President Edgar Lungu says he will still be around for the 2026 elections and those who will deny him votes in 2021 will find him again five years later.

Speaking in Solwezi when he addressed party supporters at the official opening of the new PF provincial office, President Lungu said he was certain of victory in 2021 because his strongholds have remained intact.

The Head of State who has already been elected into office twice, revealed that he was not sleeping ahead of the 2021 election, so that he could be elected for the third time, before going further to hint that he would be contesting for the fourth term in 2026.

According to the Constitution of Zambia, a President cannot contest elections after ruling for two full terms. The Constitution further says a person who has twice been elected into the office of Republican President is not eligible to contest for the third term.

“I have got no time to sleep, 2021 is around the corner. In a few days time we will be in 2020, so we have to up our game. We expect you people in North Western Province to give us the votes we need to form government in 2021,” the President told a cheering crowd.

“I know it’s possible because I believe in the leadership of the provincial PF committee. On my part, I will wait on you people in North Western Province to come and prove that you are with us in 2021, if you don’t we will wait for 2026 anyway because I will still be around.”

He said he was confident of his continued re-election because of the development that his government had taken to areas where he did not get many votes in previous elections.

“I am saying so because we have still kept our strongholds intact. Where we won 50 plus, we have those votes still intact. So we are expecting you people in North Western Province to add so that we get 60-65 per cent. Yes, don’t argue, I know what I am talking about because in Dundumwezi I got 252 votes but this time I’m geting thousands and thousands of votes, because of what we have done there,”he said.

“I am sure I will get some votes in Solwezi because you know the road to Chingola has been done. We will just be pointing to say, haven’t you seen what we have done from 2016 upto now? Sonta apo wabomba, tukalasontapofye! I am saying this because Zambians are very intelligent they are not willing to change a winning team. They are still happy with the game.”

And President Lungu admitted that the economy was bad, but said those who expect that the prevailing problems would persist until 2021 were cheating themselves.

“I know things are bad in Zambia, the price of mealie meal is high, I know. But this will be overcome shortly. I know there is shortage of electricity and we know the reason why there is this shortage but we are working on it and soon you will have enough electricity,” said President Lungu.

“Those who think these problems will still be there upto 2021 are cheating themselves. And if you love the Zambian people, why should you pray that things should get worse, so that people suffer more so that they can elect you as president? If you love Zambia why should you pray for riots so that the country becomes ungovernable? If you love your people you pray that Zambia becomes peaceful and one nation, so that in an unlikely event that you are elected, you find a peaceful country.”