PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says he can’t accept defeat because things in the country don’t show that he is losing.

And President Lungu says peace in the country is threatened because of one individual who needs to be identified and shamed.

Speaking during PF’s last virtual rally ahead of tomorrow’s general elections, Wednesday, Lungu said some people often asked him whether he could accept defeat and he thinks its impossible because people now know him and believe in him.

“Some people have come to me and said President Lungu, are you willing to accept loss? I said I’ve never lost before, so how has this loss issue come about, what has changed? In 2015, I beat HH with over 28,000 votes, 2016 I beat him with 100,000 plus and in 2021 I believe I will beat him with 500,000 votes. I begin questioning the motive of the people who are saying I should accept the loss. Pantu na loss ilamoneka eko ifuma (if someone will lose, loss can be identified from a distance). Right now I can tell you that the challenge we have is the economy and we are doing our best to solve the challenge,” President Lungu said.

“We used to have problems with power but we have sorted out those issues and we now have power. We no longer have load shedding. Truth of the matter is that we have enough energy in this country even to export. Now somebody comes to me to say if I can accept defeat. Kuti nakana (I can refuse to accept defeat) because things don’t show that we are losing. The reason I say we are winning is because in 2015 people didn’t know me, 2016 they began to know me, in 2021 they now know me and know me very well and they believe in me so how can I lose. ”

He said, however, that the reason why Africa was known for post election disputes was failure to accept results by the losers.

“I’m saying this from a practical encounter and experience with those people who have come to monitor elections in this country who are asking me questions and I tell them that the disputes we get in Africa, mostly post elections are failure to accept results. If you accept the results, there will be peace, but if from one election in 2015 you lose, you don’t tell us where we robbed you of the victory, 2016 you don’t tell us where we robbed you of the victory, and 2021 you are saying they will still get your votes. How will they steal? Tell us where they steal the votes,” he said.

And Lungu said peace in the country was threatened because of one individual who needed to be identified and shamed.

“PF is a very peaceful political party. Those of you who were there in 2001 following the formation of the party, we contested the election for a few seats. I remember Madam Chalikosa (Silvia) was in Munali and I was in Chawama. We lost lamentably and accepted the results. Mr [Michael] Sata and the rest of us said we have lost, let’s go and visit our supporters to thank them. Those of you with constituencies go back, work hard, applaud the people and thank them for their support. In 2006, we managed to get some Parliamentarians but we didn’t get the seat of presidency and we didn’t bring down the country, we didn’t tear [it] into pieces because we had lost, we accepted and went on campaigning,” he said.

“We didn’t go to ECZ and call them names and say they were party cadres and something like that. I didn’t stand in 2006, somebody stood and in Chawama we got a seat and a few seats elsewhere. In 2008 after the passing of the late President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, we had elections, PF stood and we lost. Some of our members wanted to bring Lusaka down but Mr Sata went on radio and said stop it and the whole PF went quiet. We listened to the man because he was our leader and wanted peace for this country. In 2011, we formed a government and that’s what a good leader does. Had it not been for Mr Sata saying stop it, Zambia could have been in flames. Peace is threatened in Zambia because of one character, one person and we need to identify him, name and shame him instead of pretending and beating around the bush.”

The Head of State assured the nation of peace ahead of tomorrow’s general elections voting.

“I’m glad that through every tragedy, there is a blessing. The death of those two young men in Kanyama gave us an opportunity to assess our security and we have deployed soldiers all over. There will be peace tomorrow, I want to assure every Zambian that tomorrow morning 05:30 hours I will be in Chawama, 06:00 hours I will cast the first ballot because I believe in voting. After voting, I will go home and wait for each one of you and when you vote, ECZ will do it’s job and they will declare a winner and we will respect the winner,” said President Lungu.

“ECZ has done a very good job but today we hear that no, how sure are you of ECZ, are you sure of ECZ? Tell us where we should begin doubting it. So we have the presence of security and law enforcement agencies everywhere. We are ready to make sure they quell any lawlessness. I want to promise the Zambian people that even as we vote, there is a government in place. Even as we vote, I’m President until I hand over to the next President who will still be me in any case because we are winning. We should remain ‘One Zambia, One Nation’, we are one people and we believe in democracy.”