PF questions women groups
By HOPE BWALYA –
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has questioned the sudden silence of women groups over the adoption of United Party for National Development (UPND) vice-president for administration Geoffrey Mwamba (GBM) as the running mate for party president Hakainde Hichilema.
PF deputy spokesperson Frank Bwalya said the silence was questionable, as it denoted that the women organisations were not aware of Mr Mwamba’s appointment, the man with a history of wife battering.
Some prominent women organisations are on record condemning President Edgar Lungu’s decision to appoint Clifford Dimba, popularly known as General Kanene, as the Gender Based Violence (GBV) ambassador.
Mr Bwalya was speaking during a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
He said it was important that the women groups came out in the open and stated their position on prominent figures that had a history of GBV as they had always done in previous incidences.
Mr Bwalya said it was important for women not to just criticise President Lungu when he appointed someone they were not comfortable with, but also criticise other players so that they could ensure consistency and credibility.
“We think these groups are sympathetic to the opposition. We will only understand their silence if they are trying to say they put President Lungu on a higher peddle stone (moral ground) and HH on a lower peddle stone. If that’s the case, we will not complain,” he said.
Mr Bwalya also said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was an independent body capable of running its affairs well.
He said the Government or the PF had no hand in controlling ECZ as this was evident in the failure of two Cabinet ministers to file nomination papers as they were late.
Mr Bwalya also said the ruling party was aware that there were three chiefs who were on a campaign trail of an opposition political party, which he described as disappointing.
He advised the traditional rulers against engaging in active politics.