There is food in the ruling party, PF official tells defectors

31st January 2018

Local

Former FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza being welcomed to the PF p deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri (r) and national youth chairperson Stephen Kampyongo at the party secretariat shortly after he defected in Lusaka on January 20, 2018 - Picture by Tenson Mkhala

Local

Former FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza being welcomed to the PF p deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri (r) and national youth chairperson Stephen Kampyongo at the party secretariat shortly after he defected in Lusaka on January 20, 2018 - Picture by Tenson Mkhala

UPND Copperbelt treasurer Tom Diwali has resigned and joined the ruling Patriotic Front.

And Copperbelt PF chairman Steven Kainga says there is food in the PF and has assured defectors that they will eat with him.

Siwale said he did not see any reason why he would not be part of the development in ruling party.

Announcing his defection to the PF today, Siwale who was UPND candidate for Chifubu constituency in the 2011 general elections, said “the PF is the way to go”.

“Ala nshalande ifingi (I will not say much). Today is a turning point for me. I have saved the UPND for a long time. This decision I have made today is in the best interest. I do not want to remain behind. Why should I not be part of the development. I have resigned from UPND to join the PF. I love this man called Edgar Chagwa Lungu.. I know he has handlers but he also needs our support,” Siwale said.

“He needs the pillar to lean on. Above all this man needs prayer. There is nothing more powerful than prayer. And this country within a blink of any eye, I am seeing this man change the economy upside down.”

And Kainga told the new defector that there was food in the ruling party.

“Ala there is food in PF, and you Mr Tom you are welcome and this is your family. you will eat with and be with. We need to treat him well. He is coming from UPND with different ideas. Sometime he can act like UPND but we need to bare with him and work with him as a brother. Let us use him if he is a good leader who can speak. Let us use him to the fullest. This party needs to grow that is the bottom line,” Kainga said.

He said the ruling party was intact as shown by the number of people who were defecting from the opposition.

“Politics especially here on the Copperbelt is a challenge. For us to work, we need to be more aggressive. More aggressive as if tomorrow is not there. We need to be more powerful here on the Copperbelt. We are working well because we are united. That is why I say we are intact because we work together. Only those that are causing confusion are saying we are not united. For us we need to remain united and deliver for Edgar Chagwa Lungu in 2022,” said Kainga.

“A party that is not united cannot stand. Our friends had better positions where they are coming from but they sacrifice and leave their positions to come and join the good policies of the PF under Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Winning elections is about numbers. For us, we should not look at where a person is coming from. There is no tribe on the Copperbelt. Copperbelt is PF and there is no tribe. Today this friend is coming from UPND and for us on behalf of Copperbelt we are happy.”