By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Tue 23 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
FORMER president Rupiah Banda's son, Andrew, says easterners should hold on to the MMD the way Tongas have done with UPND.
And MMD leader Nevers Mumba says he has information that the PF intends to ferry some Malawians to vote in Thursday's Chipata Central by-election.
But home affairs minister Edgar Lungu says Mumba is just being naughty.
Drumming up support for MMD candidate Reuben Mtolo Phiri at Nadalitsika Basic School, Andrew who was in Mumba's campaign team, said the MMD was the only political party that had remained for the easterners.
"Our colleagues the Tongas have held on to UPND, our colleagues from this place, our traditional cousins have held on to PF and here in Eastern Province they killed UNIP but MMD this time we are going to hold on to it," he said.
Andrew claimed that Zambians had the worst government in the last fifty years.
"This is a government which lies; don't vote for these people again! Don't vote for PF candidate Lameck Mangani and don't vote for PF. Don't vote for our father who came here yesterday (Saturday). I would like to thank you for coming in large numbers," he said.
And Mumba said Zambians hate liars like the PF.
He said those who vote for Mangani took pleasure in suffering.
"I have come here to tell you that if you vote for Mangani, it means you want your problems to continue. I am a pastor and if I tell you to do certain things, you should listen. We told you about the PF, that you will have problems. They (PF) told us that we will have money in our pockets, do we have money now? They cheat in the morning in the afternoon and in the evenings," Mumba said.
He said if the people of Chipata Central vote for Mangani, it means they like lies.
"Do you have jobs? Do you have money in your pockets? I have never seen a President who lies like Sata from the time I was born! When we were in government we paid attention to agriculture but the PF promised to give you 15 bags under Farmer Input Support Programme; have they given you?" Mumba asked.
He said President Michael Sata promised to work with the poor but he had forgotten everything when he became President.
Mumba said some people were having one meal a day because of the government's removal of subsidies.
And Faustina Sinyangwe said Mangani is a 'political prostitute' who has continued to change political parties.
And in an interview at the Chipata Central Police Station yesterday shortly before two MMD officials appeared in Chipata Magistrates' Court for defamation of the President, Mumba said the MMD was concerned with the information that they were receiving.
He said the MMD would deploy a number of their youths to ensure that no Malawian comes to vote in Zambia.
"We want to warn the PF that our eyes are open that this time around if they are going to use any means that is not legal, we will find them and confront them on those matters. So those rumours that we are receiving from their camp that they are going to use people from Malawi will be exposed if they are going to continue with that. They (PF) are desperate now because of the condition of the election," Mumba said.
He said MMD was getting an overwhelming response from the people of Chipata Central.
But Lungu, who is also PF's campaign manager in Chipata Central, refuted Mumba's allegations.
He said Mumba was just being naughty because the PF could not bring Malawians to vote in Zambia.
"…In fact we are trying to hold a meeting with ECZ to ensure that there are no importations of voters in any way. How can we be committing a wrong? Nevers is just being naughty! It's imminent actually that they (MMD) are heading for a loss. We even had a meeting yesterday Sunday with the campaign team to say how do we fight this scourge (of alleged ferrying Malawians to vote in Zambia] which they perpetuated on Mangani in order to win the seat which was one of the grounds for nullification," Lungu said.
He said the PF does not even know how the issue of importing Malawians to come and vote in Chipata works.
Labels: ANDREW BANDA, EDGAR LUNGU, REUBEN MTOLO PHIRI, RUPIAH BANDA
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