UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says he does not waste time counting his losses because fighting for freedom doesn’t come easy.

And Hichilema says he will not go into government with the desire to fix and arrest fellow politicians like what President Edgar Lungu is doing.

Meanwhile, Hichilema says he is not intimidated by the intended Harry Kalaba, Felix Mutati and Kelvin Bwalya Fube alliance.

Responding to a QFM Breakfast Show listener, Wednesday, Hichilema said he doesn’t count the number of times he has lost elections because the goal is to seek a better living for the Zambian people.

The listener, who only identified himself as Brother Chisha from Lusaka, asked what strategy Hichilema would use going into the 2021 general elections as he had already lost five previous elections.

Chisha also questioned why Hichilema had continued to use social media to campaign rather than engaging people on the ground.

“Hey, it is citizens adept in losing. Citizens are hurting, that is why the economy has collapsed, that is why there are no jobs, citizens are hurting everywhere. What HH is doing is caring for 17 million children. So when you count those numbers, I don’t count those numbers myself. What we are seeking is to better the lives of the people. It doesn’t matter how many much long it takes, it doesn’t matter. How long did it take to fight for independence? How long was Kaunda arrested? How many times was Kapwepwe arrested? Did they stop fighting for independence? No! Because they knew that independence had to come. As we know that PF has to go because we need to bring a decent leadership, it doesn’t matter, keep counting Chisha you will be tired of counting,” Hichiema said.

“Technology is here to stay, if you don’t want technology then you are in the wrong place. Technology is here to stay. So if you say to me what you are doing on Facebook? What is Lungu doing on Facebook? Why do we have the Smart Eagles on Facebook and Twitter? What are you doing? Again it shows your lack of understanding of the environment. HH is seeking government to serve the people and not to steal from the people.”

Hichilema said campaigning should not be left to him alone.

“Everybody must be on the ground. This notion that Bally, HH must go everywhere, every corner, 13,000 polling stations and protect the vote alone, no. This is the unity I am talking about; every one must take it as a duty because we are all suffering to campaign, to be on the ground. Everybody must go and do their work. They shouldn’t wait for HH alone because we are all hurting, we are all suffering under this visionless leadership. This is not an HH agenda, HH is doing a lot. People shouldn’t see HH working when he is in the police cells. You know, I have been detained 15 times. Zambians have become accustomed that if HH is not in Maximum prison, in Mukobeko, then he is not working, no! The freedom struggle, the liberation struggle, the opportunity to empower youths to go to school, the economy to grow, is an agenda for all of us. It is not an HH agenda as someone tried to say that ‘oh, the opposition has lost by elections, they have lost’. It is your children who are not in school who have lost, it those who have no jobs that have lost. It is the retirees who have not been paid their money that have lost, it is everybody,” Hichilema said.

“Everybody must go and campaign. We were campaigning, it was only last week I was in the Central Province, I am sure you saw the footage. I am not afraid of anything but we shouldn’t think that if HH is not in police cells, he is now being chased all over, bullets shot at me in Sesheke, in Kaoma, remember in Chilubi Island there was a by-election I went to be there for 10 days, I was chased out like a dog and Zambians just watched. We are there for you, we are there for each other. Do not sit and do nothing when the oppressed are oppressing bus drivers. Bally HH is not afraid, if I was afraid, I could have run away from this agenda.”

And Hichilema said he would not go into government with the desire to fix or arrest fellow politicians.

“First, it is not the job of a President, like ourselves and our team united Zambia, to go into government to fix people. Because I have heard Davies Mwila every time he is campaigning in Northern, Luapula Provinces, his campaign message is that ‘don’t vote for HH and UPND because he will come and arrest us’. So, you Davies Mwila what are you afraid of? Why is HH going to arrest you? HH does not arrest people, that is the difference we bring to the table…HH is not like you and your friends who arrest innocent people. I have been arrested 15 times, I have been put in a cell with fresh faeces, it is not our duty, our duty is to fix the economy. We will not go out to seek leadership to arrest Lungu for what? I know he is scared of that because of what he did to me. I want him to hear this message, HH, Mr Lungu, is not like you. HH does not seek leadership to punish you, HH seeks to better the lives of you, better the lives of citizens,” Hichilema said.

Meanwhile, Hichilma said he was not intimidated by the Kalaba, Mutati and Fube alliance.

“What is there to threaten anybody, why would anyone be threatened? It is democracy. Kalaba, Mutati, KBF, who by the way I want you to know something, I know KBF very well. When he talks against HH, I take the higher ground. I know him very well, who he is. We were together at UNZA, I know his character but I will never talk about him. Let the people of Zambia judge him. He tries to talk about me but Kelvin, you know that I know you very well but I will never say things that you say about me because you are free, you are a citizen and you are being oppressed under the PF, your party. You and other Zambians must liberate ourselves from that PF operation,” said Hichilema.

“So, I don’t know why you find time to talk about HH all the time I hear you but I choose to be silent but I know you very well. You, where you are seated, know that I know you very well; but I am different from him. That is the difference we want to bring to the people of Zambia; to mature, to focus on issues. I am not the one in government. I can’t be threatened by KBF, it takes long to build a political party. In this country, there are people who believe noise making makes you a better person. You must look at the track record of the people, what have they done for themselves, for their families, for society? Then you can check them nicely.”