PRESIDENTIAL Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe says it is unfair to blame the PF government for the bitting economy because there’s no country which is thriving at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And Sikazwe says he is confident that President Edgar Lungu will win by over 60 per cent because citizens are comfortable with him.

In an interview, Sikazwe said COVID-19 had affected the whole world.

“Economically, that is why some of us are very comfortable and relieved if you are saying the economic situation in Zambia is worse than before as compared to all the surrounding countries of the world, it will be a different story. But what is prevailing in Zambia is the exact situation that is prevailing in all countries. Three days ago there were demonstrations in South Africa, there are confusions in Zimbabwe, and it is everywhere! Why do you want to single out Zambia? Tell me a country that is doing better economically this time especially after coming out of COVID-19, all of us have been hit by it and you know the effects. We are just trying to rebuild, trying to re-correct ourselves and see how we can improve things,” Sikazwe said.

“The situation has been bad, all of us have to accept that COVID has hit us. If we are going to be judged because of the devastating situation that we have undergone, then people will be very unfair. That is why we have the confidence that we are winning. So far so good, nobody is saying things are 100 percent perfect, we know that the economy is biting which is very correct because we know where we are coming from. So when people tell you that PF is going to lose, just tell them to wait until 12th August, 2021.”

And Sikazwe said President Lungu would win because he had brought about a lot of change.

“What kind of measurement are people using to judge us that we have failed? That is where I have a problem. For someone to wake up and just say ‘you are going to lose’, it is not true. Even when you are going into an examination class, you should have confidence that you are going to pass, you don’t go into an examination class when you have lost hope that you can’t pass. What gives you confidence that you are going to pass is your performance from where you are coming from and the efforts you put in to ensure that you grasp whatever information that is required for you to go and sit for the exam. Which we think as a PF government we have done. Surely if you cannot see the change as the President stated in his speech in Parliament that we have changed the face of Zambia,” Sikazwe said.

“So let them (opposition) just concentrate and abide by the rules of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) not condemning and saying the PF will lose. Let them focus! His Excellency has put himself in the driving seat and he is going to correct whatever challenges that we are going through. But in terms of elections, I can assure you we are winning, if anything we might even win beyond 60 percent. That is why we are working day and night. You can’t say you are going to win elections, when you are just in Lusaka singing and condemning. Go to the people in Mpulungu, go to the people in Shang’ombo they are the ones who are going to tell you that things are not okay.”

He said Zambians were very comfortable with the ruling PF and President Lungu.

“In terms of fertilizer distribution, we are on top of things, since when did you hear of farmers getting inputs in September or October? I think there are just too many scores that we have scored. So it will be very difficult for our colleagues to just wake and say ‘we are going to be in government.’ Zambians are very comfortable with President Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front. So come 2021, the PF is going through,” said Sikazwe.