UPND Deputy Secretary General Patrick Mucheleka says the Patriotic Front government under President Edgar Lungu are a bunch of corrupt and violent tribalists who must be chucked out in 2021.

In a statement to News Diggers! Mucheleka expressed shock at the level of tribalism and regionalism in government institutions under PF.

“The UPND is shocked and troubled at the new level at which tribalism and regionalism is being institutionalised in Zambia by the PF. Hardly a day passes without hearing a chain of appointments in government or quasi-government organisations, of Zambians only from two regions, to the exclusion of all other regions of the Republic,” he observed.

“A few weeks ago, the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s new management team was unveiled, and consisted of people hailing from only one region of Zambia.Two days ago, the Minister of Information unashamedly appointed the boards of the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail, where a combined total of 15 people came from the Eastern and Northern regions of Zambia only.”

Mucheleka further questioned why President Lungu was retiring qualified young women and men in “national interest”.

“The UPND like all Zambians, are aware of the appalling purge by the PF Government and parastatal employees, including Defence, Security and diplomatic staff, from regions perceived to be UPND strongholds, under the guise of retiring in ‘national interest’? A few days ago, a senior Executive at Pensions Fund whose performance appraisal scored over 80%, had the renewal of his contract denied out of ‘national interest’, even after the appraising team concluded that his performance in the once loss making organisation had tremendously picked up, after he turned it around for the better, and that under the circumstances, he was the best man for the job. The question we now wish to ask the PF and particularly Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu is, in whose ‘national interest’ is it, to retire productive and very qualified young women and men in the prime of their careers?” he wondered.

“What national interest and benefit is there for our country in offloading such experienced human resource to our competitors in the neighbouring countries, when our nation is in dire need of such expertise? At what price to the unity of this country, is this evil process of only appointing Zambians from only two regions and retiring and denying business and employment opportunities to others of other regions?”

He urged Zambians to vote out PF in 2021.

The Patriotic Front Government under Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu must be described in pure and simple terms. They are a bunch of corrupt, thieving, incompetent, violent and tribal political party. In 2021, they must pack up and go. If this evil trend is not stopped by Zambians and if the PF continues in marginalising and dividing Zambians against each other, national security will ultimately be endangered,” warned Mucheleka.

“Zambians irrespective of their ethnic background must take keen interest in this evil strategy by the PF in dividing citizen against citizen as they plunder our national resources with impunity. All well meaning citizens must refuse and condemn this tribalism in the PF. The PF is deliberately raising a generation of young Zambians who feel more Zambian to the exclusion of all others in order to leave this country in flames and unnecessary conflict. Zambians must therefore reject this PF vision and idea of nepotism and tribalism and say enough is enough!”