Patriotic Front media director Sunday Chanda says his party is aware of schemes by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to incite citizens and sow seeds of discord on the Copperbelt.

In a statement on Sunday, Chanda stated that people who had left a “trail of misery on the Copperbelt” were shamefully attempting to launder themselves as saints.

“We are aware of schemes by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to incite citizens and sow seeds of discord on the Copperbelt. It is sad that the same people who left a trail of misery on the Copperbelt after their scandalous involvement in the privatisation of the mines would attempt to shamefully present and launder themselves as saints,” Chanda stated.

“These are the same people who more recently betrayed Copperbelt Mine workers by siding with foreign mine owners, when the mines made an announcement threatening the loss of 21,000 jobs as a result of the new tax regime. The miners particularly recall how an opposition leader who dubiously acquired wealth (which he is embarrassed and uncomfortable to account for) could not hide his joy at the prospect of 21,000 Zambian miners losing their jobs because he felt he could “kill two birds with one stone”; it would make the government unpopular on one hand; and further his political interests on the other.”

Chanda stated that Hichilema did not care about demanding more taxes from the mines.

“Zambians on the Copperbelt Province know that while he seeks to meet miners during the day, he meets some of the notorious mine owners at night. The UPND leader told Zambians that mine owners could not wait for him to become President. Clearly this is what a man who has sold out says – choosing capital over human life. Zambians from all walks of life have demanded that mines pay more and that we must stop the daylight robbery by some of these mines. Clearly demanding more from the Mines does not matter to UPND and its leader,” stated Chanda.

“Zambians on the Copperbelt and the Country at large can be assured that while our colleagues in the Opposition seek to only deal with the ‘What’, Patriotic Front’s economic stimulus package deals with the ‘How’. We can affirm that PF Government’s development package aims at restoring the Province’s lost glory while aiming at reversing the adverse effects of Zambia’s notorious privatization process which produced a few millionaires like Mr. Hichilema and condemned millions of citizens to abject poverty and squalor.”