Africa-Press – Zambia. The Patriotic Front (PF) is saddened by some stakeholders who are alleging that President Lungu and the party is not committed to the peace pledge that was recently signed at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
PF Media Director Antonio Mwanza says the party has noted with concern that Fr. Chikoya is trying to tarnish the image of President Lungu and present a distorted position that the PF is not committed to peace because the head of state was not physically present during the signing ceremony.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mwanza explained that President Lungu had assigned the party Secretary General Hon. Davies Mwila who is the Chief Executive Officer of the party and had sufficient mandate to sign on behalf of the party.
“As everybody is aware that His Excellency is not only president of Patriotic Front but is the President of the Republic of Zambia and thus every day he has assignments that are sometimes beyond him in terms of being in two places at the same time,” Mr. Mwanza said.
“We know that the President during the same period that we were having the signing ceremony was swearing in Judges at State House, ” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwanza says the Patriotic Front is dismayed with the behavior of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema towards Mr. Paul Moonga who is a Member of the PF Central Committee.
Mr. Mwanza disclosed that Mr. Hichilema allegedly confronted Mr. Moonga for supporting PF when Hon Chishimba Kambwili was allegedly insulting Tonga’s. The PF Media Director says it unfortunate that a leader who wants to rule Zambia can reduce political discourse to tribal differences.
“We don’t believe that Mr. Moonga should support PF based on his tribe or that Mr. Moonga should support UPND based on his tribe but we believe that according to Mr. Hakainde, his thinking is that every Tonga speaking person must belong to UPND,” Mr. Mwanza said.
The PF Media Director charged that it is regrettable that Mr. Hichilema is trying to force all Tonga speaking people to belong to UPND. Mr. Mwanza stated that the PF believes that the people of Southern Province and any other Province in the country have the right to belong to a political party of their choice.
And Mr. Mwanza has reiterated that President Lungu has every right as head of state to visit each and every facility, constituency and district to get first hand information on how people are living.
Mr. Mwanza explained that President Lungu’s visits to markets are very clear as he want to check on the levels of compliance to the COVID-19 health guidelines.
He also added that President Lungu is also using these visits to encourage traders to adhere to the five COVID-19 golden rules and distribute free face masks and hand sanitizers.
“As Patriotic Front, we urge the President to visit all the markets, and we want the President to go to Comesa, we want the President to go to Soweto, we want the President to go to every market in this country so that he interacts with the people and the people would be given the opportunity to talk to him,” he said.
Mr. Mwanza stressed that President Lungu cannot be tied to State House saying his visits to markets are not for political purposes but purely for social and economic benefits of the Zambian people he has been meeting.
