Copperbelt PF Provincial Chairperson Nathan Chanda says former Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili caused the by-election in the constituency because of his “uncoordinated talk”.

In a statement, Chanda, who is also Luanshya Mayor, stated that he would not contest as MP in the forthcoming Roan parliamentary by-election, saying “God’s time is the best”.

“It is sad that Mr. Kambwili has brought a by-election because of his uncoordinated talk! It is him that has caused this by-election; the Constitution is very clear that once you denounce your own political party is that you expel yourself from the party! You can’t be in two parties at the same time,” Chanda stated.

“It is not a general election of changing the President, Mayor or councillors; we just have a by-election, penalty without a goal keeper, so we just have to score in an empty goal! We have people that lie that they pay for orphans, it’s a lie; it’s the money of government through CDF (Constituency Development Fund). Don’t be cheated that they are helping people with personal money.”

And Chanda stated that he would not contest as MP in the forthcoming Roan parliamentary by-election.”

“For me, I will wait for the right time to come. God’s time is always the best because it’s God who chooses leaders. Even when it comes to this election, we have won on a clean game and we are starting the interviews tomorrow, Sunday, at constituency level; Monday at district level and Tuesday at provincial level. We will need to have a clean process of coming up with a candidate, and all those who are PF members and want to stand, are free to apply. Give us a member of parliament who will work with the President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu and the PF,” Chanda appealed.

He said government would not abandon the ongoing road projects in Luanshya because of the by-election campaign.

“On the roads and the projects, we are not going to fear the by-election. These road works just stalled because of the rains. So, once the rains reduce or finishes, we are starting the road rehabilitation works because they have nothing to do with by-elections. Work should continue with or without a by-election. Forgive the councillors who seem not to be working because they had no MP and access to CDF,” stated Chanda, who had wished to be adopted on the PF ticket in 2016.

And PF provincial Vice Secretary for Copperbelt Dr Jonas Chanda, who is also Bwana Mkubwa PF member of parliament, alleged that Roan constituency was not developed because Kambwili was not working with President Lungu and the PF when he was MP.

“MP has the duty to represent the people; the concerns that people are faced with. The MP also makes laws. Here in Roan, you have an absentee landlord; we need an MP who will work with the President. We had a meeting with the President and if he is not involved with government, how will he develop the constituency? Here in Roan, we should not even make a mistake. Former MP Kambwili was not working with the President and the PF! All the Copperbelt MPs, we need to ensure that we develop the Copperbelt. We do not want the people of Copperbelt to suffer because of lack of proper representation in Parliament,” stated Chanda.