UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is an unsellable product that has been rejected by voters, says PF deputy national mobilisation chairman Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.
He says, “Life is in PF. The future, unity is in PF. That is now why everyone wants to be in the bandwagon of Dr ECL
Mwamba, who served Hichilema’s running mate in the 2016 poll, said people like Charles Kakoma were leaving the UPND because they have realised that life is in the ruling PF.
In a telephone interview, Mwamba said voters were tired of voting for Hichilema and the UPND.
“The departure of Charles Kakoma from UPND is a clear sign that UPND has lost grip, in as far as the voters are concerned. They are fatigued voting for Hakainde Hichilema and his party for so many times and they have failed to take him to State House,” he said. “The man is not marketable, he is not sellable and I’m saying that from experience. We did our best some of us to market him, to make him sellable but unfortunately it was nil. Nobody wants to buy that product called HH and UPND. Even those that think he will make it come August 12, some of them are saying that out of frustration or they are trying to vote on tribal or ethnic lines.”
Asked if the defections were motivated by monetary gratification, Mwamba said such was a baseless accusation from the UPND who have run out of luck.
“Bought or not bought, still it is a loss to the UPND. Whether we buy in PF or we don’t buy, it is still the same because the vote and his supporters that were supposed to go to UPND has now come to PF. The excuse of saying because they have been bought and what have you is neither here nor there. It has no substance,” said Mwamba. “What UPND should concentrate on is to ask themselves, why are members leaving the party and all going in one direction, which is the PF under the able leadership of President Edgar Lungu, at a very fast pace. That means that is where they have seen life. Life is in PF. The future, unity is in PF. That is now why everyone wants to be in the bandwagon of Dr ECL.”
On Tuesday last week, Kakoma, who was UPND chairperson for commerce, trade and industry defected to the ruling PF.