KAPOCHE PF member of parliament Dr Charles Banda has urged voters in his constituency to re-elect President Edgar Lungu for a third successive time because he remains “our own.”

And Banda says the opposition want to cause anarchy in Zambia by telling citizens that the PF government is evil.

Speaking to his constituents at Mataya village under Matambazi ward, Sunday, Dr Banda rallied voters to re-elect President Lungu and not lose him through “careless voting”.

“Ladies and gentlemen, next year, let’s go for Lungu in 2021; let’s not lose Lungu the way we lost RB. We lost RB because of our careless voting! Lungu is our own and if we lose him now, we might not have another president from Eastern [Province] for some years, but let’s ensure Lungu is on until 2026, let’s hold him with our double hands,” said Dr Banda, who is also Local Government Minister.

He explained that the Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 was a good programme that aimed at removing bad clauses in the 2016 Amended Constitution.

“The other issue I want to share with you is that, you have heard of Bill 10. Don’t be misled that they want to include bad clauses, no! It’s already the existing Constitution, but that certain clauses are not okay and government wants to ensure that it is perfected so that it fits everyone, unlike the way it is. For example, we have about 156 constituencies but if we amend the Constitution, then we shall have about 230 constituencies,” Dr Banda argued.

On effective representation in his constituency, he also argued that he had done better than the previous Kapoche MPs.

“I am accused of serving 20 years, which I have not. I am the 12th MP in this Kapoche, we had people like Chioza; Ben Zulu; Fashion; Elinah; Nicholas; Kanyuka…all these did their part, but surely, all the projects and development they did not do, you are there loading them on me! You say I have served 20 years? No! I was the MP from 2001 to 2006 and I was off until 2016, is that 20 years? Let’s learn to speak the truth and appreciate what someone has done by saying, zikomo! (Thank you!),” Dr Banda said.

But during a question and answer session, Jabesi Phiri of Mataya village said all the government officials and aspirants promised various things like the Chimphundu road, but never fulfilled their promises.

He also told off Dr Banda that constituents no longer believed that the much-needed road would be worked on.

“Honourable, we appreciate your coming. But the big challenge we have is the poor road network. It’s unfortunate that everyone who comes gives us an assurance of the road to be worked on and once they leave, nothing happens! And even what you are saying, we are made to believe it is a lie. We challenge you to fulfil your words of the bridges you have mentioned,” Jabesi said.

Ronald Phiri of Kalandila village complained that there were no drugs in clinics as patients were told to go and buy at other facilities, adding that patients even struggled to access anti-malarial drugs in the area.

“We want to tell you in case you don’t know; we have suffered in these clinics due to lack of drugs as they just give us prescription to go and buy even panadol, and due to hunger, people have no money to buy drugs; the result is death at home. How is government going to help us? Honourable, when little drugs are there, we are receiving panadol on plain papers as those medical plastics are not there. Please, advocate for our lives, we are dying because drugs are not there in clinics,” urged Phiri.

Christine Zulu of Kakonje village told Dr Banda that local residents remained at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases because they drank contaminated water in streams where dogs, cows and wild animals also drink.

“Don’t be surprised with the diseases we shall face because we drink water with animals, such as dogs, pigs, cattle and many more just because we don’t have enough boreholes. We appeal for your intervention,” appealed Zulu.

Dr Banda, however, assured his constituents that various roads would will be worked on, pleading with them to be patient with government.

And Dr Banda accused the opposition of being behind the gassing incidents for people to rise against the PF government.

He further told the electorates that the government was doing everything possible to ensure that the masterminds of the gassing attacks were brought to book, and that about 46 suspects will soon appear before the courts of law.

“Be careful because the opposition want to inject fear in the people to say ‘Lungu’s government is evil.’ That’s why there are gassers who have robbed people’s peace in their houses; all they want is you to rise against government,” Dr Banda charged.

He expressed disappointment with people of Chimphundu within the area who, on Saturday, attacked Zambia Statistics Agency (ZSA) agents suspecting them of being gassers as they threw stones at them, and were only rescued by quick police action and Matambazi ward councillor Ranson Besa.

Dr Banda, who was accompanied by district PF secretary Best Mwanza, district PF youth chairperson Pingilani Banda, among other district party officials, was on a tour of his constituency where he equally donated building materials, among others.