Africa-Press – Zambia. The Patriotic Front (PF) National Chairman and President Edgar Lungu’s campaign manager Mr Ngo’nga Mukupa has called upon members to start working so that the party can be a really credible and formidable opposition.
In a statement sent to members where the party apologized for not listening, Mr Mukupa said that this was not the time to start pointing fingers, but time to introspect, consolidate and solidify what the party has so easily let go of.
“We are therefore all being called to be sober-minded, focused and have the courage to admit our mistakes and set about strategies to correct them. We owe that to ourselves and to the people of Zambia,” read the statement to the members.
Below is the full statement
SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO THE PATRIOTIC FRONT PARTY MEMBERS- NG’ONGA MUKUPA, PF NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON August 17, 2021 Yesterday afternoon, His Excellency President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu congratulated Mr.Hakainde Hichilema, and offered to work with him on behalf of our country and to ensure a peaceful transition.
Mr Hakainde Hichilema is going to be the President of Zambia. We, therefore, owe him an open mind and a chance to lead. Our hope is for him to be a successful President for all Zambians.
We have lost the 2021 election. As once was said by Hilary Clinton, ‘This loss hurts. But please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. This defeat is not the outcome we wanted and nor is it one we worked so hard for. I am very sorry that we could not win this election.
But despite the loss, we should feel pride and gratitude for what we have built together as the Party in Government under the leadership of H.E. Dr. E C Lungu and President Michael Chilufya Stata before him for the past 10 years. The evidence is there for all to see, and it shall vindicate us all. I know how disappointed we all feel about this loss.
This is very painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want us to remember this: that our campaign message should not have been perceived as being about one person. It should have been positioned that it is about the country we love, and about building a Zambia that’s hopeful, inclusive, with a decent standard of living, and of being united as one Zambia, one nation, where we leave no one behind.
And to all you, our great women, and especially the young women who put their faith in this Party and in our Presidential candidate: I want you to know that nothing has made our President prouder than to have been your candidate.
We promise to continue to focus on raising the number of female leaders in the Party and look forward to your continuously challenging us in this regard. We are listening and listening well. Your voice matters. And it matters a lot! To You Mr President
Mr President, forgive us. We made this campaign in the best interest of the structural achievements and with little emphasis on the benefits that have accrued to the wonderful people of Zambia for whom you dedicated your energies and focus, and this has cost you tremendously. We are extremely sorry.
We love you and are still rallying behind you and we seek your continued stewardship of this great Party as we prepare ourselves to reorganize our Party. You will always be our hero and we shall forever be with you.
To all the PF members: This is not the time to point fingers and to be blaming each other. Now is the time to introspect, consolidate and solidify what we have so easily let go of.
There is not much time to put our house in order and thus the work starts now so that we can be a really credible and formidable opposition worthy of our late founder and President, Michael Chilufya Sata King Cobra, from today onwards.
This is not the time to stop and start licking our wounds. We are therefore all being called to be sober-minded, focused and have the courage to admit our mistakes and set about strategies to correct them. We owe that to ourselves and to the people of Zambia.
Yes, I repeat, we have all made mistakes – but the good thing is that we have the ability to set things right – and be the voice of the people as a formidable opposition party. Let us not squander this great opportunity and find ourselves joining the archives of failed political parties! We are going to rise again! President Obama once said, ‘take your anger to the ballot box’.
And in our case, the people of Zambia did just that. They were angry and they wanted change –and we did not know. We must therefore now ensure that we enhance being stewards of the people: we shall talk, walk, sleep and eat great governance to enhance transparency and accountability.
We will have to deepen our working together as leaders in serving the people. So, let us all be encouraged, us – the great PF members – for we shall rise again and soon.
But, remember that we must continuously ensure adherence and commitment to strong governance, respect for people and for the rule of law, and strong, unyielding intraparty discipline.
We must ensure strong compliance within the Party for accountability and to regain the confidence of our people. It is the absence of these factors that has now made us an opposition party.
There shall be zero tolerance for abrogating these values by any of our members. We should always abide by our well-articulated policy as a pro-poor Party, for which we are well known.
And let me also remind each one of us of our President Dr E C Lungu’s constant call for oneness: we are all PF! Let us stop dividing the Party internally.
Whether you joined 20 years ago, 2 years ago or 2 hours ago you are a true, green PF member. We are all equal and share the vision of giving the people of Zambia the best quality of life that we are able to.
So, there shall be no more talk of one being a ‘true green’, ‘real PF’ or whatever you want to call it. We are simply PF, united and strong together. Let us respect one another and remember that diversity builds – we are to embrace all our members equally! Divisions will cost us again.
To this end, we shall work on improving the communication channels in the Party so that all our members can speak and be heard. There shall be an open forum for discussions and debates to be held freely and without fear and favour. We need each other. There are many members in the PF, but we will only be one party: speaking the same language with openness, transparency, and honesty.
And To You The Youth In Particular. His Excellency, President, Dr E C Lungu has spent many years fighting for what he believes in. He has had successes and failures – and sometimes really painful ones. What has happened is an especially painful one.
But you have spoken, and we are hearing you now. We are paying attention. Forgive us for not having listened before. This changes now. Today. It is not too late. And so we need you to keep challenging us so that you can be our conscience when we veer off the right track. We consider you as our champions of change: we are listening.
Finally, to our Party members who have succeeded in the polls as Members of Parliament, Mayors, Council Chairpersons and Councilors, we say well done! As stated earlier, always embrace the values of servant leadership to serve the people who have elected you.
Remember always that your duty is first to the people and the Party for whom you shall be a critical rallying force in rebuilding our great Patriotic Front.
Congratulations once again and we look forward to your collective phenomenal success as representatives of the people under the mighty Patriotic Front Party.
Mubwato! Emotuli! Mwamukolo! Luteni! Mubwato! Tilimo! Long live PF! One Zambia, One Nation! God bless our Party President and God bless us all. Ngo’nga Mukupa PF NATIONAL CHAIRMAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
