THE Patriotic Front (PF) central committee meeting has approved a budget of K5.7 million for holding its constitutional and extra-ordinary general conference on July 29 and October 28 respectively.
The decision comes after its planning committee headed by the national party chairperson, Davies Chama presented a full report, proposed logistics and road map for the holding of both the constitutional and extra-ordinary general conferences.
In a statement issued by member of the central committee and chairperson for information and publicity Raphael Nakacinda, the party also approved plans for the constitutional conference to be held on the proposed date of Saturday 29th July,2023.
Mr Nakachinda said the constitutional conference will be held under a hybrid arrangement where it will be both an in-person and virtual conference.
“The central committee also approved plans and structure of delegates to attend the extra-ordinary general conference to elect a new party president.
The central committee meeting also adopted the proposed date of 28th October, 2023 on which the extra-ordinary general conference will be held,” he said.
Mr Nakachinda said a proposed budget of K5.7million has also been approved, adding that the committee also established the fundraising committee and approved appointed members to spearhead raising of funds so that the party could successfully hold the two scheduled conferences.
“The 11-member committee comprises members; Hon. Dr. Frank Ngambi, Hon. Mulenga Kampamba, Hon. Anthony Kasandwe, Hon. Silvia Chalikosa, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba, Hon. Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, Hon. Elias Daka, Hon. Jean Kapata, Hon. Godfridah Sumaili, Hon. Anthony Kasandwe, Hon. Stephen Kampyongo, and Hon. Alexander Chiteme.
A Sub-Committee was also approved where some members of Parliament were part of,” he said.
Mr Nakachinda further said the central committee has also approved the party’s strategic plan that will be officially launched in Ndola, Copperbelt by mid August 2023.
Meanwhile, PF vice president, Given Lubinda who chaired the meeting, has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to publish details of the Debt Restructuring Agreement recently announced at the Paris Club Summit in France.
He said this was to allow for informed and productive national debate.
Mr Lubinda said the debt reschedule must help lower the living standards of people or it will be deemed ineffective.
He lamented that Government has failed to demonstrate how it utilised savings from the suspension of debt service where the country has not paid for its debt since December 2020.
Mr Lubinda also condemned the repeated attacks and abuse of the law by the State and Law Enforcement Agencies against members of the opposition.
And the party has began to handle the disciplinary cases involving Mafinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga and his Chama South counterpart, Davison Mung’andu.
(Mwebantu, Saturday, 24th June, 2023)