PF Buying And Bribing Voters - Kambwili

National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili has accused the incumbent Patriotic Front (PF) of buying elections and bribing voters following the party’s recent successes at the Mwansabombwe and Lukashya by-elections. 

“Let me tell ba Inonge Wina and PF that people who don’t learn from experience and past history are as good as a lost generation. People like Inonge Wina are old enough to advise PF to do the right thing and not to do exactly what MMD did when they lost power in 2011, not to do what UNIP did when they lost power in 1991. These people are not winning these elections, they are buying and bribing voters and they know that, so for them to say it is a sign for 2021 is misleading themselves,” he said.

Mr Kambwili, whose party supported the UPND in the recent elections, pointed out that only 15,000 residents voted in Lukashya, which has a total electorate of about 47,000. He argued that any reasonable party would not see this as a reason to celebrate. 

“Look, Lukashya has 45-47,000 voters but only 15,000 cast their vote. They can manipulate 15,000 people but they cannot manipulate people even if we were to say 30,000 out of that 45,000 they cannot manipulate them. And they must know that a by-election is not a barometer for what is going to happen in the general election. In a by-election all the ministers, all the resources of the party are concentrated in one area, the propaganda, the lying to people by ministers is concentrated in one area but when it’s in a general election, it’s different, it is everyone for himself, God for us all,” Kambwili added. 

The opposition leader was also quick to point out that in the dying days of the MMD government, the party was frequently scooping up by-election victories, which failed to translate into majority support at the 2011 general election.

He observed that for the PF government to lose next year, it would only have to sacrifice a few key seats in Copperbelt and Lusaka Provinces. 

Finally, Mr Kambwili called on Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit director Chanda Kabwe to stop using his organisation to promote the PF at elections. 

“Wherever there is an election, Chanda Kabwe moves in to start programmes of ‘helping’ the needy. That is misappropriation of government funds. I want to warn my young brother that he is the controlling officer at DMMU, he is the one who signs the release of these ‘goodies’ to the areas and if they come to ask who authorised, he will be the one to answer”.

Kambwili’s words echoed the sentiment of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, who has accused the government of ‘weaponising’ hunger for political gain.