WHEN Edgar Lungu insists that he will be on the ballot in 2026, it’s a grand rematch of the century, and HH must be prepared, says former mines minister Richard Musukwa.
Musukwa adds that Lungu will be on the ballot paper in 2026, whether President Hakainde Hichilema likes it or not.
And Musukwa says the UPND is a government of traitors, hypocrites and criminals engaged in grand corruption.
Speaking during a briefing attended by some opposition leaders, Thursday, Musukwa said the 2026 elections would be a grand rematch of the century.
“I have very little to say just to thank you presidents most sincerely for offering solidarity to the first family, his excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the wife and children, especially after this concerted barbaric attack from state agents which are sponsored by the government. I know most of you listened to what the president said when he was in Sinazongwe a couple of days ago, clearly you can see the President was directly agitating state agents such as DEC, ACC to continue the barbaric attack on the former president and the former government, which is very unfortunate,” he said.
“I want to state very clearly that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND are in the political scene and they must be able to ensure that they play the game. When Edgar Lungu insists that he will be on the ballot in 2026, it is a grand rematch of a century, and he must be prepared. He must not use state agents to intimidate political opponents. If you won with 2.8 million, why are you scared of who is saying alebwelelapo? You won the election, if you legitimately won the election, there is what they call a rematch.
What is wrong with Edgar Lungu exercising his political right to ensure he stands in the 2026 elections? If you are a democrat, you must ensure you give political space to your political opponents”.
Musukwa charged that the UPND is a government of criminals.
“This country is for all of us, this country will not be mortgaged to the highest bidder who wants to control everything at the helm of political opponents. The Zambian people voted for UPND to look at the cost of living, to reduce the fuel as the good promises were. That is what Zambians are looking for, not this pettiness that we are seeing where you want to start following [people] for obvious reasons, political persuasion. Did anyone follow Hakainde Hichilema about the construction of his Community House? This is a government where we have seen grand corruption, in all sectors there is grand corruption,” he said.
“In order to cover their grand corruption, they continue to want to postulate that the former government and ministers were involved in these illicit activities. I think the Zambian people are there to see that this is a government of traitors, hypocrites, criminals, corrupt, experienced corrupt people who are skilled in ensuring that they deprive the Zambian people and its economy. Someone was saying this is privatization reloaded”.
Musukwa said the PF stood in solidarity with Lungu and his family.
“We have seen how police, DEC, ACC and all governance institutions, how they have been infiltrated by political cadres. I want to ask the President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Hakainde Hichilema, when you ask for democracy, it is not just for you, it is for everybody. President Edgar Lungu will be on the ballot in 2026 whether you like it or not. You are not the alpha and omega of Zambia, you are not in charge of Zambia’s history. It should not be an offence to have served in Edgar Lungu’s government, us as the Patriotic Front we stand with the first family, and we stand with Tasila Lungu. The use of state apparatus such as DEC, ACC, police and other agencies to intimidate and harass the former president will not be condoned by the people of Zambia,” said Musukwa.
Meanwhile, Christian Democratic Party president Danny Pule urged government to subsidise mealie meal.
“It is our concern that the government is failing to address the high cost of living. People are suffering! Things have become harder. Government should subsidise mealie meal, it can be done. I speak as someone who was in-charge of the national budget as deputy minister of finance in the 90s, during the (Fredrick) Chiluba government, I know how it can be done,” said Pule.