UPND deputy secretary general Patrick Mucheleka says it is not only in Chama District where people don’t want President Edgar Lungu, it is everywhere.

On Tuesday, President Edgar Lungu said he had heard that some traditional leaders in Muchinga Province had vowed not to vote for him because he had not done anything in the area, a situation he said was regrettable because his party had done wonders in the past 10 years.

Commenting on the Head of State’s remarks, Mucheleka said there was nothing that the PF had done other than putting the country under economic meltdown, adding that Zambians countrywide did not want President Lungu to continue in office, not just in Chama District.

“President Edgar Lungu and his cohorts are looking at how rich they have become in such a short period of time and they think that everyone has become rich. So, when they find somebody telling the truth, they get so surprised, what wonders have they done? In Chama itself, remember president Sata started that project of Matumbo-Chama road, it has stalled. But these are people who go on TV, they give an impression that they have worked; he goes to Chama, he is reminded about the road, he gets surprised. There is nothing that they have done other than putting this economy under serious meltdown. This is why people are ready to effect change come August,” Mucheleka said in an interview.

“It is not only in Chama, it is everywhere! You saw what happened on the Copperbelt where no one turned up to meet him, he was very frustrated! People don’t want him everywhere because these people have failed; they are killing our people silently. They have committed genocide, the only thing they know is engaging in corruption.”

Mucheleka said President Lungu was “pushing his luck too far” when he suggested that he would go beyond this August, insisting that he remained ineligible.

“Lungu is not going beyond 2021. According to the Constitution, he is not eligible. So, he is trying to push his luck too far. He does not qualify to contest, they should start looking for a different candidate because if they are not careful, they might end up without a candidate. He is trying to force his way and create an environment, which is only done by dictators like the one we saw in Uganda (President Yoweri Museveni). However, we want to understand and believe that we can give a benefit of doubt to the institutions that are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that somebody does not go against the Constitution. He will be going very soon,” said Mucheleka.

Speaking when he met their Royal Highnesses, senior chief Kambombo and chiefs: Chifunda, Chikwa, Tembwe, Lundu, Mulilo and Chibale, Tuesday, President Lungu complained that he had received disturbing reports that some chiefs would not vote for PF because the party had failed to bring development.

“You are forgetting that tarred roads have been done and more can come. I have been given reports that some of you are saying, ‘you don’t want PF because they have failed to bring development here!’ But we have brought development here. We are doing more and more than any other government has done. The government of my father Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda did what he could to transform the area; the government of Chiluba did what it could in 20 years, we are doing what we can in 10 years. We have done wonders,” said President Lungu.