UPND deputy secretary general Patrick Mucheleka says President Edgar Lungu’s blame on Democratic Party (DP) president Harry Kalaba and National Democratic Party (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili for underdevelopment in Bahati and Roan constituencies was a self-confession of failure to develop the country by the Head of State.

In a statement, Mucheleka said the whole country was underdeveloped because those in government only focused on enriching themselves.

“In the ongoing Roan and Bahati constituency by-election campaigns, Edgar Lungu and the entire PF leadership are lamenting about the lack of development in these areas because of Harry Kalaba (former PF MP for Bahati constituency) and Chishimba Kambwili (former PF MP for Roan constituency). On the other hand, in the recent by-elections held by opposition MPs, such as Mangango and Sesheke, the PF campaigns were that these areas lacked development because they were under opposition MPs who had no access to Mr Edgar Lungu who has ‘kasaka kandalama’,” Mucheleka stated.

“Clearly, this is hypocrisy of the highest order and self-confession of failure to develop the whole Zambia by Mr Lungu who has been claiming that there is massive development throughout the country! How can it be that, even when area MPs are from the PF, Edgar Lungu still confesses lack of development in those constituencies, the same song he sings regarding opposition constituencies?”

Mucheleka said the accusations on Kalaba and Kambwili by President Lungu was a sign that there was no development going on in the country, including constituencies held by PF MPs.

“As a matter of fact, the entire country is lacking in development because of unprecedented corruption and a debt mountain created by the PF. The only places that are developing are the PF leaders’ individual pockets that have been looting public resources to finance their lavish lifestyles, such as procuring customised private jets! Mr Lungu and the PF have now been caught in a web of contrasting lies that have clearly proven that there is no development going on in constituencies of both the opposition and those held by their own PF members of parliament and, therefore, no guarantee of development,” Mucheleka argued.

“The voters in these areas should, therefore, not be hoodwinked by the PF’s fake stories that the areas can only develop when they vote for the party in power. The Bahati and Roan seats have laid the PF deception bare and no amount of songs will change what has been proven that regardless of party affiliations, the whole country is not being developed. As a matter of fact, PF will pay more attention to those areas where the people voted for the opposition because they (PF) will want to pump in money for the sole purpose of reclaiming back the seat and not out of the sense of civic responsibility.”

And he urged the electorate in Bahati and Roan to vote for the opposition.

“The way they are pouring in money buying voters is the same way they are likely going to continue doing so that they win back the seats at all costs to make an impression of popularity. The voters are, therefore, being urged to vote for the opposition candidates in their areas so that PF can sit up and develop these constituencies,” appealed Mucheleka.