Tourism Minister Says Whether Zambians Want Or Not, Lungu Will Stand In 2021 Elections

TOURISM minister Charles Banda says whether Zambians want or not, President Edgar Lungu will stand on the PF ticket in 2021.
The ruling party is currently battling with a leadership wrangle which forced Kelvin Bwalya Fube to call for elections from top to bottom in the PF because the mandate of the current executive committee had expired.
KBF, who was fired from his position as PF deputy chairperson for elections by the chairperson, Jean Kapata, soon after his statement, also said the method of handpicking leaders in the party could no longer work as people needed to be elected.
He has vowed to continue speaking the truth about what was going on in the party.
Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili and Mufulira district PF youth chairperson Brian Mulilo supported KBF’s views, but Kapata branded them and KBF rebels for airing their views on party elections.
And last Sunday, President Lungu said those calling for elections in the PF had presidential ambitions and were after his position.
However, KBF defended his views and said there was nothing wrong with any member of the party to have presidential ambitions because that was what leadership entailed.
KBF also demanded an apology from Kapata before “things get personal”, while Kambwili has said the lands minister, who is also Mandevu PF member of parliament, was afraid to speak out because she had “skeletons in her cupboard”.
The PF in Chadiza also joined in calling for elections in the PF, citing Eastern Province as a classic example where only one of the chairpersons who had so far served being elected by the membership while the rest had been handpicked.
PF youths in Central Province defended KBF’s stance and wondered why the party rushed into expelling someone “who did so much the party”.
And speaking at Kapungwe Primary School, Banda said there was no need for one to doubt the potential in President Lungu.
“I have come to say thank you because your decision to vote for PF has yielded many fruits as the President won, I won as an MP and councillors won. That simply means you knew what you were doing, that is why the President said ‘people of Kapoche have done to me such a good thing and I will appreciate them by giving their member of parliament ministerial position’. Look at that vehicle, what is that material in front (flag) for? It means government, so when you see that, you know it’s government, so here is government,” Banda boasted.
“Therefore, I wish to tell you, in case you don’t know, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will stand again in 2021, whether people want or not so that he completes the entire plans he has for Zambia.”
He said people should embrace peace and unity.
“He who is evil in the heart aims to ensure he disturbs other people’s peace, he robs the peace that others have. Let us be people who can provide peace to others and not robbers of peace…” Banda said.
He also told the residents not to worry about hunger because they had a listening government.
In Matambazi ward, Banda urged civic leaders not to be dormant but to perform their duties by visiting communities to capture people’s concerns and report them to the government through the council.
“Councillors, be proactive by ensuring you are familiar with your ward; don’t expect people to come to you to tell you what they need. Other people are lazy and your role as councillors is to see what people are eating, what people are drinking, where people learn. You are the eyes of the government. I have told you that we have been given 18 mobile network towers and we have to start identifying where they can be even though in February, I will come with surveyors. Don’t let councillors sit and relax, use them for community purpose,” said Banda.