By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
IF I can bring Given Lubinda to UPND I will be very happy, says lands minister Elijah Muchima.
He says the PF’s dream to bounce back into power will not come true because they stole a lot of money from Zambians.
Muchima, a UPND national management committee member, said President Hakainde Hichilema is ready to die for Zambians.
Speaking at Victoria Hall on Thursday when former Mbabala member of parliament Ephraim Bbelemu and two others rejoined the UPND from the PF, Muchima said President Hichilema wants power to get back to the people.
“Through you (UPND members) we are respected as Zambians. Never again shall we suffer as Zambians as we did under PF. But good things don’t come easily,” he said. “Please don’t stop people from coming to join the UPND. Let’s make UPND attractive. Let’s not chase them. If I can bring [acting PF president] Lubinda to the UPND, I will be very happy. If I receive a PF member, I will be very happy.”
Muchima said the PF left big problems and that he is surprised that they could afford to build big mansions.
Muchima, who was flanked by information minister Chushi Kasanda and Livingstone mayor Constance Muleabai, said he has been in government administration for decades but was shocked as to where PF ministers got money to build lavish mansions.
He said his tours are not for luxury but to “get land that was stolen from poor Zambians back to them”.
“We will reposses land stolen by PF cadres. This war you fought, you were not alone. God saw the violence. God saw the levels of cadreism. General mosquito (UPND national youth chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso) don’t follow in PF footsteps. PF has a dream to come back, but that won’t come true because they stole a lot from Zambians. But HH won’t subtract even a penny from Zambians,” Muchima said. “But he has increased CDF. Yes, the cost of living is high, fuel prices are high as a result of the war (Russia-Ukraine conflict). But in every Cabinet meeting he (President Hichilema) talks of poor people. He says ‘land should be for the poor’. HH is ready to die for you.”
He asked UPND members to give President Hichilema and his leadership some time stressing that good things don’t come easily.
“Be strong, do not fear. You will never be left alone,” Muchima said.
He said the PF would criticise Dr Jimmy Bbelemu (Mahogany Airways owner), his brother Ephraim and former Choma mayor Jackson Makwamba for rejoining the UPND but he advised the trio to ignore the criticisms.
“Wait for 2026 to see if there will be any PF. From where I come from I’m tough and rough. They will never come back, they stole a lot,” Muchima said.
He praised former Livingstone and Katombora members of parliament Mathews Jere and Derrick Livune respectively for being loyal to the UPND.
The duo remained in the party after not being adopted to reelection in 2021.
And Bbelemu said he takes responsibility for his actions to join the PF in April 2021 which injured many UPND members.
“For now I redirect my energies away from the PF and I want to render my apology to anyone I may have injured. I know people were injured when I left,” he said.
Bbelemu said at the moment it was only the UPND which has talked of giving back power to the people as well as opening up people’s freedoms and rights so that they can exercise them freely.
“I believe that I must enjoy my liberties, my rights. And the UPND has so far exhibited that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Bbelemu said it is disheartening to segregate people based on tribe.
For his part, Makwamba apologised for ditching the UPND in May 2021 for PF.
“Please accept my apology. I am human and I am bound to sin. I have come to work. I seek no position,” said Makwamba.
And Liswaniso urged UPND members not to wait for 2026 to engage Zambians on what the government was doing.
He said the UPND needs to be stronger as a party. “Even stronger than the government. [But] this can only be done by growing its membership,” he said.
Liswaniso called for forgiveness.