.HICHILEMA

By JULIUS PHIRI –

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has accused the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) of failing to honour promises it made to the people before the 2011 general elections.
Mr Hichilema said when he held rallies to drum up support for UPND candidate Alfonso Phiri in the Vubwi parliamentary by-election on Monday that the PF Government had neglected the farmers in rural areas.
He said the PF promised farmers that it would increase the Farmer Input Support Programme by giving 15 bags of fertiliser to each farmer but had not done so.
“Yes we should agree we made a mistake voting for the current Government. They have neglected you as farmers here. They told you they will be giving you 15 bags of fertiliser as farmers. Now they have not only failed to honour the promise, but even the little fertiliser they give you comes very late,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said it was painful that farmers were walking long distances to maize depots and the price of most agricultural produce had remained static for a long time.
The UPND leader called for peaceful campaigns and elections.
Speaking at the same meeting, UPND vice-president Canisius Banda told the people of Eastern Province to vote for the opposition political party.
Dr Banda, who is part of the UPND campaign team in Eastern Province, said it would be a very sad day if the people of in the province remained behind in the revolution currently sweeping across the country.
The Vubwi seat is being contested by former MP, Dr Eustarckio Kazonga on the MMD ticket, FDD’s Charles Nyoka, Mr Phiri for UPND , UNIP candidate, Lucas Phiri and PF’s Margaret Miti.