MMD leader Nevers Mumba has encouraged other opposition parties which took part in the polls not to be disheartened because Zambians had to sacrifice everyone else in the contest in order for UPND to remove PF from government.

And sources within the government have told News Diggers that President Edgar Lungu is expected to concede defeat to UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema who, based on unofficial results, is headed for outright victory with an unbridgeable margin.

The sources further revealed that a recommendation had been made to the Head of State to consider conceding before the Commission announces the results as that was one way of saving face.

“The results are a shock to the party and the government, the voting patterns did not actually make sense, but what has happened has happened and nothing can be done. In fact, the boss has already been given the report, he has been informed that it’s a loss and the margin is just too big to even imagine. So now, the idea is that if he concedes defeat at this stage, then it will save us face. But that now remains up to him how he wants to proceed,” said the source.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia yesterday attempted to release results for Feira Constituency, but the opposition UPND and other stakeholders objected to the move, saying that the results which were about to be announced were inaccurate as they had not been verified and agreed upon by political parties representatives.

The persistence from the UPND forced the Commission board members and management to walk away from the national results totalling centre and never to return, leaving the public in limbo.

Addressing the media, Friday, Mumba said UPND was headed for a big win according to results received from different polling stations.

“Today I deal with matters that are prevailing in the country in a rather very tense atmosphere and a lot of anxiety for many Zambians still waiting for the results of this election. As you are aware, we are participants in these elections and we have information from polling stations that are reaching us and our assessment of our trajectory from those polling stations is that our colleagues from the UPND are headed for a very big win,” he said.

“In conceding in this matter as the party and as a candidate, I would like to give the following counsel to the nation. It is an activity that I have done for many many years and I believe under such circumstances when the country is on its tentacles of fear and anxiety, the voice of reason must continue to arise regardless of the pain of our own experience. I would like to state based on the results that have come through that we have taken note from the polling stations. What we are seeing in Zambia today is a huge referendum against the PF and their inability to lead the nation.”

Mumba said Zambians sacrificed most opposition leaders by giving them zero votes because they found that the UPND were better positioned to remove PF from government.

“The Zambian people have watched with great concern over the past 10 years as to how our nation has moved away from how it used to be. The envy of the continent and envy of the world and become a nation that is engulfed in violence, a lack of respect for the rule of law and a lifestyle that is very alien to the Zambian people. When you look at the turn out of this election of close to 80 percent if that is even possible, we are all amazed at how Zambians are so decisive. They knew exactly and they knew exactly what they wanted. They decided to even give us zero’s in order to remove PF from the government. It is for that reason that siding with the will of the Zambian people. MMD and myself as candidate finds no fault in the choice of Zambians and in the action of Zambians because at the end of the day, Zambians must get what they want and our responsibility is to support the decisions of the Zambians,” he said.

“I would say Zambians you are truly truly virtuous. You know exactly what you want and you are patient enough to wait until the opportune time comes for you to unleash your determination in order to create a future for yourselves. I would like to encourage my colleagues that participated in these elections including myself that this has nothing to do with the fact that the people of Zambia have something against Nevers Mumba or other opposition leaders. Zambians have an agenda and they were resolved that in order to remove the PF, they have to sacrifice everyone else including myself and other opposition leaders because they found at this particular time that our colleagues in the UPND were better positioned to remove PF from government.”

Mumba urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to be on the side of the people and do the right thing.

“I want to commend the ECZ for the manner in which they have organised preparations and the actual management on the actual voting day. We have to be fair that you did an excellent job in ensuring that there was proper process at the polling stations. But the greatest test for you ECZ is still ahead of you and this is exactly what we have been saying as MMD for the longest time. It is the test for courage, it is the test to side with the Zambian people, it is the test to do the right thing. We have been here as MMD where PF removed us from power and we wanted to hold on to power. It is just the way it is. Anyone who has been in power will use every liver in his hand to remain in power but they can’t do anything without the manipulation of the ECZ,” he said.

“Christians across this nation and well meaning Zambians are praying that may there be courage found in the hearts of men and women of ECZ to be on the side of the people and do the right thing. We do have results from the polling stations and we would like to ensure that those results are the same as the ones at the totaling center here in Lusaka. Any variants in those figures can trigger one of the most unsustainable in terms of our security in this nation. The greatest danger to Africa’s democratic nations are electoral commissions on the continent. It’s this misconduct that creates anarchy, instability and promotes violence in the nations. We therefore for the sake of peace challenge the ECZ to rise up to this occasion and serve the Zambian people.”

And Mumba further advised the UPND to interpret the mandate that had been given to them by Zambians.

“A word to our colleagues in the UPND. We ask for them to have grace in victory, grace in victory which leads to national unity. It is important to realise and understand what the Zambian people have done, what they are asking the UPND to do. Our colleagues must interpret this mandate that has seemingly been given to them. I know that my brother HH does have the understanding that they are not doing this for any other reason as Zambians but because they have got certain issues. They need to deal with certain things and one of those things is corruption and tribalism,” he said.

“I want my colleagues to also understand that what has happened to UNIP, MMD, and PF can also happen to them. The span of tolerance is reducing as you can see UNIP ruled for 27 years, MMD 20 years and now PF 10 years. I believe my colleagues in the UPND understand what I am saying, they can stay longer but otherwise they could be reduced from 10 to five years.”

He later called for peace in the country as ECZ announced the election results.

“As we wait for the election results, I would like to ask all Zambians to remain calm, that’s who we are, we are a peaceful nation, there is no need for us to do anything else. Let us trust God that we are going to cross this river and get on to the other side. We don’t know what the results are going to be like, but if there is going to be a re-run after these elections, we (MMD) have had talks with the UPND promising the fact that we will support the UPND in the re-run to making sure that what the Zambians want in terms of getting the PF to rest happens. I know that Governments come, governments go, but Zambian will continue to abide,” said Mumba