Maxwell Chongu, a renowned PF cadre, has observed that the ruling party has continued to lose members from its support base, while the opposition UPND has been on an upward trajectory since 2011.

And Chongu says facts on the ground show that “things are not good for PF on the Copperbelt” adding that those who have been downplaying the situation were misleading President Edgar Lungu.

Meanwhile the PF youth who once featured in a reality TV series “Big Brother Africa” has taken a swipe at PF leaders who spend time throwing statements on Facebook trying to appease the Head of State instead of mobilising the party.

In a statement to News Diggers! Chongu who is also a businessman said there was need for true reconsiliation among PF members in order to stop the on-going exodus.

“The following are results obtained by the patriotic front party since 2011 up to date, my main area of interest is to educate people on why our numbers keep reducing and why we need political remedies to avoid a defeat come,” Chongu said.

2011 election
MCS: 1,170, 966
RB: 986, 866
HH: 506, 763

2015 elections
ECL 807,925
HH 780, 168
EDITH 15, 321

2016 elections
ECL 1,860,877
HH 1,760,347
EDITH 24, 149

“Now you ought to understand that to go through the 50+1 per cent threshold, we only made it by minus/plus 13,000 votes. When you politically analyse the results you will agree with me that their is urgent need to start mobilizing our party from the grassroots because that’s were we seem to be having a big challenge. Let’s appreciate ones strength and use it for the benefit of the Patriotic Front party and not look at it as a threat,” he said.

Chongu said it was unfortunate that those in PF tasked to gauge the political atmosphere were misleading the party leadership.

“We understand that our hardworking Patriotic Front Secretary General Mr. Davies Mwila, above all our distinguished humble leader President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, are sometimes fed with doctored information in terms of what is happening on the ground. This has made most PF members feel neglected, causing a silent resentment towards the PF and President Lungu,” he said.

“I can confirm that on the Copperbbelt, we visited several areas in terms of grassroots and I must admit that in most cases our leaders are never given the true picture of what’s on the ground. This is strongly destroying our party. Recently agains, we were on a fact finding mission in Northern Province. I must admit that our findings are mind baffling; surely I can confirm that the picture being portrayed to our leaders showing that things are okay on the Copperbbelt is fake, for what we have gathered is shocking.”

He said it was vital for party mobilisers to relay accurate information to decision makers.

“Taking lies to our leaders will not help our party or president Lungu to make well informed decisions. It will certainly destroy the party. We are ignoring the truth for temporally happiness,” Chongu observed.

He also proposed that the PF must go to intra party elections this year in order to leave room for managing the obvious fallout that would ensue from the losing candidates.

“Party elections should have been strategically made to happen this year to give room for the party to properly reorganize itself. I know some will disagree with me on this subject since the election date was already set for next year 2018. However with what has been happening politically in our party and the pretence, we anticipate betrayers, mostly those that will lose their positions, to try by all means to defect with a reasonable number of their supporters,” Chongu said.

He said the PF grassroots were angry with the ruling party.

“Lately, despite President Lungu relentlessly preaching to party leaders to empower our grassroots, most of these leaders only talk the walk and never walk the talk, something that has really angered the grassroots countrywide and this is a political ticking time bomb,” Chongu said.

Meanwhile, Chongu said it was sad that some PF leaders were governing via Facebook.

“It’s disheartening to see that some of our leaders have decided to spend much of their efforts on Facebook or PF blogs, politicking, trying hard to appease President Lungu, forgetting the people that voted; thereby decreasing the numbers in our party.