•PRESIDENT Lungu (centre) with First Lady Esther and Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili during a rally in Chingola yesterday. Picture by EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATE HOUSE

By JAMES KUNDA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said the United Party for National Development (UPND) is a divisive political party and its president Hakainde Hichilema should not be given an opportunity to rule the country.
Mr Lungu said the UPND sided with only one region of the country, thus voting for Mr Hichilema in next week’s general elections would cause disunity in the nation.
“Ifwe tuletila One Zambia One nation! Nomba balya abanensu bena tabalefwaya (Patriotic Front is saying One Zambia One Nation but our friends in UPND do not want that.
“So ndemulomba (I beseech you) vote for PF because when you do that, you vote for unity and peace,” President Lungu said.
The Head of State said this yesterday when he addressed a campaign rally in Chililabombwe on the Copperbelt.
Mr Lungu, who was treated to a thunderous welcome, was accompanied by First Lady Esther, State House staff, Government and private sector officials.
He urged the people to re-elect the PF for continued development, more than what had been witnessed countrywide over the last five years.
Mr Lungu said it was folly for the opposition to suggest that the PF had failed after being in office for only one term.
“You saw what UNIP did in 27 years and what MMD did in 20 years. Can you say PF has failed after only five years?” asked the President as the people responded “awe (no)”.
“Abo abaleisa mukulanda ati PF naifilwa, balemutuka kabili tabamuchindika (those coming to tell you that PF has failed are insulting your intelligence and they do not respect you,” Mr Lungu said.
The Head of State promised the people in the area that the Government would address the bottlenecks inhibiting cross-border trade so that smuggling of goods into neighbouring countries could be curbed.
He urged the people of Chililabombwe to vote for the PF aspiring member of Parliament (MP) Richard Musukwa.
Mr Lungu’s campaign manager Samuel Mukupa, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili and his counterpart for the Copperbelt Province Mwenya Musenge all urged the people to turn up in large numbers and vote for President Lungu.
The message was the same for the people of Chingola where a jubilant crowd was advised to vote for PF aspiring Nchanga MP Chali Chilombo and his compatriot for Chingola, Matthews Nkhuwa.
A similar message was extended to Chambishi where the people were urged to vote for aspiring PF Kalulushi MP Kampamba Mulenga.
The Head of State said he would fulfill his promise of declaring Chambishi, which is part of Kalulushi, a district.
“As I go back to Lusaka, I will ask the minister of Local Government and Housing to formulate papers (a Statutory Instrument) which I should sign to degazette Chambishi as a district.
“I will also engage the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to grant Chambishi the status of constituency so that you can vote for your own MP,” Mr Lungu said.
The President told the people that Mr Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Mwamba were ‘hypocrites’ plotting to dupe Zambians so that they enrich themselves.
“Balya babili tabomfwana. GBM (Mr Mwamba) alelanda ati nga twawina, ba Lungu nabonse abaku State House tukabekata but HH (Mr Hichilema) alelanda ati tatwakekatepo uli onse (GBM has threatened to arrest me and all State House staff if UPND wins but HH was saying we won’t arrest anyone).
“So you see, those two are inconsistent hypocrites and businessmen who just want to amass wealth from leadership,” he said.
Mr Lungu said Vice-President Inonge Wina and him were consistent in speech, hence both could speak against vices such as violence while speaking at different fora.
President Lungu also urged the electorate in the three areas to vote for PF aspiring ward and mayoral candidates.
Zambia’s soccer legend Kalusha Bwalya, Christian Democratic Party president Dan Pule and his National Revolution Party counterpart Cosmo Mumba all urged the people to vote for President Lungu at all the rallies.
Other opposition leaders, Wright Musoma and Peter Chanda also rallied the crowd for the Head of State.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has said he is ready to ‘sacrifice democracy’ for the nation to remain peaceful ahead of the general elections.
The President said peace was paramount and that people aspiring for the country’s presidency should respect that office as an institution.
“I am very much hurt by what is happening (intolerance in the political arena). I believe in peace and between peace and democracy, I would rather sacrifice democracy so that the environment allows for peaceful and credible elections,” President Lungu said.
Mr Lungu said this in Kitwe on Monday when he met with nine Lamba chiefs from the Copperbelt Province.
He was reacting to a statement by Senior Chief Chiwala who, when speaking on behalf of the nine, told the President that the traditional leaders were concerned by politicians who had declared that they would not accept the outcome of the elections if they lost.
President Lungu said if pushed against the wall, he could exercise his constitutional powers to turn Zambia into a Police State but that was not his desire.
“It is unacceptable for someone to destroy another’s property just because they have refused to lift a certain party symbol, it’s not right,” Mr Lungu said.
The Head of State said the Government would not panic in responding to threats by some sections of society that the PF would not be given a fresh mandate if some areas remained undeveloped before August 11, 2016.
President Lungu said this was because he was confident that the PF would scoop next week’s polls by a landslide margin.
Senior Chief Chiwala said the traditional leaders were happy with the performance of the PF in the last five years, and assured the Head of State of their support ahead of next Thursday’s elections.
“We wish you all the best Your Excellency,” the traditional leader said.