By ROGERS KALERO
THE Patriotic Front (PF) in Kalungwishi branch of Twatasha ward in Chimwemwe constituency in Kitwe has suffered a setback after the entire branch executive defected to the opposition UPND.
Seddy Simbeye, the former PF branch secretary, and others have decided to join the UPND for the betterment of people’s lives but PF Twatasha ward, Twikatane branch chairman Jacob Samunyina rubbished the defections and said the whole thing was staged managed by the UPND Chimwemwe constituency candidate Bornwell Matanda.
During a defection which was witnessed by UPND Twatasha ward candidate Felix Mwalumuna and Mr Matanda, Ms Simbeye said the defection was not about her, but about the country at large.
“Today I and my fellow patriots have decided to join the UPND for the betterment of people’s lives, it is not about me but the country at large.
“How can we allow or support this kind of leadership when we can even see that batata ba Lungu nabafilwa (Mr Lungu has failed), no medicines in hospitals, everything is expensive,” Mr Ms Simbeye said
Receiving the defectors, UPND Twatasha Ward Chairman, Tonnie Kunda, thanked the ‘ambassadors of change’ for making a bold decision.
Mr Kunda urged everyone to feel at home because the battle was between PF and the people of Zambia while UPND was for every Zambian.
Speaking at the same event, Chimwemwe aspiring Member of Parliament Bornwell Matanda assured residents of Kawama that better life was coming with Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND in August when they vote for them.
He asked everyone to go flat-out to mobilise the party and educate voters to vote for the UPND and Mr Hichilema.
But PF Twikatane branch chairman Jacob Samunyina, said the whole thing was staged managed by the UPND Chimwemwe constituency candidate Bornwell Matanda after realising that his PF counterpart Allen Banda had advanced in his campaigns.
Mr Samunyina said the same people who claimed to have defected from the PF to UPND were with Mr Banda during his meetings in the area
“That was a fake defection and were not even shaken about it because we know that the PF candidate Allen Banda and President Edgar Lungu are better candidates than Mr Matanda and Hichilema. Zambians will vote for PF on August 12,” he said.
