. PULE

By JAMES KUNDA – FOUR opposition political parties have projected that the Patriotic Front (PF) will be given a resounding vote by the people of Luapula Province in next month’s general elections. The four are Christian Democratic Party (CDP), New Congress Party (NCP), Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) and Zambia Republican Party (ZRP). CDP president Dan Pule said the collective assessment of the four parties, whose leaders accompanied President Edgar Lungu on his recent tour of duty in Luapula Province, was that the ruling party would amass the most votes in the region. Dr Pule said this at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday where he was flanked by ZRP president Wright Musoma, NCP leader Peter Chanda and Robert Mwanza who heads the CDP. “We were campaigning with the President in Luapula and from what we saw, PF is headed for a resounding victory in the region,” Dr Pule said. He said the team, which joined President Lungu’s campaign trail in Southern Province after the Press briefing yesterday had also been with the Head of State in campaigns in Lusaka and the Copperbelt. “The response has been the same. The people are with President Lungu because he is the God-chosen leader for this country and the Bible says ‘he who finds favour in the sight of God also finds favour in the sight of men’ and this is the case with President Lungu,” he said. Dr Pule dispelled assertions that he was funded by State House to campaign for the PF, saying that all his activities were self-sponsored owing to his conviction that Mr Lungu was the best leader for Zambia. Dr Pule said he on Monday this week commenced a 40-day prayer and fasting exercise for peaceful elections and Mr Lungu’s victory. He has since encouraged Zambians from all walks of life to join in the programme.