PF Continues With Branded Donations
Donations in support of the fight against Covid-19 continue to come from all quarters. Some of the latest include a K20,000 donation of branded Hygenix Hand Washes, Sanitizers, Face Masks, and 250-litre water containers gifted by Patriotic Front Lusaka Province Youth Chairperson Danniel Kalembe.
The production and distribution of PF-branded materials has been criticised by some elements of civil society and the opposition as an attempt to campaign and politicise the fight against Covid-19.
After citizens were last month advised to wear masks when in public among those donating masks were the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund. The fund purchased face masks worth K25,000 from local tailors, thus creating work for small businesses and boosting supplies of the important item. The group’s National Coordinator Clement Tembo stated that the initiative will benefit all Zambians, regardless of their political affiliation.
The United Party National Development (UPND) questioned the move, with the group’s Youth League Tweeting, “At a time when we should hold hands as a people to confront our common enemy - #COVID19, the PF is choosing a destructive and chaotic path of politicizing an issue that must unite us all in common purpose. This must be much more than seeking to score political points.”
UPND Lusaka Province Chair Obvious Mwaliteta has also criticised the move stating, “How ungodly can a regime be to always be taking advantage of people’s suffering for them to always be campaigning like they have equally done with the hunger situation where they are donating PF branded mealie meal.”
Photos of vehicles with Covid-19 related ECL 2021 branding previously prompted human rights activist Laura Miti to wonder whether PF will next starting branding coffins ahead of the 2021 elections.
Commenting on social media the Alliance for Community Action (ACA) Director stated, “I guess we shouldn't be surprised, but, heck, it's disturbing how the 2021 obsession that has made EL's term so destructive to the public interest hasn't spared the Covid response. It is actually hampering it.
Not even a killer disease seems to be able to receive an honest disinterested focus. We have Regalia masks, Covid 2021 Vehicles, the disease has been used as an excuse to close a very popular Prime TV - because 2021.”
Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya previously defended the distribution of PF-branded face masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think where we are now, we are saying that we are in very difficult times everybody wants to participate to ensure that they do their part in terms of ensuring that they are all Zambians safe. We have seen various political parties we saw the Patriotic Front secretary general, we have seen the UPND donate to Ministry of Home Affairs for correctional services. I think at this point in time everybody is saying let us do whatever we can in putting the politics away but whatever can be done whether you have found a piece of material that belongs to PF and it can help save somebody’s life. I do not think that government will stand up and say ‘no, we don’t want you to save somebody’s life’ because for some people, they don’t have any material to make a mask,” Siliya said.
“I have seen the Presidential initiative that they are supporting women to earn a livelihood but at the same time giving them raw available materials to make these masks. I don’t believe this is the time to be finger pointing, this is the time for the whole of Zambia to be focused one fighting enemy,” she continued.
Meanwhile, Dora Siliya has cautioned the public against making unsubstantiated allegations regarding Covid-19 donations, after some have questioned their use. The Accountant General Kennedy Musonda has stated that details of donations made through various ministries, provinces and agencies, will be published shortly in an attempt to ensure accountability.
