By ADRIAN MWANZA
IT is shocking that people that called me sweet when I campaigned for the PF ahead of the August 12 election want to demonise me now because I am interested in vying for the party’s presidency, says Chishimba Kambwili.
Mr Kambwili said in an interview that he campaigned tirelessly for the PF and former President Edgar Lungu and that some people even considered him “sweet” but suddenly he had turned sour because he was challenging them for the top job.
“It is shocking that some people wanted to block my presidential bid despite them showering praises when I campaigned for the party in the August 12 elections,” he said.
He said now that he was vying for the top job he had become a problem which was a wrong perception and far from the truth.
Mr Kambwili said that there was need to level the playing field so that people were not blocked from contesting.
He said he had never hidden his passion to lead the PF but that he would not force matters and would let the tenets of democracy prevail.
Mr Kambwili said that history was repeating itself as was the case when fifth Republican President Michael Sata died.
He said that the people settled for Mr Lungu and that he accepted the wish of the people and that he would do the same if he was not chosen as long as the exercise was done in a proper and transparent manner.
Mr Kambwili said that whoever would take over the mantle of the party needed to know that it would be an uphill battle because the UPND were no pushovers.
“The person who is going to be president is supposed to ensure that he or she does not let the party die but grow it in breadth and bounds,” he said.
Mr Kambwili said he hoped Mr Brian Mundubile and any other person eyeing the presidency would accept the will of the people on whoever would be elected.
He said he was ready to accept any outcome the party would come up with because democracy was about numbers.
