Former home affairs deputy Minister Panji Kaunda says his party, PF, has resorted to dubious campaign methods after realising that they have slim chances of winning next year’s elections.

In an interview, Monday, Kaunda said PF could no longer campaign using slogans such as “more money in people’s pockets” because people wouldn’t believe them.

“I know they are saying that they will win elections next year, but that is just on paper. Because even in rural areas, very few electorates are saying they are going to vote for the party. Even in rural areas, things are not as bright as they claim they are. Unless they give vitenge materials from now until election time, things are not bright. To be honest, our voters are not with us. The branding of farming inputs, in particular seeds by our members, is wrong. It’s morally wrong for anybody to brand those inputs, it just shows you how immoral our party is. We have failed to campaign on policies and our achievements and this is some form of corruption,” Kaunda said.

“That’s what happens when you fail the people, you have nothing to convince them with. And this is abuse of power of the worst [kind]. So, really, we really need someone to take up this and take these people to court. Someone should take it up and take them to court and let the court determine whether this is not abuse of power and public funds as a campaign tool. It’s wrong for the Electoral commission of Zambia to see what is happening now and just fold their arms.”

He said while PF is so desperate to win elections, it has very little to point because there are more failures than successes.

“We are too desperate to win elections. And because things are not right in the country, we have resorted to using all kinds of methods, good or bad to just try and win these elections. We are trying to use all kinds of methods to woo voters other than pointing to our policies and achievements, because now we can’t say you will have more money in your pockets, who will believe. There have been many failures and we have very little to point at that is why there are all these methods, donations to just woo voters. But it’s very immoral for the party to take advantage of the need of farmers such as seeds to then brand those inputs before giving them,” said Panji.

“The President has to come down and ask his followers to stop it. There is a need for morals and to uphold the constitution. It is very wrong. So, these methods they are using are very wrong and I hope the President will rise above all this and stop it and condemn it. The party has sunk so low and the President should be able to show that he can rise above so that we don’t show a bad example. We have to do better than this.”