PEOPLE’S Alliance for Change (PAC) president Andyford Banda has warned the PF against tampering with the operations of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) as it borders on the country’s national security.

In an interview, Banda alleged that the PF wanted to enlist foreigners to register as voters ahead of the 2021 general election.

Banda was commenting on PF secretary general Davies Mwila’s announcement that the ruling party would adopt the NRC issuance exercise as a party programme.

“The PF has promoted illegality at a number of points. I think what Davies Mwila is saying is not different to the warning that Mr Bonny Kapeso gave to PF cadres to stop taking over security for the President because that is the job of the State. So, what Mr Davies Mwila is saying is that he wants to take over some of the works of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is a security wing. The reason why this issue is done by the Ministry of Home Affairs is because it’s sensitive. They want to bring people from Congo, from Tanzania to come and register as voters and that’s why they want to take it like a party programme. What we want to warn them is they should not disrupt the operations of the Ministry of Home Affairs to register as many voters as possible. We want to tell them to let that work be done professionally and ensure that all the screening of those that will be getting NRCs is done,” Banda said.

He said the issuance of NRCs was not a PF programme and must be spread across the country without favour.

“This is not a PF programme, this is a national programme. Every person who is eligible, as a Zambian citizen, must take an NRC. Whether they support PF or they don’t support PF. And we are not happy that the PF are trying to get as many registered voters as possible in their strongholds leaving out other provinces. We want to make sure that the exercise is spread across the country without favour,” he said.

Banda also warned Mwila that attempts to take over government functions was just promoting illegality.

“So, Mr Mwila must know that the idea of taking over the work of the government is promoting illegality. The government and a party are two different things,” said Banda.

Earlier this week, Mwila, during his tour of Kasama District, Northern Province, announced that he wanted to see PF functionaries involved in the NRC issuance exercise so that the ruling party could register as many voters as possible in the forthcoming registration exercise.