Sinda District UPND chairperson James Banda says corruption is in the Patriotic Front’s blood because they live on the vice and use it to advance their political agenda.
In an interview, Banda accused the PF of corrupting village headmen in Chindwale Ward of Katete with a bicycle so that the village headmen convinces subjects to vote for the ruling party in the upcoming ward election slated for February 28.
He lamented that distribution of materials by PF officials, such as bicycles during election campaigns, had become the norm as a means to persuade the electorate to vote for them.
“We have reliable information of what is happening in Chindwale Ward of Katete where our friends, the PF, have started distributing bicycles to traditional leaders. Now, before campaigns, they never thought to empower them with transport; why consider them now? This is a clear indication of corruption because the idea behind is for the village headmen to connive [with] their subjects to vote for PF on election day as a way to challenge UPND,” Banda claimed.
He explained that the PF were in a habit of corrupting various stakeholders regardless of whether or not the environment was conducive enough for them to succeed legitimately.
“You can’t ask me what do I think is the reason behind the bicycle distribution to village headmen. The answer is straight forward. Corruption is the answer! Corruption if you don’t know is in the blood stream of the PF party and its government. They feed on it, they live on it, they sleep on it, they dream of it. Anything which has a PF label, corruption is in the centre! This is the reason why even a place where the environment is okay for them, the atmosphere is good for them, but they will still practice ‘Chiphuphu’; it’s the staple food of our colleagues, but that will not take them anywhere because their days are numbered. In UPND we say ‘tsiku lakufa mkhwele mitengo yamatelera’ (on the day of a monkey’s death, trees become slippery). All their tactics will finish since whatever they do in private is brought on the open,” Banda said.
He cautioned traditional leaders to realize that their subjects don’t feed from their homes, hence they should not mislead them after receiving bribes from the PF.
“Fear of UPND has caused our colleagues to engage themselves in a lot of uncalled-for activities. They are scared, they are afraid to the level that they don’t want to hear the name of UPND due to its support it has gained countrywide. So, let people exercise their rights by choosing the candidate of their choice than imposing decisions on them! So, we are sounding a warning to the village headmen to receive the bicycles, but do justice to their subjects because elections come and go, but relationships remain intact,” advised Banda.
