UPND Chairperson for Mobilization and Strategy Sylvia Masebo says she feels sorry for President Edgar Lungu because he is a weak Head of State.
And Masebo says the Copperbelt is now 90 percent opposition, which is an indication of victory in 2021.
Masebo said this in Kitwe during the close of the Copperbelt UPND intra-party elections.
She said President Lungu was failing to act on many serious issues because his administration had been captured by those who did not mean well.
“President Lungu is not in control of this country. If he was, he could have acted on many serious issues. All he knows is to make excuses. Today, everyone is a President, if you have a weak President, we are in problems. They have hijacked the presidency, he is under state capture, he has all the powers but he is failing to act. It means that you the citizens don’t have a parent and you need to act and stop this. You need a parent who will listen and care for you,” Masebo said.
“If you see a country and you find road blocks every where, just know that it is a troubled country or failed state. In Nyanja we say it is a government yama fontini (backwards thinking people). You find the PF cadres are directing the police, just know that we don’t have a country. If police are timid and scared of cadres, just know that it is a failed state.”
She said President Lungu’s administration was the worst in Zambia’s history.
“This administration we are dealing with is not like Kaunda, not like Dr Chiluba, not like Mwanawasa, not like Rupiah Banda, not even like ba [Michael] Sata. We are dealing with mafias that want to control everything. But I feel sorry for President Edgar Lungu. Why can’t he run the country properly than allowing boys to mislead him? He is failing to lead the country. Even the OP, he can’t listen to them, but wants to listen to boys who will praise him,” Masebo said.
“It is an unprecedented administration that does not respect the rule of law. Hakainde Hichilema is as good as under house arrest today. It is an offence for the opposition to move, going forward, is that you should know that the Lungu administration will not give you any political space, if you wait, you won’t have it. Next year it’s elections and the PF is strategically using the police for us not to move and work. So this won’t change and won’t stop.”
Masebo lamented that only a few people were playing around with money in Zambia.
“Even civil servants are acting like presidents. So what country do we have today? Today everyone has no food, but we have a President. We only have a few that are playing around with money and do wrong things,” she said.
And Masebo said she was pleased that Copperbelt was now 90 per cent opposition.
“I have seen a great change from the people of the Copperbelt and as an old timer in politics, Copperbelt is 90 percent opposition which means the opposition will win,” she said.
“But it will not be easy, we need to face the challenges as they come. Be prepared to be beaten, killed maimed and taken to prison. We are fighting for a change for our children. Let the people who have died rest in peace. Copperbelt is ripe for change, that is why you will find all these challenges.”
Meanwhile, Masebo warned ministers not to let power get to their heads because it was temporary.
“I have seen some excitement from some ministers who think they have reached. Use the power properly. You are happy with people dying, we have been ministers before and serious ministers for that matter, not the manyengwe (child’s play) we have today. When change comes, even the power and guns you have don’t work. Enough is enough you can’t fight the people. Your ending will be bad. The people will react because of the anger the people are going through,” Masebo said.
“I feel for the PF ministers because of the misery under your leadership, even the President can’t explain and act, because everything is destroyed. Those of us who worked with a serious President like Mwanawasa know how it is to advise and work with leaders. It will not be easy. PF has reached alarming levels of desperation. We know everything that you are doing, but our silence will not be forever.”
Masebo warned ministers that the same cadres they were using to assault others today would beat them one day.
“The same cadres you are using will beat you very soon. Even ministers who work and talk to us, we know. They just want to eat with them. You will not even be listening to the results but busy crossing the borders. You will leave your houses. Ba Lungu did not know that his two terms will come to an end, but it has ended. Those misleading ministers will run away from you and [they are] even having secret meetings with HH. We have been there and we know what is happening,” said Masebo.
“For the first time, everything has collapsed in Zambia, even Christianity has ended because even pastors are bought, even Christians for Lungu. Chiefs are bought, this money will end. UPND will participate and do everything within our rights and come next year, HH will be the President of Zambia. We don’t have leaders, we just have a group of criminals. You cannot have a government that kills its people. Surely, the levels of abuse is alarming. This is a party of evil men and women. The amount of hatred they have for HH is appalling. Everything is about HH.”
Speaking at the same event, UPND Chairman for Policy and Research Dr Cholwe Beyani said arrests were a new normal for members of the opposition.
Dr Beyani, who was arrested on Saturday in Chililabombwe for conducting UPND Copperbelt Provincial elections, vowed that arrests would not slow down his party.
“No matter what PF does to arrest and put us in cells, we are determined to speak and act for the Zambian people because nothing will shake us from putting the interests of the people first,” said Dr Beyani.