INFLUENTIAL PF member petitions Sata to remove Wynter Kabimba immediately

AN INFLUENTIAL Patriotic Front (PF) Central Committee member for Arts and Culture Winnie Kamayoyo Oyat has petitioned President Sata to immediately remove Wynter Kabimba as PF secretary general and Minister of Justice.
In a letter dated October 7, 2013 addressed to President Sata, Ms Oyat said Mr Kabimba should be removed from his two positions because he has allegedly neglected the people who fought for the PF.
She charges that Mr Kabimba is promoting members who joined the party from the United Party for National Development (UPND) and the United Liberal Party.
Ms Oyat said this has caused despondency among loyal party members who could revolt against the party’s Central Committee if the party leadership fails to act soon.
“The people who are loyal to you sir are being punished and segregated by Mr Kabimba’s loyalists.
“We are kept away from you and are sidelined in many issues while they enjoy the fruits of our hard work. Your Excellency, it has become impossible for us to meet you other than the strict environment of scheduled meetings of the Central Committee,” she said.
Ms Oyat said it is unacceptable to maintain a secretary general who labels his own party as tribal, corrupt and undisciplined.
She said Mr Kabimba has allegedly formed numerous parallel structures and women’s groups.
Ms Oyat also said that Mr Kabimba’s failure to exercise humility disqualifies him from leadership.
“Sir, at his meeting with district commissioners from my province, Mr Kabimba claimed that you had betrayed him by promising him the presidency and now you appear like you are showing interest in it or might take it to somewhere else.
“Your Excellency, you have many sons and daughters that truly trust and serve you with a lot of sacrifice and without regret, remorse or complaints. There are many diligent sons and daughters from our areas,” Ms Oyat said.
A call for Mr Kabimba for a comment went unanswered.
PF Lusaka Province chairman Geoffrey Chuumbwe refused to comment on the matter, opting to accuse the public media of being biased in the coverage of Mr Kabimba’s issues.
“I cannot make any comment on this matter because ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia have become too biased in the coverage of Mr Kabimba’s stories. I have stopped giving you people comments unless you change,” Mr Chuumbwe said.
Mandevu member Parliament Jean Kapata, who is also a member of Central Committee, has also written to the Central Committee to discipline Mr Kabimba for allegedly creating the divisions in the ruling party.
And Open Society Foundation executive director Sunday Chanda has recognised Robert Chikwelete as Lusaka district chairman.
Mr Chanda said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Chikwelete was recognised by President Sata and challenged those who have opposed Mr Chikwelete’s appointment to come out in the open and provide strong evidence to the contrary.
Meanwhile, Mr Chikwelete has maintained that he is fully in charge of Lusaka district because he was appointed by President Sata and that his suspension by Mr Chumbwe is null and void.
Mr Chikwelete said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that his suspension is a serious exhibition of impunity and disloyalty by Mr Chuumbwe and Goodson Banda to President Sata.
And youth activist and former interim president of the Fourth Republic Party Lameck Kamalo has called on President Sata and Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani to disband what he calls a “militia group” under Mr Kabimba.
Mr Kamalo also disclosed in a statement yesterday that Mr Kabimba has allegedly established a group of youths headed by Mr Chuumbwe to handle the so-called security issues of the party but that its real purpose is suspicious.
“The group has been tasked to harass Mr Kabimba’s political adversaries in the party and in the opposition. The group has also been tasked to man the party convention whenever it is going to be held in order to bar Mr Kabimba’s opponents,” he said.
Mr Kamalo, who just resigned as Fourth Republic interim party president, said besides creating parallel structures in PF, Mr Kabimba has allegedly created the Fourth Republic Party together with other organisations that were designed to support his presidential ambitions.
PF assistant secretary general Sikwindi Situla has reportedly denied his and Mr Kabimba’s involvement in the Fourth Republic Party.
But Mr Kamalo has challenged Mr Kabimba and Mr Situla to an open debate on radio or television to defend his information.