PEOPLE’S Alliance for Change (PAC) president Andyford Banda says UPND does not stand a chance to win the August 12 general election because the race is not straightforward.

In an interview, Banda argued that the UPND did not stand a chance to win outrightly at the August 12 polls as voters remained undecided on who to vote for.

“People will always have their own opinion, yes, they might say that, ‘it’s between PF and UPND’, but as PAC, I think we know that they don’t stand a chance in this election, the UPND, people are not sure of it. I was talking to someone the other week who said that, ‘this is like five months before elections and people are not sure which direction they should go.’ So, we are working out a strategy that is going to spark something in this country and I think is going to change,” Banda said.

“Politics is about strategies and you know that the People’s Alliance for Change party is one of the political parties that has been consistent in participating in elections and we have participated in elections in all corners of this country. So, we have consolidated the lessons we have learnt to actually ensure that we mop up votes for 2021 and apply those lessons to all our structures across the country. As I speak with you, I am on the Copperbelt and I will be meeting some of the leaders on the Copperbelt so that we can carry on with the formula we have for mobilisation.”

And Banda said that the party had done well in a number of by-elections and would ensure they worked hard until the last day of elections because voters were looking for something different.

“As you may be aware that PAC has always used different strategies that’s why in 2016, people said, ‘where did Andyford Banda come from?’ We have done good shows in a number of elections and the last one we participated in Chilubi (constituency). So, right now, we need to apply that in the dynamics of a general election, which is 2021 and, obviously, we have been laying the groundwork and very soon we will be out there, very visible, making noise, and putting a number of strategies. So, we are going to work hard until the last day of the elections; we are not going to be swayed by people believing this is a contest between PF and UPND. I think people are really looking for something different and we are very sure that very soon, the direction of the politics is going to change,” he argued.

He also said that this year’s campaign season was not the not the time for the “Sata kind of politics” given the current mood Zambians were where citizens were grappling with several economic challenges.

“You know, you cannot play traditional politics, we need to read the mood of the people at each time. If you want to be ‘a Sata’ at this time, you are going to lose, this is another time. Michael Sata was 2011 and before; this is 2021, so we need to apply the strategy that will look at the circumstances, the kind of regime we are living in; the mood of the people; the economy and all that kind of thing. What are people looking at and then you do a strategy. And also, let’s not ignore the voting patterns,” said Banda.