Patriotic Front Media Director Antonio Mourinho Mwanza criticized the current government, saying that “Zambians have seen that the UPND government has failed” and “people are looking out to the PF to put its house in order.” In an interview on UNZA radio, he stated, “The people of Zambia are making comparisons. And they are looking at how life was during PF and how life is today… they are saying namutwipaya, ubunga, fuelo, fataleza, the cost of living. People have seen that what we have today is a punka government. A government of liars. A group of people that do not have any plan for the people of Zambia.”
Mwanza also expressed disappointment with the current situation in Zambia, pointing to the high cost of essential commodities such as mealie meal and fuel. He stated, “Today roller meal has reached K186 in certain places. And today breakfast has reached over K220 in certain places… you have a government that mocks those that cannot afford to buy mealie meal. You have a government that mocks those that cannot afford to have money for a bus fare.”
Mwanza accused the UPND of coming into power through lies, saying, “Unlike the PF, UPND came into power using lies… these are people who said mukativotela fuel muzayamba kugula pa K12. People are seeing. They said when you vote for us, farmers will be getting 8 bags of fertilizer, per farmer. Today we have situations where people have to share eight bags, 100 farmers in a cooperative.”
Regarding Vice President Mrs Mutale Nalumango’s comments on the mealie meal prices, Mwanza said, “And instead of telling people what the reality is, and sympathizing and empathizing with the people, they are mocking us. Ba mayo ba Nalumango, abakashi baba Bishop, balechita mock abantu, people are suffering. Ati if you can’t manage to buy breakfast buy roller meal, as if roller meal is cheap.”
Mwanza concluded by saying, “People are comparing how these things were being done during the Patriotic Front and how it is happening now. People are seeing that when you talk about mealie meal, they told us bazayamba kutigulisa unga pa K5 per 25kg. Today unga wafika over K200… And people are making comparisons.”