IF THERE’S anybody who needs prayers everyday, it’s PF so that they can be redeemed, says Choma Central UPND member of parliament Cornelius Mweetwa.

And Mweetwa has implored Minister of National Guidance Reverend Godfridah Sumaili to counsel Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) national coordinator Chanda Kabwe and other “tribalists” in the ruling party.

During a media briefing in Lusaka, Friday, Kabwe said there was need to pray for some political leaders in Southern Province who were telling their electorates that COVID-19 was a hoax.

He said he did not understand what was wrong with “that province”.

But commenting on this in an interview, Mweetwa expressed concern at the level of tribalism, hate and division in the ruling party.

He said it was a lie that members of parliament in Southern Province were telling their electorates that COVID-19 was a hoax.

“As members of parliament for UPND representing the people of Southern Province, we received those statements from Chanda Kabwe with a deep sense of concern at the level of tribalism, hate and division by the PF. We are [however] not surprised because that’s a continuation from the Malole [PF] member of parliament Christopher Yaluma who [also] took over from what the Chilubi [by-election] campaigns were, tribalism,” Mweetwa said.

“It is a blatant lie that any member of parliament in the Southern Province be it Choma Central, Mazabuka Central or indeed ordinary people are saying ‘there’s no COVID-19’. It is unthinkable that any member of parliament, anywhere in Zambia can actually come up with those statements. There is no way, all the time, leaders of the Patriotic Front should be concocting false stories about the people of Southern Province.”

And Mweetwa urged Rev Sumaili to counsel Kabwe.

“When you understand Chanda Kabwe as a common cadre of PF, then you will realise that there is not much substance or quality of leadership that you can expect from him. The Minister of Religious Affairs honourable Sumaili needs to call such characters like Chanda Kabwe and give them counsel,” Mweetwa said.

He said it was PF which needed prayers.

“We want Chanda Kabwe to tell us what’s wrong with people of Southern Province. If there’s anybody who needs prayers, not even on the day of national prayers, it’s PF and their surrogates. They need to be prayed for every day. Everyday, whoever prays at church, at home, even under quarantine, you need to include at least a statement for PF to be redeemed out of their corrupt tendencies [and] out of their theft of national resources. That’s where prayers should be directed to, to redeem the leadership of this country,” said Mweetwa.

“And for Chanda Kabwe to say ‘the people of Southern Province require prayers’ that’s a direct insult to the people of Southern Province. And I am now asking the chiefs of Southern Province, especially some of them like Chief Chikanta who I’m told has now formed branches to begin to campaign for PF in Dundumwezi and Chief Chipepo who is reported, if it’s correct, to have said ‘President Lungu should continue to rule this country beyond 2021’, I’m asking these chiefs if they are supporting a government which is insulting their subjects including themselves that ‘something is wrong with the people people of Southern Province, they need prayers during national day of prayers’.”