Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Gary Nkombo says President Edgar Lungu can only win the 2021 general election if inflicting misery on Zambians was all it took to emerge victorious.
Last week, President Lungu said he would win the 2021 general election because he knew what Zambians wanted, and went further to mock UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
“He is cheating people that his party is growing. In 2016 I beat him. In 2015 I beat him. In 2021 I will beat him! I know that I will win in 2021 because I am with you and I listen to you and I know what the people of Zambia want,” President Lungu said in an apparent reference to Hichilema.
But in an interview, Nkombo said he admired President Lungu’s wishful thinking because he could only be re-elected if inflicting misery on Zambians was what it took to emerge victorious.
“I think the best way to put it is that the President, in his imagination, thinks the people of Zambia want him and that is why he is sure of winning those elections. And I admire him for having a talent of fore-telling. It appears he is able to see the future. That is quite admirable and a very rare attribute to a human being because only God knows what the future holds. It is called wishful thinking. It means that he is highly talented and gifted by God. But truthfully speaking, what speaks is the feelings of the people. From where we stand, President Edgar Lungu and PF have brought misery to the people of this country. And if misery is one of the attributes for one to get favour, to inflict on people and in return they give you a vote, then he is definitely going to come back,” Nkombo said.
“He should not forget that his qualification to the ballot this time around, is a matter that is highly contentious in some of our minds because our doors were shut when we presented the (presidential election) petition. Yes, we know that there was a court judgment that he is eligible. But look, the courts are run by human beings. And courts can err. In our view, we are doing everything that is legally possible to ensure that whether he be on the ballot paper or he is not, him and his friends in the PF are on their way out! That is what we know. But we respect the Zambian people and we will be subject of their decision. He must know that he is not government. The Zambian people are government. He is just a custodian.”
And Nkombo charged that President Lungu acted hypocritical in denouncing violence in last Thursday’s Kaoma by-election, saying his party members engaged in violence.
“I also think that the President was hypocritical in condemning violence because his boys and girls were busy harassing people in Kaoma! If he puts a command and people don’t listen to him, what kind of commander is he? It is either he is acting hypocritically or his flocks don’t listen to him. It can only be one of the other and not both,” said Nkombo.
One Response
Ba Nkombo still crying over the 2016 presidential elections sure! One observation I have made our current ‘misery’ is not only affecting Zambia but alot if countries in the world due to some economic, political dynamics an example whi ever thought Thomas Cook would close down after having been in existence since 1800 hundreds? How many renowned companies have closed shop worldwide? What contribution have you made having been a parliamentarian long before PF came into government? Your constituency Mazabuka still looks like a village and yet you have been MP for many years now. Yes there has been mismanagement of our resources here and there but as long as we remain a consumer nation no productivity and not in control of certain factors like the price of oil, copper, etc it will need men and women of this country, not the government, to be productive in exportable products.