated by the constant media spotlight on the matter and the anger it has elicited in Eastern Province. Lands permanent secretary Ndashe Yumba could neither confirm nor deny