DEMOCRATIC Party president Harry Kalaba on Saturday afternoon told a delighted gathering in Nsonga to forsake the PF, as it has forsaken them.
Nsonga is in the outskirts of Mansa town.
Before his trip to Nsonga, on a dusty and bumpy path, Kalaba opened the Democratic Party (DP) Bangweulu Constituency office in Samfya town.
He told Bangweulu Constituency and Samfya district DP officials to bolster party mobilisation, and use the opened office as the meeting point.
In Nsonga, Kalaba, accompanied by party deputy national secretary Clement Kumalinga and other senior leaders, paid a courtesy call on sub-chief Nsonga.
The traditional leader is under Mabumba chiefdom.
Afterwards, Kalaba walked from the sub-chief’s residence to go and address a huge crowd that was waiting for him.
“Ndelanda ukutila nga kwaliba abasulwa, abaipatikisha kuli ba PF, nimwebo mwebena Nsonga (if there are people who are totally forsaken, people who only force for attention on the PF government, it’s you people of Nsonga area,)” Kalaba said to the gathering. “Look at the road that leads to here, from the Samfya-Mansa tarred road! You can’t write anything home about this road. Why should we have a road like this, 56 years after independence? Then someone should be going around saying pabwato, pabwato (on the boat)!”
Kalaba warned the gathering that voting for the PF in 2021 would amount to self-destruction.
“You are luck as the people of Nsonga because all along, you have just been voting for people you don’t even fully know. If you opt not to elect me and continue with pabwato, ninshi lwenu (then it’s up to you). Being forewarned is being forearmed!” he said.
He added: “winning and losing next year’s elections will not be decided on 12th August, 2021.”
“[But] winning will start on 28th October this year, when the voter registration exercise starts. Forget about your old voters’ cards! If you don’t register to vote once the process begins, you won’t be able to vote next year,” Kalaba sensitised the cheering crowd. “Let’s ensure that we regard the PF the way it has regarded us over the years. You have been forsaken over the years! So, when that time comes, show them – reciprocate.”
He further told the gathering how PF leaders, in towns, speak ill of them (Nsonga residents).
“Those in the PF always say the people of Nsonga are not militant enough – all they deserve is K2, K5. But refuse that demeaning description. You can’t continue forcing yourselves to be loved by PF leaders who are calling you as typical villagers,” said Kalaba. “Mukabalenge ati tamufwaya icibeleshi (show them that you can’t be ridiculed). Don’t be afraid of anything and anyone,” said Kalaba, who spoke in Icibemba.