Church and others may campaign against the UPND in 2026,BUT PEOPLE WILL HAVE FINAL SAY – KALALA

Church and others may campaign against the UPND in 2026,
BUT PEOPLE WILL HAVE FINAL SAY – KALALA

By Kholiwe Miti

JACK Kalala says Zambians will have the final say in 2026 on whether to keep UPND or not.

Kalala, a former special assistant to the president for project implementation and monitoring, says even if the church and non-governmental organisations campaign against the UPND as they did PF in 2021, they will not manage to remove UPND from power.

“The church and others may campaign against the UPND in 2026 but the people of Zambia will have the final say and they will vote on the basis of their experience between the thuggery PF and new dawn government that respects the rule of law. As beneficiary of the good governance and performance of the new dawn government, Zambians will certainly give them another mandate in 2026,” he said in a statement. “In a football game you don’t replace a player who is a good scorer with one who couldn’t score. It would be irresponsible and reckless of Zambians to vote back the disastrous PF to lead them again. As stated, it would be unscrupulous and immoral for the church to campaign for the PF given their past record of brutality, corruption and divisiveness.”

And Kalala called on former president Edgar Lungu to stop criticising the UPND administration.

Recently, Lungu said his worst performance while in government for seven years is better than that of the UPND in two and half years.

“It would not be farfetched to assume that president Lungu suffers from reasoning deficiency. If that wasn’t the case, he would have seriously reflected on what made him to be voted out. He would show regret and remorse, and ask for forgiveness. He would be advising other leaders to avoid repeating the mistakes he had made. If president Lungu had effective reasoning capacity, he would know that it would not be possible for him to defeat President HH with all the good things that have been done in two and half years,” Kalala said. “One wonders on which planet president Lungu lives for him not to be aware that the retirees he failed to pay have since been paid. The students’ meal allowances he had removed have been restored. CDF he was failing to pay has since been increased from a pittance K1.6 million to K30.6 million per constituency and no constituency is being discriminated against. That teachers and nurses have been massively employed without discrimination. That there is peace and stability in all public places as cadres are not allowed anywhere near them to harass the public?”

Kalala argued that there is peace in the country now as compared to the PF time under Lungu.

“At the recent press briefing by a group of opposition parties, the former president ECL was their superstar. He used the occasion to criticise and attack the new dawn leadership. He claimed that the new dawn leadership had failed to solve the socio-economic problems confronting the people in the country – forgetting that he had created the same problems. He claimed that his worst was better than the best of President HH,” he said. “For a person who thinks in dununa reverse he was right. For him darkness is light and light is darkness. Progress is bad while retrogression is good. For president Lungu, the stability, peace and order prevailing in public places and in the country is unsuitable. He would like to see lawlessness and police brutality prevail everywhere as was the case during his time. He would like to see his cadres harassing people in markets and bus stations. He would like to see confusion everywhere. That would give him satisfaction.”

Kalala recounted PF weaknesses while in power, describing the period as “a ruthless reign of terror”.

“During his brutal and ruthless reign of terror many lives were lost at the hands of his cadres and the police, and media houses were closed under his order. What was experienced during president Lungu’s rule was an increasing brutal crackdown on human rights characterised by brazen attacks on any form of dissent. He calls this better than the tranquility and peace that have prevailed in the country since he was voted out of power!” he said. “During president Lungu’s autocratic reign, opposition leaders, media houses, journalists and activists were all targets of his brutal regime. Speaking out against allegations of abuse of public resources, corruption and other vices had become more dangerous. People who dared to speak against corruption and abuse of human and other rights were intimidated and harassed. He calls this better than the freedom that people are enjoying today.’’

Kalala contrasted PF performance to the current one, adding that UPND has done much better.

“Since the new dawn leadership took charge, there has been no political motivated loss of life. There has been restoration of tranquility, law and order in all public places and in the country in general. The President has made it crystal clear that he would not tolerate political caderism from any political party – whether ruling or opposition. In addition, President HH has since abolished the criminal defamation of the President and also signed into law the access to information 2023 bill after parliament passed it. That is called statesmanship,” he said. “Former president Lungu’s claim that his worse was better than the best of President HH was utterly absurd and ridiculous. It was an affront to the intelligence of Zambians who had suffered so much trauma under his brutal autocratic rule. People still freshly remember the many atrocities that they had suffered under his monstrous government. Many lost their loved ones at the hands of PF cadres and the police. Some were wounded and scars of their wounds are still fresh. Others continue to live with bullets in their bodies.”

Kalala said Lungu’s silence would help the nation heal quickly.

“Former president Lungu should learn to keep quiet and show remorse. It would help the nation’s healing process from its traumatic past. He should be mindful that many people had suffered atrocious brutality under his rule and they are still hurting. At his command people were ruthlessly arrested and detained without cause. Others were beaten and injured by his PF cadres. Former president Lungu should be careful not to rub salt in his victims’ wounds. He should sober up and take responsibility of the iniquities that happened during his wicked rule,” said Kalala. “President Lungu claimed that he gave up power in 2021. This is misrepresentation of facts. The people of Zambia withdrew the mandate from him. He was simply voted out of power. It was not his wish but the people’s. Handing over power after losing an election is a constitutional requirement, not a favour of the sitting loser.”