CONSTITUTIONAL Lawyer John Sangwa says under President Edgar Lungu, PF was a criminal organisation whose main principle was theft.

And Sangwa says President Lungu is one of the luckiest people but he screwed things up massively.

Meanwhile, Sangwa says he will comment on President-Elect Hakainde Hichilema’s victory next week after he observes whom he will surround himself with.

Speaking on Capital FM’s Breakfast Show, Thursday, Sangwa said under President Lungu’s leadership, PF lost its soul and became a criminal organisation masquerading as a political party.

“PF started as a political party when it was started by Michael Sata in 2001. I don’t think President Lungu as a person ever aspired to be President. He is basically an accidental President. Under his leadership, PF lost its soul. It moved from a political party and it became largely a criminal organisation. That is the saddest part. It was a criminal organisation masquerading as a political party. It wasn’t a political party. The guiding principle was basically theft, looting public resources,” Sangwa said.

“Most of the policies that were implemented, I cannot think of any policies or projects that were implemented because it was beneficial in the interests of the people. If the people benefited, it was an accident. The driving factor was what do I stand to benefit from this contract? If there was a cut for me, I will go for it, if there is no cut for me, forget it even if it benefits the people. State institutions were captured, they destroyed the institutions, the Judiciary, the civil service, every institution was destroyed.”

Sangwa said the PF created a fake reality that everything was okay when in fact not.

“Because it became a criminal organisation it was well funded, well resourced, basically money was not a problem. They had so much faith that with money you can buy everything and anyone. If you couldn’t buy somebody then you had to destroy them because you had the institutions of governance at your disposal to destroy them. That is why you saw the level of confidence and arrogance that was there. I have never seen people display so much arrogance. I mean how do you have a slogan saying alebwelelapo? I mean no sane person could conceive something like that. Your possibility to come back is dependent on the voters,” he said.

“What you are basically saying is that a vote does not mean anything, it is a fuss. Bottom line is that people were able to see through this thing. The problem is that because of greed and arrogance they become blind. Because of money and the fact that they controlled the instruments of cohesion, they created a fake reality, they manufactured their own reality which they believed. We had people in Zambia saying ‘things are okay’. Now, if things are okay let the people tell you.”

And Sangwa said President Lungu was one of the luckiest people because he was given the Presidency but he “screwed things”.

“Unfortunately, he is one of the luckiest human beings on earth, but he messed it up. This is a guy in the legal profession, he went into politics not out of choice but out of wanting to survive economically and financially and you are given the presidency of the country, and you end up screwing up everything imaginable. It is so painful and it is so heartbreaking,” he said.

Sangwa said President Lungu’s push for a third term was driven by a desire for self-preservation.

“When you have committed so much crimes, you know that when you leave power, you [will] end up in jail. So, the desire for the third term was driven purely by desire for self-preservation. It wasn’t because you have done such a fantastic job, therefore, people wanted him, no! It was largely, this is my belief, it was because you have done so much wrong things, and you know that once you leave power you are likely to have your immunity removed, you will be prosecuted thereafter you go to jail,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sangwa said he would comment on President-Elect Hichilema’s victory next week.

“I believe this will be the easiest presidency because you can’t be worse than these guys. We all knew bad things were going on. I think that most people are expecting the President- Elect to be sworn into office next Tuesday. I think next Tuesday will be very interesting, people are excited about this. I have reserved my judgement and my excitement, I am excited about the outcome of the election, I am reserving my judgement. I think I will comment on the HH presidency next week once we see the complexion of his Cabinet, that will tell us a lot,” said Sangwa.

“Most importantly the people that will surround him, because under President Lungu all that we created was like the qualification of appointment was the extent of your criminal record. Where mediocrity was rewarded, and meritocracy was frowned upon and punished. So, that will be very important to be able to see the complexion. I will still not be dancing for President HH, I will give him 100 days, three months. Then after three months, I hope you can invite me again. The country is in a state of expectation.”