Maravi

More defect to PF in Choma

More defect to PF in Choma
By Edwin Mbulo in Choma
Sun 17 Apr. 2011, 04:01 CAT

ABOUT 143 MMD and UPND ward members on Friday defected to the PF in Choma, with the UPND hiring taxis to honk for one hour with chanting youths.

And Southern Province PF chairperson Joseph Akafumba says Zambia has suffered enough and required God’s intervention which could only be achieved through the PF.

Speaking when he welcomed 61 UPND and 82 MMD members at Kalungula Fountain Lodge in Choma on Friday, Akafumba said anybody who wanted change should join the PF.

“We have suffered enough under the MMD, we have suffered at the hands of President Rupiah Banda, and we now require the intervention of God to be free from abuse. The country is not okay, let us get this government out,” Akafumba said.

He said the agricultural cooperatives which were once performing very well in the province had been killed by the MMD.

“The PF is the only party that will send us forward. Don’t just join us and sit back, go out there and convince those that are still in MMD and UPND to come to us. Whether President Rupiah Banda likes it or not, we shall carry out the parallel voter tabulation (PVT),” Akafumba said.

And PF Southern Province youth chairman Brave Mweetwa said the problem with the UPND was that Hakainde Hichilema did not accept that the issues of the pact had created a great tsunami in the party and his stubbornness was slowly leading the UPND into a ditch.

And speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mercy Muleya who said she was MMD chairperson from Macha said that people were suffering in hospitals and there was no response from the MMD leadership.

“Poverty levels are high here and we as women have to bear that burden. It is worse when you get to hospitals and people are dying when they are not supposed to, all because of the MMD’s negligence. Women of Macha want change, that is why I have joined the PF,” Muleya said.

And Peter Munkombwe a MMD youth chairman from Singani said youths were not happy with the breakup of PF-UPND pact but he opted to join the PF instead of the UPND because of Hichilema’s refusal to get advice on the issue of presidency.

“We refuse to be thieves, we want change and the MMD is not for change. It is just progressing well with thieves and I refuse to be one,” Munkombwe said.

And UPND youth chairman Albert Muchindu of Hakabwele branch said he found it better to join the PF than remain in UPND where Hichilema did not want to heed advice.

“He hounded out Panji Kaunda and he did not want to listen to the old man Michael Sata. As a youth if I come to where old people are seated, it would be uncultured for me to ask one to give me a seat. It is better to follow the advice of the elderly and HH did not,” he said.

Muchindu said contrary to UPND accusations that the PF was giving defectors K100,000 each, it was the UPND that paid over 10 taxi drivers the same amount to try and disrupt the meeting.

“I did not get any money from PF and even if the UPND or MMD offered me money. I will not leave the PF. We have seen the leadership qualities in PF and if we give them a chance to be in power, Zambia can be far much better than under the MMD,” said Muchindu.

Labels: CHOMA, MMD, PF, UPND

posted by MrK @ 2:51 PM