Edgar Lungu says he has  “Plan B” of returning to State House if court stops him

Lungu sparks speculation with his “Plan B” of returning to State House if court stops him

FORMER president Edgar Lungu has sparked speculation among citizens after revealing that in his quest of returning to State House, he will resort to “Plan B” if the Constitutional Court declares him ineligible to contest the 2026 presidential election.

The former Head of State was speaking in a recorded talk show, Nchezgo hosted by Steven Nkhoma on Lundazi’s Kenele FM which was broadcast on various Facebook platforms on Sunday evening.

Lungu told Nkhoma that he cannot retire from politics because he was not yet finished, insisting that he had a plan B which he will fall on, in an event that he is prevented from contesting the 2026 general election.

He bragged about his achievements scored during his reign saying, the PF had taken the country to greater heights since it assumed office in 2011 until it was ousted from power in 2021.

“Our successes as Patriotic Front are so many, that if you want me to tabulate them, we can take the whole day. But, suffice to say PF took the country from 2011 to 2021, to higher heights in terms of all economic activities and the quality of life enjoyed by the Zambian people and ideally unfortunately to say that this has been lost in the last three years,” he said.

He claimed that the UPND won the minds and souls of the Zambian people through propaganda and falsehoods.

“They (UPND) told so much lies about me, about PF, about the government such that we took it lightly and thought that we could bring development to the people, would bring prosperity to the people and that would help us: But people did not bother to judge us on the basis of the development that we brought, they judged us on a basis of lies and a few misconducts that you have heard to be an issue of cadreism,” Lungu said.

The former president also complained about not being free to move about.

“Am not as free as you are for example; I can’t go to town today and be left alone they will come. And they will say no you can’t be here. I want to be as free as these guys to go to the market, to go to the cinema theater, to go to a shopping mall to go to church without hurt or hinderance,” he said.

Lungu wondered why the State would want to ensure his safety yet security was withdrawn from him.

“What security?, because they have grabbed all the policemen they gave to us, that am not entitled to police protection because am in politics. So why troubling me by sending policemen to follow me? Am a virtual prisoner and I don’t like it. Wherever I go, I’m followed like a dangerous criminal and that’s not fair.,” he said.

“What’s wrong with campaigning if am campaigning? Am I not free to campaign, is there anything wrong with campaigning? Is there any law that stops me from campaigning?”

Lungu said politics is not a career one can pull out from.

“Politics, I don’t think is something you can retire from if l’m to be honest with you, you can only reduce your participation in politics as you get older. Eventually you want to skip away completely,”he said.

“I don’t know if people like honorable Mwanga have retired, from time to time he makes statements about politics and you call that retirement? I don’t think it’s retirement.”

He said he was back in politics to shield himself, the PF and his family from any attack by the State.

“I have come back to active politics and I will participate because the freedom of myself as an individual, that of the members of the party, that of my family members has been compromised by those who wield powers of the State,” he said.

“They massacred PF they brought in strange characters and said this is the president of PF…That is a criminal act on the part of the State. With all that you want me to be in retirement? No I can’t! because, PF is what brought me here and I think I will not die a peaceful death if I was to die today, without restoring PF to what it is.”

Lungu said he will only reconcile with his successor if he restores democracy by making him the boss of PF again, “by restoring the legitimacy leadership where we were on October 23, 2023.”

“So we are going to fight so talk of retirement, you retire when you are comfortable that things are ok but when you are an old man and see things are being messed up, and children are alone you put on your warrior garb and get your spear and assegai and you go and fight with them m, that’s what they do.”

Lungu said he is not finished and is back in politics for the fight of democracy which he claimed had been killed by the powers that be.

“Am not yet finished. You can’t just come to a house and remove the father of the family and replace them with somebody else and say this is your father guys because I’m in charge or else I will beat all of you, you don’t do that.”

Lungu said the battle of the PF presidency could only be sorted in court although he alleged that there was collusion with the Executive and the Legislature in dealing with party politics.

“Chances of resolving these matters by 2026 are slim, but we haven’t ruled out the possibilities.  They (chances)  are slim and we are pursuing those chances and I have plan B. But asking me about plan B I can’t tell you plan B,” said Lungu

“We want to salvage PF back into a formidable political party that it once was, held together under one leadership and contributing to democracy in this country.”

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba September 24, 2024.