PATRIOTIC Front (PF) chairperson for elections Yamfwa Mukanga says the ruling party is too big to be threatened by the Opposition Alliance’s strategy of fielding single candidates for all positions in the August 12 general election.

In an interview, Mukanga argued that PF would win regardless of any opposition strategy.

“It’s okay, let them go ahead, we are not afraid of anyone, that just shows their strategy. PF cannot be threatened by such cheap moves! PF is a big party and the people, who have formed PF are people who love the party. So, whatever they do, it’s okay, we will win them in the August elections! Whatever they do does not reduce our chances. We look at what we have done and what the people want, and people will be voting based on what we have done and based on what our performance has been. And this not the first time that we have heard of such alliances being formed and the ideas are short-lived. They have never worked before so it’s okay,” said Mukanga.

But National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-president Joseph Akafumba, however, called on all other well-meaning opposition political parties to join the Alliance and work together to oust the PF regime.

“As NDC, we are in full support with the position articulated by our chairman of the Alliance (Charles Milupi) to come up with a mechanism that will enable the Alliance to field single candidates for all positions in the 2021 general election. The opposite of what the chairman has said is we compete with each other and that will not be in the interest of the Alliance; number one, and secondly, I do not think it will be in the interest of the Zambian people because all of us in the Alliance. We stand on behalf of the Zambian people who have told us that the PF has brought misery; PF has got no regard for the rule of law; PF closes media houses as if you are closing the door of a kiosk; PF has shrunk freedom of expression. I have deliberately left out the economy because there is nothing to write home about. PF’s list of scandals reads like a page in a telephone directory,” said Akafumba in a separate interview.

“Therefore, our orders from the Zambian people are, ‘please remove this regime, which has brought misery to the Zambian people.’ Therefore, the way we can achieve this is not to fragment our votes, if we mean well and not being selfish, the position of the chairman is well supported, we are not dealing with a normal government here, we are dealing with people, who you have seen, even the voter registration is chaotic to their own benefit. Therefore, we cannot refuse to take a chance.”