Patriotic Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says the Patriotic Front will win 2021 with ease because Zambians believe in President Edgar Lungu.

And Mwila claims the Patriotic Front is putting more money in people’s pockets.

Meanwhile, Mwila says the Patriotic Front is serious about the fight against corruption.

Speaking when he featured on Chipata’s Feel Free Radio “Face to Face” programme, Monday, Mwila said the party would win 2021 with ease.

Asked if Zambia was heading towards a one party state, Mwila said the reason why the ruling party kept winning elections was that they were delivering development to the people of Zambia.

“No, [we are not heading towards a one party state]. If you have been following, we had by elections in North Western, we won two there, they also won one. But I want to tell you that it is the confidence that the people of Zambia have in President Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front, that’s the more reason they are voting for us, nothing else. Because once we make a promise, we fulfill that promise and that is the confidence that the people have in the leadership of President Edgar Lungu. I can assure you that we will win in 2021 without any difficulties,” Mwila predicted.

And Mwila claimed his party was putting more money in people’s pockets.

“We keep winning elections because of the confidence that people have in President Edgar Lungu, yes, unemployment levels are high but we have no sat idle as government. We know that investments are the only thing that can create jobs for our people and that it is important that we encourage all those who are coming to invest, to invest in Zambia. Not to insult them the way other people are making remarks on the Chinese. But I think we have seen that the roads that the Chinese are making, people are getting jobs from there and I believe that jobs will only come when there is investment from outside and locally. And the other thing is that yes, we promised the people that we are going to lower the taxes. You will recall in 2012 budget, we did reduce the income tax. Even now, I don’t have the figures now, where we are [but] previously, whoever was getting K3,000, was not supposed to pay tax and I think that it is still there. And not only that, the government of President Edgar Lungu, all those who are workers, the guards and the servants, we had increased on the minimum wage. What that implies is that we are putting money in people’s pockets because we are able to increase on their income. And those are the people who don’t have unions. And I think that when you increase the minimum wage, basically it is for those who don’t belong to the union so it is the responsibility of government to ensure that we speak for those, the guards, the gardeners, house servants, and that is progress, it is an achievement by government,” he said.

On the increment in fuel prices, Mwila observed that consumers would keep suffering if the Kwacha continued to depreciate.

“The other issue I want to clarify is the issue of the increase of fuel, why the price of fuel has gone up. There are only two factors, first, all of us are aware that the currency has not been doing well in the past months because the exchange rate was at K10 to one dollar. As we are talking, the exchange rate is at K12.5 to a dollar and we buy fuel using dollars so once the Kwacha depreciates, it means that the consumers will suffer because the price has to go up. Once the Kwacha appreciates, if it comes back to K10, we expect the price of fuel to come down. The other factor, which people have not understood is that the fuel price at the international market has gone up, those are the two factors. And that’s the more reason we are saying that once the Kwacha starts performing well, we expect the price of fuel to come down. So it is a question of time and how the economy will perform,” Mwila said.

“Of course we have the debt but I want to tell the Zambian people that this debt has spread. It will go one up to maybe 2022 and government has to pay, I don’t know whether it is every year of whatever and the Ministry of Finance has never defaulted. So we are just within the range and government are putting in place measures to ensure that we don’t borrow more. But above all, the people of Zambia must ask where has this money been going? It is the roads, clinics and these are projects that the Zambian people are able to see…the people of Chadiza want good roads and once we borrow, that money will go towards those roads, it won’t go to our pockets.”

Meanwhile, Mwila said the PF was serious about the fight against corruption.

“We are serious about the fight against corruption. This government is very serious and that’s the more reason we are able to act and discipline all those who are found wanting. So government will not sit idle, whoever abuses government funds, government will take action,” said Mwila.