If the opposition come and provoke you with politics of violence, let them know that palya balekela epo ifwe twambila, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo told Lusaka residents not to be scared of the opposition as campaigns for the Lusaka Mayoral seat begin.

And Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Mwila says the ruling party will win the Mayoral elections without any difficulties because the party has nominated a candidate who is saleable.

Shortly after PF candidate for the Lusaka Mayoral position, Miles Sampa, filed in his nominations with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) yesterday, the PF held a short rally at the Freedom Statue in Lusaka where party officials, led by deputy campaign manager Bowman Lusambo, and PF deputy media director Antonio Mwanza, mocked the UPND candidate.

Mwanza, who invited Lusambo to address the crowd, was heard telling the crowd that the campaigns that had started was not the same as the Kabanana, [soap opera] where the opposition UPND candidate Kangwa Chileshe featured a couple of years ago and made himself a name in the film industry.

“We, as PF in Lusaka District are peaceful people, we know that this election is a walk-over. Ama elections te yabana abanono, tekwamba ukutangisha ati nine Kabanana, nangula balya bambi abo twaishiba abacita nga bafuma apa mailo twabomfwila uko. Ama elections yabana abakosa kwati Miles Sampa (elections are not for young children, participating in an election is not the same as featuring in a Kabanana soap opera. So, don’t go and start telling the electorate that you are Kabanana). Elections are for strong people like Miles Sampa, Davies Mwila and Edgar Chagwa Lungu,” Lusambo said.

“So, for us as PF, and for me as deputy campaign manager for the Lusaka Mayoral seat, I want to assure our Secretary General, Mr Davies Mwila, that this election is 100 per cent for Miles Sampa. And the other thing I want to let him know is that, us we are ‘don’t kutina (don’t be scared).’ So, if the opposition come and provoke you with politics of violence, let them know that palya balelekela epo ifwe twambila (where their violence ends is where ours starts from). So, let’s just have peaceful campaigns but [like I said], elections are not a child’s play.”

And PF Secretary General Davies Mwila boasted that the ruling party would clearly win the Mayoral seat because it had nominated a saleable candidate.

“Today is a good day for us because we have chosen a candidate who will make us win the seat and that is Miles Sampa. Miles Sampa is not new in Lusaka, he was MP for Matero, he was deputy minister before. So, as Patriotic Front, we have a candidate who is saleable and we are going to win this election without any difficulties. Imwe mwema soldier eko muli (you soldiers are there). So, as we leave this place, you soldiers of President Edgar Lungu, go flat out to campaign for the party. Miles Sampa is our official candidate. But I want to thank you all that applied for the adoption for the support that you have given to our candidate, thank you so much, honourable Mulenga Sata, Mr Phiri… so colleagues, together we are going to campaign and ensure that we win this election. And please, our campaign should be free of violence, PF is a peaceful party and we don’t want violence, so anyone who engages in violence must be reported to the police,” said Mwila.

And Sampa called on his supporters to go out in their numbers to “attack” the opposition and prove to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema that President Lungu would remain President beyond 2021.

“I would like to thank the President of the Party and the President of the Republic of Zambia, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, I also thank the SG, who is my boss, the MCC and also thank my campaign manager, Mr Bowman Lusambo. I also thank all the candidates who applied for supporting me, thank you very much. Let’s all unite and attack the opposition who is UPND. We are going to win this election by a land slide margin, so that the UPND and HH can know that Edgar Chagwa Lungu is a no doubt for 2021. Thank you very much,” said Sampa.