HAKAINDE Hichilema on Friday told Mwansabombwe residents that the whole country has turned round to back his party to take over government in 2021.
Drumming support for the UPND candidate in this week’s Mwansabombwe parliamentary by-election Sunday Maluba, Hichilema thanked NDC members, whom he said were working together with his party in the by-election.
“Pa 17th September tukabike ba Maluba mu Parliament. Then 2021, tukabombele capamo nakabili tukengile mu government tukalete ifisuma kuno, ubunonshi (we take Maluba to parliament and in 2021 we enter government so that we bring good things here),” Hichilema said mainly in IciBemba. “Bana mayo muleumfwa bwino bwino? Ikateni apapene (ladies, are you listening? Hold tight here).”
He told the residents that people marry and bear very beautiful children.
He said a Tonga man marries a woman from Luapula and bear beautiful Lunda Mwansabombwe girls.
Hichilema said hunger does not know tribe.
He said people would not eat their tribe if they were hungry.
“Mukwai ndefwaya mwishibe ati uyu Hakainde muleumfwa mulimi, alimitemwa sana. Tulefwaya tukamibombele. Aba abanensu nabafilwa, snhilefwaya nokuposa inshita (I want you to know that this Hakainde you are hearing about; he is a farmer and loves you so much. Our colleagues have failed and I don’t want to worst my time on them),” he said.
He asked people to support him to form government for them to taste his leadership.
“Icikwanka bacimwena kwisa?” he asked the crowd that responded euphorically “ku mampalanya”, literally meaning one can predict calamity by the signs.
Hichilema praised the two ex-PF councilors that resigned to join UPND, telling them that they had exhibited leadership.
He said the whole country had turned-around to embrace the UPND.
“2021 PF kuya bebele,” he declared.
Hichilema said God loves Zambians so much and the only problem was lack of proper leadership.
He said if the people gave him Maluba as member of parliament, “ninshi kamwaume ka HH kaishiba ati 2021 twaingila.”
He told the people that if they vote for PF, they would demonstrate that they are not hungry.
Hichilema bemoaned lack of development in Mwansabombwe.
He said it was unfair for the Patriotic Front to continue plundering government resources at the expense of the citizens.
He assured the people of Mwansabombwe of development in key areas among them agriculture, education, health and infrastructure.
“Mwebena Mwansabombwe and Luapula yonse, umfweni; natubombele capamo tutwale icalo cesu ku ntanshi (Mwansabombwe people, listen: let’s work together to develop our country). We will fix the agriculture sector so that bonse tukalekwata icakulya mu mayanda pantu ine nga umulimi nalishiba ati muntu ni pamala (all of us should have food because as a farmer, I know food makes people),” Hichilema said.
He also said that Mwansabombwe being in Luapula Province, which was endowed with various resources such as water bodies, the locals would largely benefit from the UPND government’s tourism programme starting 2021.
Hichilema added that he would create business opportunities in order to enable people of Luapula and Mwansabombwe earn a living.
“Please, don’t get cheated by aba ba pompwe (these thieves), they have destroyed our country but together we shall fix it. Their job is just stealing from you and government and making you suffer. Government yenu ya UPND ikesa kontolola (your UPND government will come and control). We will create jobs and business for you. Ubulimi bukaya pantashi, abana ba ba pina na balanda bonse ba kasambilila (agriculture will advance, children of the poor will be educated) because it will be our job to ensure that they get an education and after education we will give them jobs and business opportunities. So let’s get united and work together mwebena Mwansabombwe,” Hichilema said.
And the UPND leader called for unity in the country.
He said when in government, he would work round the clock to unite the country he said had been divided by the PF.
“We are one Zambia, one Nation, one people and one family. Mwebena Mwansabombwe don’t accept to be divided by aba ba mukukulu (worthless people), who have failed to bring development and no one should stop anyone, we mean anyone from going to any part of this country. Zambia calo cesu bonse, so let’s work together so that tulete ubuyantashi (we bring about development). People are suffering; no jobs, no money but only a few PF thieves are eating,” Hichilema charged.
The opposition leader’s entry into Mwansabombwe was greeted a multitude shouting that they need change of government.
At the same rally, former PF councillor advised the residents to emulate him by leaving PF.
He said President Edgar Lungu would come to the area to commission a ward at a clinic instead of the district administration area that was declared in 2012 and remained undeveloped to-date.
“Nalefola nalifileka, naimwe mufuleke (I used to get an allowance but I abandoned it, you too must throw in the towel on PF),” he said.
Kelvin Mwape, another former councilor, said he had seen that there was too much prostitution in the PF and breaking of people’s homes.
“Mu PF nga wacita ifya bupuba ninshi bakupela icifulo, so namona ukweba ati mu PF nga waba ihule, watobela umuntu ing’anda, kukupela icifulo. Elo naeba ati kandeya mubuteko uuleisa mu 2021 (In Pf, if you do a useless thing, you are given a position. I saw that in PF if one does evil and break someone’s house, they are rewarded so I left for the government coming in 2021),” the councilor said.