PF Legal Committee Chairperson Brian Mundubile and Bwana Mkubwa PF member of parliament Dr Jonas Chanda yesterday held a press conference at the ruling party secretariat at which they threatened to deregister the opposition UPND if they find proof that it bribed MPs to impeachPresident Edgar Lungu.
The officials who were flanked by deputy media director Antonio Mwanza and provincial youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba, said the Ministry of Home Affairs was investigating the matter.
They also called on members of parliament not to be bought over the impeachment motion.
“I just want to urge members of parliament whether from UPND, MMD, FDD or PF that when somebody trys to bribe you for something, just tell them that ‘I am not for sale’, we are not for sale. We got the mandate from the people to represent them. And if these things are proven and I would urge the Minister of Home Affairs to investigate very seriously, if all these allegations are proven, we shall seriously call for the deregistration of UPND which means they are not adding value to the political discourse,” Chanda said.
Chanda said UPND was sabotaging the economic status of the country by talking ill about Zambia.
“The UPND are not patriotic, they don’t love this country. That is why they go out talking ill about this country, damaging and denting the image of the county, and that also has repercussions on foreign investment. Investors who want to invest in the economy, they look at what is happening, the news that they get. In short what UPND is doing apart from demeaning the President, they are denting you as a country. They are also sabotaging you as a country economically because if investors don’t come, the economy will suffer,” said Chanda.
“So what I want you to mark is, if what we are hearing of them trying to get money to buy members of parliament is true, they are corrupt themselves and they are not qualified to talk on corruption. Let them come out clean and we have seen this trend where someone is accused of corruption, they are the number one to go and defend a person who is accused of corruption.”
Meanwhile Mundubile said the impeachment motion by the UPND was only intended at scandalizing President Lungu.
“Equity demands that he that comes to equity must come with clean hands. UPND is not coming to equity with clean hands with regards to corruption. If the stories we are getting in the media are true, of them going outside, wanton to go and corrupt members of parliament to procure support in the impeachment motion, its unfortunate, and they are not competent to comment on corruption whatsoever,” Mundubile said.
“What would become of them if one day they came into government? If they can begin to do corruption now when they are in opposition, by going behind first of all, they bring a motion which is not competent. That motion like by colleague said is B.I.D because we looked ta it. They were trying to fool Zambians that there is about to be an impeachment. Impeachment is a constitutional remedy which is meant to address very serious offences against government systems. It should be a very serious offence that threatens the existence of government,” Mundubile said.
And Mundubile charged that the opposition UPND was forcing the impeachment motion under pressure from their foreign sponsors.
“So clearly, we know that UPND is not doing this under their on free will, there is somebody behind them, there is a sponsor who is pushing them do all this. We know that our colleagues in UPND are also Zambian but what is happening now is unZambian, the people who are pushing them are not Zambia. and that is a danger, when you want to freely lose your sovereignty, you want to surrender your sovereignty to other people to your sponsors all because of money,” said Mundubile.