PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu will leave a pathetic legacy that will only remind people of corruption, violence and debt, says former transport and communications deputy minister Colonel Panji Kaunda.

In an interview, Col Kaunda, who is also a PF member, said there would be nothing good to remember President Lungu.

“I don’t know what Mr Sata was thinking. I don’t. It’s not a matter of whether Mr Sata really knew Edgar Lungu or not. President Sata wouldn’t have brought Edgar Lungu closer to the corridors of power if he knew the real character. He will leave the worst legacy! It’s all about corruption, violence and debt. First of all, he has left the country broke! We have for the first time after so many years have an economy in recession. And the poverty in this country, a lot of people don’t know the kind of poverty we have in this country. And it has worsened during Lungu’s rule. That’s the kind of legacy he is leaving. Nothing good. It’s a pathetic legacy! It’s not a Zambia that our forefathers dreamt of. We have derailed completely from the track,” Col Kaunda said.

“Sata in his own way was never violent. For instance, this video going round of Tutwa Ngulube saying, ‘he will kill anyone with pangas if they defect to the opposition and take with them other members of the party.’ If it was Sata, the man would have been fired from any position he is holding that he was given. He is deputy whip, he is a lawyer and he’s advocating for violence? And we are quiet, as government? That’s encouraging the youths that it’s okay to kill! Such utterances coming from our leaders in the party are worrying us. So, he is deceiving (President Lungu). I don’t think he means well,” he said.

He added that President Lungu’s failure to decisively deal with vices, such as violence was testament to the kind of character that he has.

“With this violence, it’s a matter of punishing those perpetrators and then it will be no more. You will hear people saying, ‘let’s go to the table and talk, there is no need.’ So, these kids that are beating up people like we are seeing, there is no doubt that they are being sent by somebody. It’s that failure of leadership in Zambia that has led us here. If they just jail somebody to set an example or demote somebody, that will set a tone of what government wants to see. But they have tolerated it and next time, it will be pangas as they are saying and then guns. Look, for example, this violence that happened where people, UPND members where attacked at their residence; we have been talking about violence for a long time, I think for the last eight years or so that violence is not part of our lives,” said Col Kaunda.

“I have personally appealed to the top leaders of the political parties. Condemn violence, but I noticed that they don’t like condemning it. Government is still silent on the incident, we are not talking about Mr Lungu being PF leader, but as government. Yes, the police have said something, but I would like the PF to come forcefully and push into saying this is not our way as Zambians. It so sad that nobody from government apart from the police who are condemning this.”