PF media director Sunday Chanda has urged defunct National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili to swallow his pride and rejoin the ruling party like the “Biblical prodigal son.”

And Chanda has rubbished calls by the UPND to sell the presidential jet and use the proceeds to fund the importation of power from South Africa, among other things.

In a statement, Chanda noted that the former Roan PF member of parliament should go back to the PF where he will be “gladly received.”

“The path my brother Chishimba Kambwili has taken is going nowhere! Let him just swallow his pride and come back home. In fact, we greatly sympathize with him! Let’s face it – NDC is dead and buried. My brother, Kambwili, this is all you are getting from me. Elect to remain useless all by yourself, while Hakainde Hichilema continues to use you. But like the Biblical prodigal son, you have a choice to make peace with yourself, with President Lungu and the PF family, we’ll gladly make you a home! Akasoni, kafwilile mwibula mukalamba wandi, meaning: the shy one died under a leaf, my brother!” Chanda stated.

“Sadly, the UPND leadership have continued to use Kambwili to execute their dirty attacks. While he accuses some of us of being used by others to fight battles with the likelihood of being dumped, it is Kambwili being used, unknowingly, by UPND to do the dirty work. Kambwili is in fact standing before the man in his mirror and asking him to change his ways. In order that he does not accuse me of insulting him with a mirror; the mirror is an ever-changing piece of art. It sees all emotions and watches unconditionally with no cause or concern for its reflection. To quote Mahatma Gandhi: ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’.”

And Chanda rubbished the UPND’s calls by its secretary general Stephen Katuka for government to sell the Presidential Challenger Jet and use the proceeds to fund the power imports fom South Africa, among other things.

“He has made a mockery of a proposal that President Edgar Lungu and the government should sell the Presidential Jet to supplement electricity tariffs! Never mind the shallowness in this argument, but how sustainable is this suggestion? We shudder to imagine these are people seeking office, leadership to navigate national issues after 2021. Mr Katuka has thrown around figures. Without evidence, he even suggests how the so-called funds spent on the jet must be re-assigned in his narrow-minded view. Mr Katuka’s figures are heavily-inflated and cited no evidence making his argument useless, sorry to say. The UPND is trying so desperately to make any normal act of public service appear like a scandal, that they really should not be taken seriously by Zambians,” stated Chanda.

“Mr Katuka and the UPND have clearly ignored the role and function of the State, which is partly to collect taxes and fund development, provide infrastructure and crucial services, such as national security. Yet in Mr Katuka and the UPND’s lame understanding, anything procured for the provision of these services is a waste of resources. They have refused to accept that these are properties of the people of the Republic of Zambia and no single individual can lay claim on them. The security of the Head of State is paramount in the administration of national affairs. And Zambians should know better. Sadly, UPND is but a club busy trying to usurp power without the consent of voters having been rejected in 2001, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016.”