Thu, 27 Oct 2016 08:47:59 +0000
MORE than 1,720 National Restoration Party (NAREP) members led by party secretary general Mabvuto Mwanza yesterday officially defected to the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), citing inconsistent leadership by NAREP president Elias Chipimo.
The entire Eastern, Southern, Northern provinces and Chongwe district executive have resigned from NAREP and were now Patriotic Front members.
Others who have defected included Lusaka Province chairman Brian Mpundu, Matero constituency chair lady Belita Chileshe and Kafue district chairperson Norman Mukunta.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Mwanza said NAREP was currently limping and that its leadership was at the verge of retiring from active politics.
Mr Mavuto said PF had the best leadership among all the Zambian political parties, adding that its leadership had been consistent since its inception.
“PF is an enviable party for several reasons, the PF leadership is unique and the entire nation is tremendously blessed to have President Edgar Lungu who has miraculously transformed the Zambian political scene.
“President Lungu has recreated Zambia into an oasis of peace and tranquility where everyone enjoys all the human freedoms and liberties including even those who are allergic to peace and harmony,” he said.
Mr Mwanza said President Lungu had rare leadership qualities because he was a man who listened to the silent voice of God who had in return elevated him to the highest national throne.
“President Lungu must know that he has no match on the Zambian political scene because his appointment as President is from God whom he has exalted and my advice to all those who lost in the August 11, 2016, general elections is that there can only be one winner at a time therefore accept him as President of Zambia and move on as Zambia is known for upholding democratic values and principles such as respecting the will of the people.
“Zambia will no longer be the same under President Lungu because he had consecrated the nation to God,” he said.
And PF Lusaka Province chairman Horace Longwe, who received the defectors at the party secretariat in Lusaka, said the defectors would be fused in the PF system.
Mr Longwe said the Patriotic Front (PF) have forgotten about the 2016 victory in order to concentrate on the 2021 general elections.
He said although the PF machinery was ever ready for general elections, it was now concentrating on 2021 and by- elections if there would be any.
Earlier, former NAREP Lusaka Province chairman Mpundu said he decided to join the PF because he saw nothing wrong in President Lungu.
