PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says the on-going campaigns for the Kasenengwa parliamentary by-election are a formality because the ruling party has already won the seat.

And Phiri says opposition political parties will have no campaign issues to talk about come 2021 because of the various developments which are going on across the country.

In an interview with News Diggers! Phiri said it was a known fact that PF had already won the Kasenengwa by-election.

She said the only thing PF was doing now was to sensitize the people so that they don’t experience voter apathy.

“It’s a known fact that we have already won and the campaigns are going on very well. The only thing we are doing is to sensitise people so that we don’t experience voter apathy,” she said.

“Next week I’m going there from Monday until the vote is cast. We are not relaxing. So those who are reading News Diggers! when they are demonizing us, Mast, they should continue reading, us we are in the bush talking to the people. Convincing then and pointing ‘look at this health post we have brought’. So us it’s work. Demonise us as much as you can News Diggers! where we see its making sense, its pushing us to work,” she said.

Phiri wished the PF competitors, People’s Alliance for Change and UPPZ best wishes in the by-election which is scheduled for this Thursday.

“But it’s good to have competitors. That’s a democracy which everybody was crying for. We wish them well. We will see on September 6, who’s going to win,” she mocked.

And Phiri said PF was committed to the peace accord, signed by the PF, UPND lower organs.

“But the other thing which needs to be noted by the ordinary citizens of Zambia is that they should be able to compare, Eastern province is our stronghold, have you ever heard of violence breaking out? No. Where there’s violence it’s North Western province. Whose stronghold is that? So it’s clearly showing that us as PF we are committed to the peace accord which was signed by our children and us women,” she said.

“Infact as leaders we should even feel ashamed that it’s children who thought of coming up with that. It should have been us the top leadership who would have started with that. That’s why you saw us taking a step as deputy secretary general and the secretary general to go to our colleagues so that we can live in harmony. And we have told people in our stronghold never ever to attack each other. Why should we fight? We only differ in our political ideologies but the country we are serving is the same, Zambia. People now should be able to judge which party is violent.”

Phiri said she felt sorry for those who were claiming that PF was buying chancellors and defectors saying people were joining the party on their own.

“And I feel sorry for those who are saying that PF are buying people like councillors and all the defectors. How much money can anybody have to buy all those people? How much money? And I can confirm, as the secretariat we are not giving anybody money. They are just coming on their own,” she said.

Meanwhile Phiri said the opposition political parties would have nothing to talk about come 2021 because of the developments going on.

“I have always said that these opposition political parties will have nothing to talk about come 2021. You will remember in 2021 that this is what Mumbi Phiri said. Because of the development which is there. In fact I was just coming from Monze [where] I lost my son-in-law. The village where we were was 36 kilometres from the road from Monze town. Communication towers are there, my phone was able to work through out the two days I was there, the health posts are there [so] what are they going to talk about? So let them talk and talk. You the News Diggers! you can write whatever you write, us we are working for 2021,” she said.

“And I would like to take this opportunity to thank the chief in that area and the headmen there. The way they received me, that’s the way we are supposed to live under one Zambia one nation. And I get surprised how these politics can divide us. You can imagine, me I’m from Muchinga, my husband is from Eastern province, my children are married. One is married from Monze, the other one is married from Katuba area. What tribe are my grandchildren? They are Zambians. Otherwise I’m so grateful, I couldn’t believe the way we were received and looked after. That’s the way we should live even in politics.”

Phiri warned individuals mudslinging and writing lies about her saying they would not manage to bring her down.

“When I was in Turkey there was something which was circulating on social media that Mumbi Phiri has said that we should allow a Chinese to rule us. What sort of people have we become as Zambians? Lying, mudslinging, it’s not right. And let me tell those people who like writing lies about me, I can assure you, you talk behind my back but God is promoting me in front of your faces,” said Phiri.