ECL Clears air on 2026 re-election bid question
…in local radio interview says the field is open
19.02.24
The sixth President of Zambia has clarified for the umpteenth time that a re-election bid in 2026 is not his priority adding that, what is important for him presently is to save and preserve democracy in the country.
Mr Edgar Lungu said the emergency of the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) is more important to him right now than his perceived personal political ambitions, a statement he reaffirmed for the umpteenth time since the question popped up in public.
“The bigger picture for me is UKA,” President Lungu said in the 47-minute interview, “UKA has many parties and about ten candidates so there are many people to choose from and unite behind in UKA ´ngatwaumana akapi´ (if we put our hands and heads together in unity).”
When pressed to categorically state whether he would run given a half a chance, the sixth President Lungu said in bemba, “ for me I have always said if the good people of Zambia want me to come back, I may consider coming back.”
He added, “if they (UKA) say we float another candidate, so be it I have no problem with that we have lots of talent in UKA, the bigger picture is UKA because we need to remove this (UPND) government.”
Mr Lungu said, “whoever becomes President of Zambia in 2026, because the current government is going nowhere, will have a tough job ahead to bring this country back together.”
President Lungu also added that if, hypothetically he returned to the polls and eventually government in 2026, he would revisit the ´free education policy´ and make it better.´
“There has been no free education in Zambia under UPND, there has been a dilution of education theres no quality education now and there can’t be quality education if one teacher has to take on 300 pupils, examine 300 pupils and expect good results,” said President Lungu.
The sixth President ´never´ said he would scrap free education in the 47-minute interview as reported in sections of the local press.
Mr Lungu added that if he was to return to power, he would also revive the ailing health and agriculture sector and make them viable again.
Source: ECL radio interview
When your “vision” is guided by your stomach and not by principle, you will give one statement when you are hungry. And a different statement when your tummy is full.
This man has seen people’s very negative reaction that removing free education will get him less votes, so he is changing the story. Lungu has always been a weak leader, swayed by cheap populism and unable to check ongoing evil. There is no way we can bring back this man even if UKWA party advanced him as their Presidential candidate. NO WAY.
What is the meaning of democracy, if not exercising the right to express omes self freely.
This is pushing a dead horse. To be honest there is more freedom now tban what was obtaining under his watch.
This is a miss and barking at the wrong tree. Infact it is quite hypocritical and unrepentance of bad leadership practice. If this is the best to offer, it is unrealistic and not good enough. It won’t move the needle at all.
It only makes votes resolve never to be taken for granted again. Amazing!!
Mr. Lungu is gunning for the UKWA presidential candidacy. This talk about UKWA being free to choose a candidate is just PR. This man never speaks the truth.
Just look at the way he held the PF to ransom after his “retirement” from politics and PF until Mr. Miles Sampa flushed him out. He kept telling us he had no intention of coming back to politics when all along he was drawing his retirement benefits and and holding on to the PF presidency.
Mr. Lungu is an extremely dishonest man.