PF DEPUTY national mobilisation chairperson Geofrey Bwalya Mwamba says newly-appointed UPND vice-president Mutale Nalumango is not a political factor and will not add any value to the opposition party because she will not have any impact in wooing the Northern vote.

In an interview, Mwamba, who is a former UPND vice-president, said her appointment was just an academic exercise because she would still be perpetually dependent on party president Hakainde Hichilema’s resources to execute her duties as his vice.

“I think they are just trying to fill in the gap because there has been an internal outcry by themselves to say, ‘they have no vice-president.’ In my view, it is just a ceremonial vice-president. To be a vice-president, it should take someone who, especially in their case, someone who has got the ability to traverse the country without depending on Hakainde Hichilema’s pocket. Now, that lady, she will depend on Hakainde Hichilema because she will not perform to the expectation of the UPND’s supporters or members if I may say. To me, it is just academic and ceremonial, there is nothing much there, it will not make a difference,” Mwamba argued.

He insisted that Nalumango was not a factor to change or influence the country’s political landscape.

“You need someone who has the capacity to travel, who has the capacity to traverse, who has the capacity to attract a Bemba vote in order to give UPND some votes from the Bemba vote. In my view, she is not a factor, not even in her own (Kaputa) constituency. Is she popular, you understand me? So, where is she going to get that vote from? That vote they ‘stole’ from Northern Province, it was because of me, because of the political activities that I did in that province,” Mwamba said.

“But herself, who is Nalumango today? Nalumango, she will just be vice-president, who cannot not even go into her own constituency using her own resources; she will depend on Hakainde Hichilema. So, if Hakainde Hichilema has no resources, that means she will not go and campaign and woo the Bemba vote. So, to me, it is not something that I think, not even the UPND, should celebrate about.”

And when asked how he would proceed with his own mobilisation activities after party national mobilisation chairperson Richard Musukwa banned the disbursement of money during public gatherings, Mwamba said only Musukwa would clarify on the matter.

“I think you have to ask him (Musukwa), he is not far away from you, I think you might as well ask my chairman, he is my boss, clarify on what he meant by that. The best thing is for you to ask my chairman, let him clarify on that statement,” replied Mwamba.