Minister of Home Affairs Steven Kampyongo says the UPND failed to contest the Roan parliamentary seat because its president Hakainde Hichilema was afraid of being confronted by people over the alleged sale of mines.

And Kampyongo says the opppsition alliance can not deliver development as it comprises of thieves who sell rail slippers and those who sold mines.

Meanwhile, Minister of General Education David Mabumba has told Roan residents that government will soon announce the reduction of school fees country wide in order to make education affordable for the vulnerable.

Speaking at a campaign rally to drum up support for PF candidate Joel Chibuye in Mpatamatu, Sunday, Kampyongo said thieves had met in the opposition alliance.

“Twaliumfwa umuntu mailo atekesha press conference, twa leti twala umfwa ifyo ala bomfya aka muntu eminike ukwisa bomba kuno, aikalilefye uku bwata (Someone held a press briefing yesterday, we thought he would say what his candidate will come and do here, but he was just yapping). The government is here, the minister who is from talking to you (Mabumba) is from government not so? But Imbwili (NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili) was saying there will be no one to campaign for PF but PF has all these people and ministers, and we are minster because we of being PF. Ala natwisa mukuititika, tuleititika (we have come to battle it out here, we shall battle it out),” Kampyongo said.

“Even if we have small bodies, we will go for that same big neck. We have seen small political parties coming together saying they are in an alliance, a useless alliance. Even here there are those who have come together with those who chant ‘forward’ 20 years forward but you only go backwards. And when thieves meet, there is nothing that can come out. His friend failed to field a candidate here because he was afraid that you would deal with him over the mines he sold. So he told his friend who also stole rail slippers to come and field a candidate. ‘Lazo na Lazo kuti fyabomba?’ (Can thieves deliver development?)”

Kampyongo said Roan was not developed because its former MP, Kambwili, was insulting President Lungu.

“You must liberate yourselves from the bad element; you cannot have development when your representative is busy insulting the President. You should know that you cannot see the benefits if you continue insulting the President. Don’t be cheated, the government is here, choose Chibuye so that he can work well with the president. The president has sent me, Honourable [Freedom] Sikazwe and [Richard] Musukwa to come and deal with the issues affecting the mines here, now Kambwili wants to be lying to you that we are not telling the truth when we say we are going to give the Black Mountain to youths? Who else can give you the Black Mountain apart from government?” Kampyongo said.

“Roan constituency needs prayers; it seems there are bad spirits. You had Mr Pwele as MP but you saw what happened, and later you had the man himself (Kambwili) but all we have been hearing is boasting that I have so much money such that I can go to England, have lunch and come back in the evening. We thought that since he was leading such a good life, he must have done well for his people to have a good life as well. All of us have been given jobs by the President, now someone starts insulting the President? The way Chibuye has come seeking to be elected as MP, and then he should start saying being MP is too small for me I want to be president, isn’t that madness? That’s madness. ‘Elo ndemweba mwe bantu, mwila tu tumpika fweba politician elyo muletusala pantu te kuti ni fwe twatisha amano ukumicila iyoo’ (Don’t make us pompus when you elect us because we are not wise than everyone). We don’t want you to spoil Chibuye the way you spoiled that one who after being elected and having becoming fat, he became arrogant.”

Meanwhile, Mabumba urged the crowd to vote for the PF candidate who would easy access to President Lungu, adding that government would announce the reduction of school fees next week.

“You the people of Roan that there is no inheritance in politics. You must vote for someone who will go and speak for you over the challenges you are facing here, someone who can even go and meet the president and discuss your problems with him about your problems. You have an opportunity to change your fate on the 11th April by voting for Chibuye (PF candidate). As minister of general education, I want to tell you that we heard that some people came and told you lies that if a child fails grade 9 they should go and repeat in grade 7, that is a lie. On Tuesday, we are going to announce in Parliament to reduce the entry fee for grade 9 exams so that if a child fails grade 9, they can easily be allowed to re-write at reduced cost,” said Mabumba.

“We noticed that the reason people voted for President Edgar Lungu was because they wanted to have reduced school fees because the majority of you cannot afford the current fees. We are going to announce the reduction of school fees in parliament on Tuesday so that majority of you can manage to pay for your children. You need to vote for Chibuye so that we continue with these good works, he may even come and lobby on your behalf to the president to let your children learn for one year without paying school fees. But if you vote for NDC and UPND, that won’t happen, let them not lie to you. The president has discretion powers to make such decrees, but you need a good represeantative. However, as the bembas say ‘akaboko kankoka akabiye’ (scratch my back, I scratch yours), when the president is considering you like that, you should also remember him by voting for his candidate on the 11th of April.”