PF Media director Sunday Chanda says top leaders engaging themselves in criminal must take President Edgar Lungu’s warning against using his name seriously because they will soon be exposed.
Commenting on President Lungu’s warning in an interview, Chanda urged leaders to heed the Head of State’s warning.
“The President heads the party and when he speaks like that, he is speaking from a place of knowledge. He has verified information and he knows what he is talking about. The President will not just make any such remarks without being fully informed. What is very important from what the Head of State said was that no one is going to be spared. If someone commits an offence, if someone finds themselves on the wrong side of the law, the law will take its course and consequences will accrue as a matter of fact. Clearly, those who are practicing what the President was talking about must know that they are being watched and they are being exposed…when the long arm of the law catches up with them, they must not cry foul,” Chanda said.
“No one must commit any criminal activities in the name of the party, those in the habit of using the name of the President to commit offences and to do things that are unacceptable before the law must take the President’s warning very seriously. The President’s message is very clear. And a person who loves the Patriotic Front will not use the name of the party to commit any crime. Even for those who come in the party to hide any sort of criminality using the party as a façade must be warned.”
He said President Lungu wanted to lead a party that upheld the rule of law.
“The President wants to lead a party that respects the rule of law; he wants to lead a party where the membership of the party understands clearly that no one is above the law. And that no one has the license to commit wrongs in the name of the party. That is totally unacceptable!” exclaimed Chanda.
Last week, President Lungu declared that top leaders who went round the country claiming that they were going to take over the party and engaged in criminal activities did not represent him.
“…And if you go round breaking the law and saying, ‘no, the President is backing me,’ I am going to be the President you are on your own! People are going round the country saying, ‘I’m doing this with the party, SG is involved in this, the President is backing me in this, illicit deals and all,’ I am not involved. Whether you are a party member, civil servant…if you break the law in the name of the party, President of the Republic of Zambia, the law will visit you alone. So, in short, this habit of name-throwing and top leaders involved in criminal activities should stop now because the law will visit you one day. I am urging those who have been tempted or [been] attracted to this culture to stop now. So, the Central Committee will sit shortly and decide the fate of our colleagues, who have been allegedly involved in illegal gold mining activities and you will be informed accordingly. In PF, we don’t have sacrificial lambs or sacred cows, everyone is equal,” said President Lungu when he addressed residents in North-Western Province.