National Democratic Congress spokesperson Eric Chanda says his party has approached all big politicians in the country to join, adding that Bahati member of parliament Harry Kalaba is a target because he has a big brain.

And Chanda says the NDC has already settled on Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili as its presidential candidate for the 2021 general elections.

Speaking on a Diamond Television programme dubbed Costa on Sunday night, Chanda said a number of politicians from all parts of the country had shown interest in working with the NDC.

“We are organising party structures in all parts of the country and I can confirm to you that a number of people have shown interest in working with us. I wouldn’t confirm whether Honourable Kalaba is a member of the NDC right now or not but honestly, Honourable Kalaba is a big brain and he is very intelligent. Moreover, I have already told you that we are organising all the better brains around the country to come and join NDC. I think for me Kalaba has shown that he is one of those better brains so why can’t we porch him?” Chanda said.

“And for your information Dr Kambwili is not clinging on to the PF, what he is doing is that he’s serving the people of Roan who voted for him as member of parliament in the PF. He is not interested in PF, he is no longer thinking about that party because it has abandoned its policies. Otherwise he has no heart belonging to the PF, he is the consultant for National Democratic Congress and I want to tell you that he’s our presidential candidate for 2021. I want to confirm to the Zambian people that we have a Presidential candidate for 2021 in the name of Chishimba Kambwili. We have already made a mark which you can’t doubt.”

Meanwhile, Chanda said local authorities in the country should legalise the collection of levies from markets by ruling party cadres by employing them as recognised tax collectors in the markets.

“The local government act is very clear on the governance of these markets. Now because we don’t have leadership, but only have those that don’t even read the laws of this country, they don’t know what is written. All what they know is that street vending is illegal, not knowing that even what cadres are doing in the market is also illegal. Collection of levies at the markets is for council. So why can’t the council employ all those cadres so that they collect these monies and then the council pays them salaries because that is the legal way of doing it than letting them (cadres) collect that money,” said Chanda.

“The council is losing millions of money in that venture of cadres, so what we are saying as NDC is that yes there is a vacuum in terms of collection of those fees at the markets but why can’t the council employ those cadres, give them jobs and collect money,” said Chanda.?”