Wikipedia

Miles Sampa

Miles Bwalya Sampa is a Zambian politician, currently serving as Member of Parliament for Matero Constituency[1][2] and president of the Patriotic Front.[3] The veteran politician previously served as Mayor of Lusaka, having been elected in August 2018.[4] His election in 2021 would see him return to Parliament representing Matero Constituency, a position he served from 2011 to 2016.[1][5][2]

Honorable
Miles Bwalya Sampa
Sampa speaking at the Pan African Parliament in South Africa
Elected member of the National Assembly
In office
2011–2016
ConstituencyMatero
In office
2021–2026
ConstituencyMatero
Personal details
Born26 December 1970
Lusaka, Zambia
Political partyPatriotic Front
SpouseNchimunya Hampinda Sampa
Children7

Career

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In the 2011 general election, Sampa stood as the Patriotic Front candidate for Matero constituency in Lusaka District and he won the seat.[1][2][5][6]

After the death of Michael Sata, the Fifth President of the Republic of Zambia, who was Sampa's uncle, Sampa was elected as President of the Patriotic Front at a controversial Patriotic Front (PF) general party conference.[7][8] His election was later deemed illegal by the High Court of Zambia, and Defense Minister Edgar Lungu, who would later be elected President of Zambia, was declared the rightful president of the PF.[9] Sampa was later appointed as Deputy Minister of Commerce in Edgar Lungu's government. He resigned and quit the Patriotic Front in January 2016.[10][11]

He attempted to form a party named the United Democratic Front (UDF).[12] Sampa entered alliances with Elias Chipimo's National Restoration Party and Eric Chanda's 4th Revolution Party,[13] before eventually endorsing Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND to win the 2016 general election.[14] After the UPND lost the election, Sampa rejoined the Patriotic Front.[15]

He was elected as the Mayor of Lusaka in August 2018[4] and then opted to reclaim the position of Member of Parliament (MP) for Matero constituency at the 2021 general election (rather than standing again for mayor).[6] He won the Matero parliamentary seat for the second time.[16][1][2]

Miles Sampa was one of eight Patriotic Front members who decided to stand for the position of party president[17] after Edgar Lungu announced his retirement from active politics following the 2021 general election[18] (leaving Given Lubinda as the acting party president[19]). Sampa was one of the people who claimed that the Patriotic Front was taking too long to hold its party convention to choose the leader.[20][21]

Eventually, there was a controversial extraordinary general conference that had taken place in October 2023 in which Miles Sampa was declared the president of the Patriotic Front (PF) party, defeating seven other aspirants for the same position.[3]

Emmanuel Mwamba (the PF Information and Publicity Chairperson; one of the other seven candidates) argued that that convention that took place was illegal and was contrary to the party's outlined procedures in its constitution.[3] That convention left the PF party divided[3][22] and the matter was soon taken to the Lusaka High Court.[23] Acting president Given Lubinda subsequently suspended Sampa from the PF.[24][22]

In the same month, Edgar Lungu had announced his return to active politics and Lubinda subsequently gave Lungu back the position of party president[25][26][27] (Lubinda was demoted to party vice-president[28][29]). Due to the high court lifting the injunction on Sampa assuming his role as party president,[23] the Patriotic Front had two factions (one with Lungu as the leader and one with Sampa as the leader).[22][30][31]

On 25 May 2024, the Lusaka High Court dismissed the case in which six of the PF presidential candidates challenged the election of Sampa as the PF president, declaring him as the party president until further notice.[32]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Matero | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  2. ^ a b c d "Miles Sampa | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  3. ^ a b c d "Zambia : Miles Sampa Elected as PF Party President in Controversial Extraordinary General Conference". Lusaka Times. 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  4. ^ a b "Miles Sampa Elected Lusaka Mayor". Open Zambia. 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  5. ^ a b "Sampa attacks greedy MPs". Daily Nation. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b "I've unfinished business in Matero – Miles". Zambia: News Diggers!. 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  7. ^ "Miles Sampa Wins Disputed PF General Conference - Zambian News". thezambian.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  8. ^ Adamu, Peter (13 November 2014). "Miles Sampa Launches Campaign 24 Hours after Sata Burial". Zambia Reports. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Zambia court rules in Edgar Lungu and Miles Sampa fight". BBC News. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  10. ^ "Zambia : Matero PF Councillors celebrate Sampa's departure". 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  11. ^ "Zambia : Miles Sampa finally resigns from PF". 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  12. ^ "Zambia : Miles Sampa forms a new political party". 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  13. ^ "Zambia : Miles Sampa kicked out of the Orange Alliance". 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  14. ^ "Zambia : Miles Sampa and HH sign an Electoral Pact as Guy Scott endorses HH". 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  15. ^ Njenga, Mukosha Funga (2017-12-14). "Miles rejoins PF, endorses Lungu for 2021". Zambia: News Diggers!. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  16. ^ "SAMPA GRABS MATERO, AS UPND GET KABWATA – Daily Nation". Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  17. ^ zamobserver (2024-05-09). "PF LAWYERS APPLY FOR INJUNCTION TO STOP MILES SAMPA FROM MASQUERADING AS PF PRESIDENT | The Zambian Observer". Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  18. ^ "Edgar Lungu - ex-Zambian president makes political comeback". 2023-10-29. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  19. ^ "Zambia : Lubinda focused on Uniting PF rather than contesting for Presidency". 2022-04-10. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
  20. ^ "Times of Zambia | Miles Sampa fights on, challenges PF". Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  21. ^ Chisola, Esther (2023-08-08). "I've withdrawn my matter, PF has no excuse now not to hold convention – Miles". Zambia: News Diggers!. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  22. ^ a b c "PF finally torn apart? Faction declares Sampa president, another expels him; Court grants restraining order | Zambia Monitor". 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  23. ^ a b "Zambia : Miles Sampa Remains PF President After High Court Lifts Injunction". 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  24. ^ "Judge halts Miles Sampa's suspension from PF". Mwebantu. 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  25. ^ "Edgar Lungu - ex-Zambian president makes political comeback". 2023-10-29. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  26. ^ "Ex-President Lungu returns to active politics, putting to rest months of speculations | Zambia Monitor". 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  27. ^ Sinyangwe, Chiwoyu (9 November 2023). "Daggers drawn in Zambia as Lungu announces plans to retake control of main opposition". The Africa Report. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  28. ^ "POLICE ARREST PF VICE PRESIDENT GIVEN LUBINDA - Diamond Media". 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  29. ^ "Time will come when we shall have party after party, Lubinda assures PF members". Zambia: News Diggers!. 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  30. ^ "Zambia : Police Deployed to Guard PF Secretariat Amid Fears of Clashes Following Lungu's Return to Politics". Lusaka Times. 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  31. ^ "I'm still PF president, there's no pact with Lungu – Miles". Zambia: News Diggers!. 2024-07-07. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  32. ^ "Zambia : Lusaka High Court Upholds Miles Sampa's Election as PF President". 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2024-08-21.


 

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