PF’s attempts to cripple opposition will be futile – Musenge

NDC secretary general Mwenye Musenge addresses journalists at the party secretariat in Lusaka on June 24, 2018 - Picture by Tenson Mkhala

NDC secretary general Mwenya Musenge has accused the ruling Patriotic Front of embarking on a mission to cripple the opposition by buying off its members.

And Musenge says these attempts by the PF to amputate and silence the opposition will prove futile.

In his statement issued in Kitwe, Wednesday, Musenge charged that the PF was targeting senior members of the NDC as well as others from opposition groupings.

“Attempts by the governing PF to decimate, amputate and silence credible opposition political parties in the country is an exercise in futility! We realize that the PF has also implored medieval and farfetched attempts to silence independent and divergent voices. As a party, we have observed with sadness on how the PF has been buying opposition members to join the governing party. These induced defections are meant to perpetuate and create an impression that the PF is gaining political mileage. The PF has targeted senior members from the NDC and opposition groupings, such as UPND, to cripple the opposition. In all this, we suspect dirty money is exchanging hands to woo opposition members. Just yesterday, we saw what happened in Eastern Province where the UPND suffered yet another blow after its regional vice chairperson joined the PF,” Musenge charged.

“But all these desperate attempts to mislead the Zambian populace will be short-lived. The people of Zambia will soon speak out and this will be the end of this barbaric regime that has caused so much havoc and pain for its people. This crusade to cripple the opposition through hook and crook is cosmetic. And the people of Zambia are viewed as docile in the wake of all this political drama. But Zambians aren’t naïve. The people of this great nation are waiting for an opportunity to have their say on this regime through a general election. To our party functionaries countrywide, we appeal to you our noble and gallant members to remain strong, united and steadfast.”

He maintained that the NDC would not fall prey of any made-up defections.

“We in the NDC will not fall prey to these makeup defections to hoodwink the Zambian people and sway public perception. The national leadership of the NDC will continue speaking out on behalf of our poor peasants and general citizenry. As NDC, we have heard rumours in various forums asserting that we shall fold and go back to the PF. This is totally wrong and far-fetched! The NDC is here to stay and we want to assure our comrades countrywide that the struggle continues. The country is only remaining with a few months before the next general elections are announced. We are not an appendage of the PF and we shall thus remain as a united opposition front. The NDC might be a sprinter or breakaway party from the PF, but the PF, we established and shed our blood for has been hijacked. Hoodlums and crooks have taken over a once great party. To all genuine PF members who believe in the principles of our founding leaders, we urge you to resign from the PF and join the NDC. To our members; go flat out and organize the party in all corners of the country,” stated Musenge.