The ruling Patriotic Front has rejected former Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Solwezi East Member of Parliament Richard Taima after he crossed the floor in a resignation that caused one of the four by-elections on July 25.
Sources within the Patriotic Front set up have revealed that the Central Committee has ignored Taima for adoption but instead settled for a businessman in North Western Province Peter Ilunga.
In the upcoming by-election, former MMD deputy minister Lameck Mangani has survived the chop to be adopted for Chipata Central while James Chishiba is contesting the Kafulafuta seat.
The Patriotic Front have adopted Ingrid Mwape for the Mkushi North parliamentary seat. Sources said the PF feared to adopt Taima because it was almost certain the candidate will lose.
Taima has become very unpopular in Solwezi and fielding him would have been suicidal for the PF but President Michael Sata, as a compromise, has promised the defector a posting in diplomatic service.
Taima had attempted to force his way through the adoption process but his machinations even after being ignored at provincial label did not yield any success.
Taima had forced the suspension of North Western Province chairman Fabian Chiposo for allegedly leaking classified information to the public through the media and creating discontent among party members.
This was after confusion marred the Solwezi-East adoption process for the PF, with some aspiring candidates accusing the provincial leadership of using dubious means to shortlist three candidates and recommending the names to the Central Committee for adoption in a highly questionable manner.
The PF provincial leadership in North Western Province shortlisted and submitted three names to the Central Committee of the party, among them Solwezi businessman Peter Ilunga, former commerce deputy minister in the MMD government Costa Shengamu and former provincial administrative officer Maheka Mutobe.
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