Lusaka Province PF chairman Geoffrey Chumbwe says people campaigning to succeed President Michael Sata are wasting time.
Addressing party officials in Chongwe on Friday, Chumbwe who is also a member of the Central Committee said President Sata had not anointed anyone to succeed him.
He said anyone cheating people that they were anointed to succeed President Sata would not be supported until the time is right.
“Now I want to warn you about the presidential campaign; don’t be cheated by anyone that they have been anointed by the President to take over. The President himself at an appropriate time will tell us. No one should lie to you that they have been anointed to take over from the President. If the President doesn’t want to contest, he will give us a candidate and that is the person we are going to support. That person will come from the President,” Chumbwe said.
He said there were people within the party going round cheating others that they were President Sata’s successors.
“I have been in politics for some time now and have known politics but I have not known the politics I found in PF. In PF, there is so much hatred, there is so much hatred and in-fighting amongst ourselves. If we don’t change this culture of hate, lies against one another, we are going to destroy this party. In whatever we do, please let’s put God first before lies. We are all victims of lies but let’s change,” Chumbwe said.
He urged members to stop dark corner meetings as they were destroying the party. Chumbwe said he had information about individuals within the party that had planned to disturb his Chongwe meeting.
He said he was aware of the failed plan to disturb the meeting and its organisers.
Chumbwe said if one wanted to be friends with President Sata, they should never tell lies.
He emphasised the need for loyalty to the party leadership.
“Even Edgar Lungu as new secretary general needs to be supported, he needs to be given the same loyalty we gave Wynter Kabimba. I will support Edgar Lungu but I will never stand and insult ba Wynter because he is out; the President has the right to appoint and disappoint. In politics there are no permanent enemies or friends; in politics power shifts, it changes hands,” said Chumbwe.