THOSE SAYING LUNGU IS NOT ELIGIBLE SHOULD HAVE KEPT QUIET AND PULLED A SURPRISE ON HIM….if they are clever, says Mumbi Phiri
By Patson Chilemba
Those who are saying President Edgar Lungu is not eligible to stand should have kept quiet and pulled a surprise on him after filing-in his presidential nominations, says ruling PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri.
And Phiri said she was on the ground in Western Province telling people how to vote, while the Muchelekas in the UPND were busy on social media.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Phiri expressed supreme confidence that President Lungu would stand for president in the 2021 general elections. She said those who were opposing the president standing were not clever enough, otherwise they would have pulled a surprise on him if their intentions were not to confuse people.
“Very confident that is why for me it’s a non discussing matter because I was there when the judgment was being made. So those who are making noise let them continue me I am very confident and I am even wandering, they don’t belong to the Patriotic Front, what is their problem?” Phiri asked. “That’s our matter, and if they were clever enough they should have kept quiet and pulled a surprise, but it’s because they want to confuse the Zambian people that’s why they are talking like that.”
On the assertions by opposition UPND deputy secretary general Patrick Mucheleka that the ruling party were on a fast track to rig the general elections through the registration of foreigners in border areas, plus also accusing the Chitimukulu of using underhand method of getting details of the people who were registering, Phiri said she was on the ground in Western Province, where the mood had completely changed.
“I am too busy, me I am on the ground telling people how to vote. As you are speaking to me I am in Western Province. Western Province is completely changed I am on the ground, I am here. The campaign period hasn’t started I have come to see my party structures as we are about to have Western Province provincial conference. So let the Mucheleka’s continue being on WhatsApp and in Lusaka,” Phiri said. “2001 since Hakainde became president of the UPND, is it 2006? The elections for UPND have just been rigged, from MMD. It’s the only party which elections are always rigged. Us we won we passed them. We have only been in opposition for 10 years. So let them continue talking in Lusaka on Facebook and on WhatsApp, my job is to be in the ground with the people full stop.”
Asked if the ruling party was focusing on rural areas in view of any popularity loss in urban areas, Phiri said it was un fair to allege that the party had lost support in urban areas, as she was often appearing on phone-in radio programmes where she gauged the positive feedback from the people.
“Those who are alleging then they don’t listen to our leadership. Like myself I am always on radios in Lusaka, I am in Lusaka where I live…so those who are dreaming let them continue dreaming. Let’s wait until 2021, I am not like UPND,” Phiri said.
She accused the UPND of being on a cleansing drive of the people they insulted while in PF, but changed the tune once those same joined hands with the opposition party, including Dr Guy Scott and Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.
“You are talking to the same people the UPND who made the chiefs from Southern Province call for jundu because they said (National Democratic Congress leader Chishimba) Kambwili had said ‘if you take HH and Jesus the people of Southern Province will vote for HH than Jesus Christ who is our Lord’. They are the same people who are making those rumours. They believe in propaganda and lies to tarnish other people,” said Phiri. – Daily Revelation