LAMECK Mangani says even if things are not okay in the country, there will be no change of government.
Responding to callers who advised him to contest the Chipata Central seat as an independent candidate and complaining about the bad economic situation during political hour programme on Breeze FM on Monday, Mangani, who is one of the seven PF aspirants, said there was no wind of change in the country.
“I want to guide and I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. If we are going to use emotions, we’ll miss the point! I came here in 2011, I told you that there will be a change of government and I spoke from the bottom of my heart, taking into account several other factors which most of the people may not be privy to,” he said. “Nifuna kuti nikuuzeni abale anga inu, kuti m’mene zinthu zilili lomba apa, kulibe mphepo yakuti boma isinthika. Nizoona zinthu nizovuta, umoyo wabvuta, koma kuti boma tisinthe, I want to tell you, sizichitika (I want to tell you my relatives that the way things are now, there is no wind of change. It’s true things are bad, life is bad but government cannot change).”
Mangani said those who were advising him to stand as an independent or on any other political party ticket were missing the point.
“The main reason why I want to contest is that things have come to a standstill (in Chipata Central). So I want to work with government to continue the developmental projects so that we help the people,” he said. “If I stand on independent, how are we going to foster development? So, the way things are, yes, there are assumptions that government is changing but that’s not correct.”
Mangani said there were many signs that indicate that there would be no change of government this year.
“In 2011, when I came to tell you that government was changing, we saw the way the wind was blowing and the way people were responding. Now, I am not refusing that life is hard but for people to make a decision to change government is not as simple as such. I want to help you people here in the East that don’t just see the rainy clouds and conclude that the rain is coming, no! Sometimes these clouds do not bring rain,” he said. “I can’t say much here because you say I intimidate you but you have the choice. But between you and me, come 12 August, we are going to ask each other questions to say ‘what has happened?’ PF will continue being in government.”
Mangani said had there been other signs, he would have told the people.
“PF is going to continue being in government. Others were saying the same things, that when PF goes to the convention there will be problems, people will be fighting and that will mark the end of the party. But the convention was done and everything started and ended well,” he said. “So, there is nothing like intimidating you, this is just politics. Looking at the way the PF has performed, many people are saying it should be given chance to continue.”
Mangani was responding to a caller, who only identified himself as Daka from within Chipata, who said things on the ground were bad.
“When you look at things on the ground, every person including those from PF, are complaining that things are not okay and in leadership when things are not okay, we need to try other people who are serious in helping the people of Zambia,” he said. “Now we get intimidated when you start saying that ‘we cannot change the government’, what signs show that you cannot lose as PF? It’s like you are intimidating us to a point where we think that even if we go and vote there is no meaning at all.”
Mangani also said claims that he was in talks with the UPND so that he could stand on its ticket in an event that he is not adopted by PF were baseless political rumours.
“You know how I play my politics. I don’t play politics under hide and seek. I was minister in the MMD government. When I thought that I wouldn’t continue with MMD, I came out in the open. I had a public meeting. So my nature is that I always do things in an open manner,” he said. “These speculations are baseless, possibly if you are in a competition each one is going to find the way of downgrading the other one and they will manufacture all sorts of things. I think this is just one of the unfortunate stories that I picked. There is no substance in this, I am a member of PF.”
Other candidates that are aspiring for Chipata Central are incumbent Moses Mawere, Zindaba Soko, Amon Jere, Donald Solomon Tembo, Ruth Grand Phiri, and Aaron Zimba.