• Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province.

By CLEVER ZULU –
PARAMOUNT Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province has endorsed Patriotic Front (PF) presidential candidate Edgar Lungu for this month’s presidential election.
PF campaign spokesperson Harry Kalaba said the party was elated with the support of the traditional leader, who was a close friend of the late President Michael Sata.
Mr Kalaba, who is Foreign Affairs minister, said reports that the paramount chief had endorsed Mr Lungu for this month’s election were true and that the party was expected to record more robust results in Eastern Province than it did in 2011.
“Paramount Chief Mpezeni has been a good friend of the party as he was close to the late president Michael Sata,” Mr Kalaba said. “His endorsement is very welcome in the party because traditional leaders and the Government need to work together.”
According to a statement released by PF media director Brian Hapunda, Paramount Chief Mpezeni made the announcement during the re-dedication of his marriage to his wife Esther at Protea Hotel in Chipata on New Year’s day.
“Edgar Lungu is the right person to continue with late President
Michael Sata’s legacy and vision as the late President saw leadership qualities in Edgar Lungu, hence the enormous power that was entrusted in him,” the paramount chief said.
The paramount chief said he had no doubt that Mr Lungu would carry the day on January 20, 2015 with a landslide as majority of citizens were fully behind the PF Government resulting from the massive infrastructure development that had been rolled out in the last three years.
Mr Kalaba also disclosed that Lusaka lawyer Ng’ande Mwanajiti had also endorsed the candidature of the PF presidential candidate.
Mr Kalaba further said the public and open show of unity between Mr Lungu and Matero Member of Parliament on New Year’s Day had put to rest speculation that the reconciliation among top party leaders was fake.
“I know I speak for the entire party when I say that it (reconciliation) was a clear sign that the best is yet to come for our party and that ours is a politically mature party that is capable of healing itself and moving forward in unity,” Mr Kalaba said.
The open show of unity re-affirmed that the party was founded on the premise of service to the poor and that the foundation remained strong such that could not be shaken by any bad political weather.
“Our enemies that were happy to see some so-called divisions during recent days must be extremely disappointed that we have emerged out of all this ‘intra-party’ democracy a much stronger family,” Mr Kalaba said.
Mr Lungu is today expected to hold a campaign rally in Muchinga Province before moving to Eastern Province on Monday and Tuesday and later to Luapula on January 8-9 and end with Western Province.