PATRIOTIC Front national mobilisation chairperson Richard Musukwa says the PF is overconfident of winning the August election because they will be facing a candidate that has lost elections five times.

In an interview, Musukwa said the continued defections of UPND members was an indication that the opposition party was losing numbers.

“We are over confident of winning this election because of the development structure which we have enshrined across the country, Zambians are able to see. How can we not be overconfident if we are fighting with someone whom we have defeated five times? How can we not be confident if we are just dealing with frustrated people whose agenda is just hatred? For a long time, UPND thought that when we told them that they had no numbers, they thought we were joking. It is not just Charmaine Musonda, we saw honourable Moono Lubezhi also coming to join the PF. These are serious and fond UPND members who have just realised that they have been taken for granted by the UPND leadership and that there is no future in UPND because they have no numbers to win an election,” Musukwa said.

“They have no numbers, they are just participating, that is why they have resorted to threats, violence and intimidation of people across the country. They will not manage because PF has the numbers to win the elections. These people for a long time were singing about August 12th, it is here and Zambians will demonstrate to UPND that they are not interested in experimenting with leadership. This is not a game where they want to be changing as and when they please. This is about the country’s economic trajectory and development. We have no time to experiment on the livelihood of our people. PF through Edgar Lungu have put a structure in place and there is no need for Zambians to change a winning team.”

He said the UPND should concede defeat and try the 2026 elections.

“What is so good is that UPND was hoping that through their propaganda machinery and hired mercenaries that Edgar Lungu would not take part in the elections. They had devoted all their energies and resources in this scheme, this failed scheme which was anchored on hatred. Even the people who have been used under this scheme are frustrated people whose thrust is to bring down a system that is working. You can never bring down a system that is working,” said Musukwa.

“I advise Zambians from all walks of life to come out in large numbers and ensure that Edgar Lungu and the PF wins with a resounding landslide victory. They devoted their resources and all their might in ensuring that Edgar Lungu is not on the ballot paper. That is where they had taken all their energies, do you know why? Because they know they can’t beat Edgar Lungu. So, instead of wasting their time now that it is evident that Edgar Lungu is on the ballot paper, he is eligible, he is contesting, the best they can do is to concede defeat. They can try the 2026 elections.”