The UPND is preying on the fact that a successful impeachment motion would make Vice-President Inonge Wina their choice of president because she hails from their stronghold, says PF media director Sunday Chanda.

In a statement, Tuesday, Chanda charged that the UPND was planning to attain power using the back door.

“United Party for National Development (UPND) must not underrate the ability of the Zambian people to see through their political machinations in their pursuit to attain state power through the back door by pushing a notorious regional agenda. The plot seeks to malign Her Honour the Vice President Mrs Inonge Mutukwa Wina by making her their unlikely ally in the proposed impeachment motion targeted at His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
The happenings of the last few months point to a clear agenda by UPND to attain State Capture by making the Country ungovernable and highly polarised. This is further confirmed by an own admission by UPND Spokesperson Charles Kakoma who, a fortnight ago, vowed that his Party would not give the PF rest until their demands were met by the PF,” Chanda said.

“Under its latest State Capture tactic, UPND is preying on the fact that since Mrs Wina hails from Western Province where the Opposition Party has political foothold, a successful impeachment process would make Her Honour the Vice President a President of their choice. This imaginary and unholy alliance based purely on tribal grounds is yet another confirmation on how low the UPND is prepared to stoop to attain power. It is on record that UPND leader Hichilema has viewed Her Honour the Vice President with disdain, but would allow such a process for as long as Edgar Lungu is removed from power and a “perceived tribal cousin” furthers his agenda to state power.”

Chanda, however, stated that Vice-President Wina was loyal to President Lungu.

“Patriotic Front wishes to denounce such regionally-influenced plans by stating that Her Honour the Vice President Mrs Wina is a devout member of the ruling Party and a staunch loyalist to President Lungu. There is no doubt that UPND has been offering Independent and ruling Party MPs sums of money to support the proposed impeachment motion. We challenge Mr. Hichilema to disclose contents of a meeting at his residence and attended by Livingstone Member of Parliament Hon Matthews Jere and a named Independent Member of Parliament from Eastern Province. We want to put it to the public that the said meeting discussed ‘buying off’ of independent Parliamentarians and some in the ruling Party in order to their futile impeachment motion was discussed at length. We challenge Mr Hichilema to deny that no such meeting was held at his residence,” he said.

Chanda also insisted that the UPND had engaged a company called Cambridge Analytica to rig elections.

“UPND’s desperation saw them engaging Cambridge Analytica, a company allegedly involved in stealing personal data and using acquired information for “psychographic profiling” to manipulate voters with fake news and targeted social media advertising. We challenge UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema who is personally mentioned in the correspondence to deny he had any agreement with Cambridge Analytica at a rate of $150,000 per month. Under this agreement, it is said that Cambridge Analytica promised Mr. Hichilema that they would deploy certain third-party persuation techniques which they had employed in past campaigns in Nigeria. These allegations are too serious and Mr. Hichilema cannot afford to remain mute,” stated Chanda.

“Lastly, we call on Zambians to demand answers from Mr Hichilema regarding Saturnia Regna, Cambridge Analytica, among others, and the motive behind their botched impeachment motion. We further call on the Zambian people to condemn UPND’s desperation being advanced by their foreign funders who seek to resuscitate a political life of someone who have repeatedly lost to a democratic process five (5) times in a roll – 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016. Just a word to a desperate political leader, you underrated the Zambian people five times as history has shown us. You continue to do so at an alarming rate. Zambians are watching you.”