By SIMON MUNTEMBA
HAKAINDE Hichilema is on his way to another humiliating defeat and the young man will be forced to retire from active politics after the August 12 elections, former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba has predicted.
Dr Kalumba said as the 2021 PF Presidential campaign manager for Luapula Province, he would make sure that Mr Hichilema did not get over two percent of votes in the region this year.
During the official launch of the PF campaign on Wednesday, President Edgar Lungu unveiled Dr Kalumba as Presidential campaign coordinato for Luapula Province. His deputy is Mr Wright Mwitwa.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Kalumba, who disclosed that his appointment had the full backing of almost all traditional leaders in the region, predicted that the UPND president would be forced to retire after his pending humiliating defeat on August 12.
“He will be lucky to get two percent of votes in Luapula Province this year and I can assure you that the young man will be forced to retire from active politics after his humiliating defeat on August 12. “Firstly, when I was told about my appointment as PF Presidential campaign manager for Luapula, as a village headman I went to inform my chiefs who unanimously agreed that I take up the responsibility and they all pledged to support me in ensuring my team delivers Luapula to President Lungu, so there will be no votes for HH here this year,” Dr Kalumba said.
He said his team would soon be on the ground so as not to give any room for the opposition in the region.
Dr Kalumba also said it would be easy for him to market President Lungu and his running mate, Professor Nkandu Luo because they were both tested leaders standing on the ruling party which had a national character.
“In fact, even traditional leaders are happy with the way President Lungu has been treating them with respect. It will just be sonta epotapali bwino abombelepo because nabomba sana ECL kuno. No one can dispute that the face of Luapula has changed because of PF’s visible massive infrastructure development,” Dr Kalumba said.
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