By KENNEDY MUPESENI in Mungwi –
ABOUT 360 members of various opposition political  parties in Mungwi District have defected to the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
Of these, about 250 are from the United Party for National Development (UPND), 100 from the Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) while the rest are from the United National Independence Party (UNIP) and other opposition parties.
The defectors came from all the 13 wards in Malole Constituency.
UPND district chairperson Gilbert Nfune, who led the defectors, said development projects the Government was implementing in the country had forced him to join the ruling party.
Mr Mfune said he would work hard to mobilise more members. He was speaking at a rally organised by the PF district executive officials.
Former MMD Malole Constituency chairperson Peter Lunkoto, who led defectors from his former party at Mungwi’s President’s Park, pledged to vigorously campaign for the re-election of President Edgar Lungu and the current Member of Parliament (MP) Christopher Yaluma.
Mr Yaluma, who is Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister, said the PF was the only political party in the country with a proven vision to economically transform the country.
“We must continue mobilising new members so that come 2016 we win by a very big margin,” Mr Yaluma said.
“You people of Mungwi, don’t be cheated by these visionless leaders.
In the few years we have been in power more development projects have been implemented and more are coming, what else do you need?”
At the same function, Bishop Edward Chomba urged the PF leadership at all levels in the district to accommodate new members.