PF secretary general Davies Mwila says his party will not apologise for announcing publicly at a rally last week that President Edgar Lungu has a sack full of money because it is true that the Head of State is in charge of resources.

And Mwila says the Patriotic Front has shamed and proved to the opposition that it is possible to win an election without resorting to evil schemes of violence and bloodshed.

Speaking when he addressed journalists at the PF party secretariat in Lusaka, Mwila said as the ruling party goes to campaign in Roan and Bahati for the Parliamentary by-elections, it would carry the same message that whoever wants development should approach President Lungu because he has the custodian of national resources.

“I want to make a clarification on one statement that has been making rounds on social media. There was a rally in Kafue on Sunday [last week], where they are saying that President ewakwata akafuko kandalama (that the President is the one who has a sack full of money). I think I want to clarify that. When we say that the President is the one with a bag of money, we mean that we are the ones who are managing the resources of this country. We are in government, people gave us a mandate, we will run this country for the next five years. We are in charge, so when the people want development, they have to come to us, they can’t go to HH. That’s is the interpretation [of ‘bamene bali na kasaka ka ndalama niba Edgar Lungu], it doesn’t mean that the money will come from President Edgar Lungu’s pocket, not at all! And as we go to Roan and Bahati, we are going to repeat that statement [because] we are in charge, we are the ones who are distributing the money in terms of delivering development and we are not going to apologise for that. I heard today (Thursday) on Hot FM where they wanted to misinterpret the issue, no! We are managing the resources of this country, we are in government,” Mwila explained.

Meanwhile, Mwila congratulated his party on the victory in Kafue but regretted that the arrest of UPND Provincial Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta for allegedly being in possession of offensive weapons had left a stain on what could have been a violent free election.

“We have received with great joy and thanks giving to our Lord God, news of the PF victory in the Kafue Council Chairman elections. We pride ourselves in observing the directive of our party president who is also our Head of State, His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to conduct issue-based and violence free elections. I therefore pay glowing tribute to our members, the foot soldiers and the campaign team led by campaign manager Hon Given Lubinda and his two deputies, Hon Japhen Mwakalombe and Maria Langa for their great work in informing the people of Kafue on the manifesto, achievements and plans for Kafue. PF has therefore led by example and proved to the opposition that it is possible to win an election without resorting to evil schemes of violence and shedding of innocent blood. However, we condemn the acts of violence orchestrated by UPND cadres led by their Provincial Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta. They have left a stain on what should have been a violent free election,” Mwila said.

Mwila expressed optimism that the election of the PF candidate Brig Gen Moono Simakoloi as Kafue District Chairperson would facilitate the long overdue development in the District, charging that leaders from the opposition had been a liability to development.

“The UPND and their leader just oppose development for the sake of opposing it and they do not allow their officials to work with government in fostering development in their areas of responsibility. The opposition have therefore been a liability to development in their so called varnishing strongholds. But the people of Kafue like in many other former UPND strongholds have responded and they are tired of the UPND retarding their progress. The election of the PF candidate retired Brig Gen Moono will now facilitate the long overdue development in Kafue. This election success is therefore a victory for the development of Kafue under PF; overcoming the prolonged retardation of Kafue under UPND. It is a victory of the will of the people prevailing over the bitter ego of one man; It is also a victory of love and national unity; prevailing over the blind negative loyalty of tribalism and regionalism,” said Mwila.