I respect Miles though is one of the politicians I have never interacted with on a personal level but I have been watching him closely because he is young, energetic, ingenuity, courageous, generous, intelligent and ambitious. You would not fail to tell that he is in the early 40s when he is around and talking freely.
Miles has resigned in one of the most mature way in the history of Zambian Politics but that should not make the PF members comfortable and think it is business as usual like the way Hon. Chikwanda presented the 2016 budget.
The resignation of Miles is a challenge on the leadership of Edger Lungu to keep the PF intact otherwise he may soon me dancing around like a soldier on punishment with a sweet potato in his hands.
President Edgar Lungu should not read the beautiful resignation letter of Miles with naivety. The President should traverse the history, in terms of membership and vision, of the PF from the time when it was in opposition, when it wreathed power away from MMD, the time of Sata’s illness, after Sata’s death, what happened at Mulungushi Rock where both Miles and himself emerged as Presidents, then the court cases and reconciliations.
The January 2015 Presidential elections and results must also be considered in terms of the gap between Edgar and HH because that speaks volumes of what may happen next year depending on how the membership issue is handled between now and 2016 General elections.
I took my time to sniff around for reasons why Miles could have resigned; I have not spoken to him (Miles) personally because we have never interacted. Nonetheless, I can trust my well-placed sources.
Without dwelling on the details, I concluded that Miles feels side-lined by Edgar Lungu. My sources doubted if Miles has ever had a one to one meeting with the President since he took power. On the other hand Miles’ intelligence has revived to him that a number of reports has been going to the President about him but the President has never engaged him. I tried to check if Miles felt bad that he has not been appointed to full Minister but I was told that he never bothered about that.
If you look back to the attributes I gave Miles in the first paragraph and consider the events after Sata’s death, I think you would have cause to worry about the PF’s unity owing to the resignation of Miles despite of the beautiful letter he wrote to the President. The resignation with immediate effect must also give you a hint of the emotions behind this resignation.
Remember that Miles was crowned President by the so called cartel (according to Richard Sakala though I don't agree because these people hardly meet)
From my interactions with the PF which I tried to bring out in one of my articles entitled, “I am very upset with the PF today”, you will realize that Miles is not the only PF member feeling disgruntled. This is why I have suggested to the President to traverse the history of the PF and compare it to the current PF under his leadership.
I would be the first person to condemn President Edgar Lungu if PF remains the same, a year after Sata’s death, because life has to go on and change, just like the life of Sata had to change naturally even though one of my grieving brothers suspected foul play but in bemba we say “Uulila tabamucheba pakanwa” which simply means that don’t bother about what the grieving person says (I wish Kabimba knew that he would not be in court).
The issue of consideration or concern about the change of the PF after Sata is how the party is evolving. Where is the PF today, how is the PF and who is composed of this party today?
I always remember what my hero and mentor FTJ Chiluba said, when he changed from supporting Sata to RB, that politics is about benefits. Who is benefiting out of PF today? Where are the core members of the PF today?
I don’t like to beat about the bush, but Edgar has embraced a lot of new members in PF and given them good positions leaving out many old members who brought PF into power. It is also a fact that many of the people who actually campaigned heavily for Edgar Lungu himself, are not near him. The goal getters are on the peripheries while he has maintained the tired legs of Shamendas, Chikwandas, Kasondes, Nkandu Luos, Katemas and some other political interns like Mwanakatwes.
The party is also led by an administrator who I appreciate for his integrity but not mobilization but that should not worry you because Mumbi Phiri and Frank Bwalya will do the running.
President Edgar Lungu seems to have replaced the team that won him the cup with players from the losing teams who have not impressed the spectators in the past. But because he is the President he has powers to do it.
Anyway, I am not a PF member and I don’t need a job in PF or government otherwise I would have gotten that from Sata but many people in PF want to be recognized and if they are not, Edgar might have a batch of resignation letters that it might be difficult to be saved by a quick consent order with Davies Chama which saw Bridget Atanga into UPND.
Let me end with a quote from the Bible which our Church Elder HH likes "Where there are no Prophets, people get out of hand, but happy the one who follows commandments." (Prob 29:18).
And the Late Sata said that the PF government will lead the Country based on the 10 commandments!
CT/hmn
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