By Julia Malunga
MAZABUKA central UPND Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo has appealed to Nalikwanda UPND member of parliament Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa to leave the party and join PF instead of enticing councillors to resign in Western Province.
And Nangweshi ward councilor Sililo Muuka has rescinded his decision to resign.
Speaking at a press briefing, Thursday, Nkombo said it was said the best time for Lungwangwa to leave the party was now.
“For goodness sake, our councillors from Western Province why can’t you feel pity for your own people? You know very well the way PF are doing things. If they don’t see blood in an election, then there is no election. Why do you want to put people in harm’s way? You councillors in Nalikwanda, you honorable Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa why should you allow a situation like that to happen? Surely, should Bill 10 be the reason why you must mutilate your own political party that sustained you for four years in parliament? I wish you had just gone to PF just from the word go. Look at your conscience, you should have been better off going to PF and win on PF ticket than causing all this heart breaking stuff in Western Province and Nalikwanda to be specific. If you have drawn the line, we can’t fight it,” Nkombo said.
“We only have half a year before elections. If it is your decision to leave UPND, go now. Be man enough, take a walk together with the councillors that you enticed. That is what honour dictates, you cannot play all these games anymore, we are adults. You are aware that our member of parliament has made it clear that he is going to work with PF ever since we had different positions on Bill 10. And you are also aware that members of parliament have certain influence on a number of councillors. So I will only speculate that our own member is the one who is in charge of this depletion of our numbers in that particular constituency called Nalikwanda.”
Nkombo said posterity would judge Prof Lungwangwa.
“If you are the one responsible for this, please carry own, posterity will have its own chance judge you and whatever you have done for this political party that adopted you when MMD fell. We know what he was doing in Mongu yesterday trying to lure the other four councillors trying to lure and get whatever sense and congratulations to those councillors who resisted to meet the member of parliament,” Nkombo said.
Nkombo warned the councillors accepting jobs as bribes that their employment would be terminated once UPND formed government.
“But we have one promise for you and this promise we shall definitely deliver it that come September next year in 2021…because the PF are not only offering them money, they are offering them jobs this is an undertaking, some have been office orderly, some are being employed as council workers, firefighters we will promise to revoke your employment the moment UPND comes into power because you have troubled the people long enough. You are already employed; why can’t you can’t give chances to the people who have no employment to also have jobs. Why do you want to eat with both hands?” Nkombo asked.
Nkombo asked President Edgar Lungu to stop “intoxicating” councillors with corruption.
“And President Lungu, this is squarely upon you, Sir, that you are going to go down as a person whose legacy did not mean anything to the Zambian people. We know you have corruption in your party, you can do corruption with big companies but don’t bring corruption to the door steps of our people in Zambia. The councillor is the smallest office in local government. Do not institutionalize corruption by going to intoxicate our councillors with money which can evaporate within a short space of time. I am urging the councillors who are smart eat their money and do not resign. Eat their money in any case it is stolen money, teach PF a lesson. The perception that PF is trying to create that they are gaining ground in Western Province is totally false and it is wishful thinking,” said Nkombo.
Meanwhile, Muuka said his conscience made him rescind his resignation.
Muuka said after consulting his family, he decided to reverse his decision.
Muuka said he and his colleagues were offered K50,000 each and government jobs to resign.