. Kaingu

By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI? –
MMD Mwandi Member of Parliament Michael Kaingu has joined the Patriotic Front (PF).
President Edgar Lungu has also extended an olive branch to all PF members who de-campaigned the party during the January 20, 2015 presidential election to get back to the fold.
Mr Lungu also called on PF members to welcome new party members from other political parties who were willing to join the party, and gave an example of Mr Kaingu, who is Education Minister, and will now contest next year’s Mwandi parliamentary seat on the PF ticket.
President Lungu urged PF members to forgive those who did not campaign for the party.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Ndola during the PF meeting held at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola yesterday.
The President, who spoke in Bemba, said that members had a duty to build on the works started by Zambia’s fifth Republican President Michael Sata.
“Invite the party members that campaigned against us to get back to the party,” Mr Lungu said. “Don’t laugh at them but tell them to change and forgive them so that we build from where Mr Sata left us.”
There was need to bring all the party members together because democracy entailed struggle, and choice.
President Lungu also coined a new slogan ‘Sela tubombeko’ meaning give us chance to work, and urged party members to focus on hard work and ignore detractors.?He would concentrate on working and that he would visit the hospital whenever he fell ill as it was normal for anyone to get high blood pressure and diabetes after attaining a certain age.
Further, party members should welcome criticism as that would make the party leadership to work harder.?He said that the media in Zambia enjoyed Press freedom, and that was why they reported the way they did although some had an agenda to distract the nation from various national issues taking place.
At  a  rally held in Mishikishi, President Lungu has urged the people of Masaiti to vote for PF?candidate Michael Katambo during the April 14 by-election.?President Lungu urged the residents to vote for Mr Katambo who had proved to be a hard worker.?He advised the residents to ignore messages of tribalism coming from the other section of people.
He said Mr Katambo had lived in Masaiti all his life and issues of tribe should be ignored at all cost because Zambians were all one people.
And President Lungu has urged voters in Tuesday’s election to vote for unity and development, reports REBECCA MUSHOTA.?The President said people should vote for ‘One Zambia One Nation’.
Mr Lungu was speaking at Masaiti boma grounds when he was drumming up support for PF Masaiti by-election candidate Michael Katambo. Mr Katambo is standing against United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Peter Mumba.