PF presidential running mate Nkandu Luo says God has already ordained President Edgar Lungu to retain the presidency.
And Professor Luo says people should be candid and condemn the human being and his team that are perpetuating violence.
Featuring on Breeze FM’s political hour programme on Monday night, Prof Luo said one of the functions of the Vice-President is to decisively deal with questions from the opposition in Parliament.
“The first function of the Vice-President is to carryout delegated functions from the President. The second function is mitigating for disasters and third function of a vice-president is to deal with government business in Parliament so that when the opposition come with all sorts of questions you should be ready to deal with those questions and deal with them decisively, because our opposition is bent to just embarrass government,” she said. “So as Vice- President, you should be able to deal with those questions in a manner that you are above everybody.”
Prof Luo said what people should expect from her after she is sworn in by President Lungu was to be that lieutenant who will ensure that his dreams are lived.
“President Lungu has shown the way that we, the Patriotic Front, want to take Zambia to a different level and what I would like is to remind the President that all the Zambians are looking at us to deliver and we need to hit the ground running,” she said. “And for us to do this, we need to remind the Zambian people about the importance of unity. United we stand, divided we fall. And one of the lessons that I know His Excellency the President of this Republic has really moved forward from the thinking of the first republican president is the One Zambia One nation motto. And I think I will always stand by the President to ensure that this One Zambia One Nation becomes a reality. There is no reason why we should be divided at this time.”
Prof Luo said her children were from Eastern Province and that she could not even try to talk about tribe in her home.
“My children are from Eastern Province, so how do I start talking about tribe in my home? I carry the name Luo because in health, you are allowed when you become a doctor to keep your maiden name. But my children are Mandas, they are not Luos. So how do I start talking about a tribe in my home? One of my brothers is married to a Lozi. I have got another brother who is married to a Tonga,” she narrated. “So these things (tribalism) must not even be there because of the intermarriages that are taking place now.”
Prof Luo said the message from President Lungu is that Zambians should uphold the One Zambia One Nation motto.
“And most importantly that we are all made in the image of God. Let’s be united. Politics are just like a football game. Come 12 August, God has already ordained President Edgar Chagwa Lungu kubwelelapo pa mupando (he’s getting back into office). So what will happen after
the 12th after you have killed each other and done all sorts of things? Let people just accept, no scheme is going… to win when God has decided,” she said. “They (opposition) brought all sorts of people into the country to help them. It can’t work. The people of Zambia, what needed to have happened is that they would have brought these people a long time ago to come and convince the people of Zambia that there is no road between Luangwa and Mwami but the road is there. They would have brought them to say there is no power at Kafue Gorge but power is there. People should just accept that there is no wind of change.”
Asked about the solution to ending political violence, Prof Luo said President Lungu has condemned violence.
“One of the things I said to a group of pastors and reverends this morning when they read a statement that they are appealing to politicians to stop this violence, I told them ‘Let’s be candid’. I don’t think you have heard one of the leaders of one of the largest political parties in the country that clearly is reported to be perpetuating violence condemn violence,” she claimed. “If anything, if you read yesterday’s statement from one of his advisors, he actually said ‘we shall be killing until our gentleman gets to State House’. This is in writing! So how do you even come and say ‘you politicians?’ People must be candid and condemn the human being and his team that are perpetuating violence.”
Prof Luo said violence should not be tolerated because “as long as you make it general, I will get away with it”.
“But our President, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has condemned violence and even gone further to say, ‘even my own party members if they are found perpetuating violence, let the law take its course’. That’s the language of a leader. So, I think that you need to be candid and you
need to point out some of the statements that you hear,” she said. “Earlier, I heard a statement from him directly saying ‘our people are just defending themselves. Is that correct?”
Prof Luo said she was expecting Zambians to name and shame the leader
whom she accused of perpetuating violence so that he could stop the vice.