PATRIOTIC Front secretary general Davies Mwila says PF has to retain power at all costs.

And Mwila says party structures should ensure that people register as voters because the party which will win in Lusaka and on the Copperbelt will form government.

Speaking when he met ward officials in Munali Constituency, Friday, Mwila urged them to register as voters saying the ruling party needed to retain power at all costs.

“We have to retain power at all costs. Let us bring people to the party we want numbers. Lusaka nga twawina fye seven constituencies ninshi election nayipwa (when we win seven constituencies in Lusaka, we would have won the election). Chawama, I need more than 100,000, Mandevu I need more than 200,000 [and] Matero I want more 200,000. I hope that you still go flat out until 30 days if they do an extension, good for us and I hope they will do an extension. Because I was told that they had 107 machines by yesterday they added 15 more so we have 120 machines so the response is good ku making’a sure twalembesha (make sure we register as voters),” Mwila said.

And Mwila said the Copperbelt and Lusaka were “swing provinces”.

“The last meeting we had at Nakatindi…that was the day before they started voter registration on the 9th and I did direct that all the structures they need to get voters’ cards before Friday. And I went further that anyone who will not get a voter’s card will be removed from the structures. This is a very important exercise I started with Chawama and now I am in Munali constituency, the reason is very simpl,e whichever political party wins Lusaka and Copperbelt will form government. These are swing provinces because you know that they can’t beat us in Muchinga, they can’t beat us in Northern, they can’t beat us in Eastern, they can’t beat us in Luapula. So we have to make sure that our people register as voters. The last total number of registered voters was 144,000 and we need 200,000. When we get 200,000, we have swallowed the whole Western Province, the whole North-western ninshi game nayipwa (the game will be over),” Mwila said.

“That is why as the secretariat we have taken keen interest in this exercise and we have to work with the structures because the structures are constitutional. It is the structures that elect the President at the general conference, it is the structures that select all the MCCs so we have to respect the structures at all cost. And anyone who doesn’t respect the structures will remain behind.”

He insisted that the 2021 adoption process would be based on merit.

“And I made it very clear at Nakatindi the people that are going to make recommendations are the constituency and the district. Of course the wards will have a say to tell the constituency that this is the one we want to stand. No one will impose a candidate. At Nakatindi, I said, and I want to repeat aba bomba bakabwela, aba sha bomba tabakabwele (those members of parliament who have worked will not be readopted, those who haven’t, they won’t be picked). They can’t intimidate us. Ifwe we will follow what the party wants. So you register that is phase one. Phase two, you have to give us a good candidate. We have a candidate President Edgar Chagwa Lungu so ichisheleko kulembesha ba MP (the only thing remaining is choosing an MP). The last sitting they will sit in February up to March. Nga ya pwa fye nka bike na advert (When the sitting ends, I will place an advert). We just have to be fair to each other there, not hatred ah ah. Because you hate this person then you can’t adopt him…the adoption shall be on merit, it ends there. Not ati ba SG bakaleta candidate (the SG will not select a candidate),” said Mwila.