Fourth President Rupiah Banda has urged the candidates in next month’s presidential election to remember that Zambia is bigger than all of them and that the nation’s interests override any personal ambitions they may harbour.
As such, he has advised that, for the sake of the country, all the candidates should pledge to be magnanimous enough to concede when defeated in the January 20 election.
The former head of State has since thanked everyone who invited him to rejoin active politics and all that supported his return.
President Banda has appealed to all his supporters to respect the decision of the Supreme Court regardless of the view they may have on interpreting the constitution of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy.
He has urged the MMD to remain united in order to participate effectively in the elections with its chosen partners.
Below is President Banda’s statement in full.
Dear countrymen and women,
To begin with, allow me to thank all those who invited me to rejoin active politics and all those that supported me. I know that ours was a noble cause.
As I pointed out in our campaign message, we believe that our country is at a crossroads. This situation, therefore, requires our collective will to be addressed.
Especially:
• The concerns about the high cost of living in Zambia
• The need to stabilize the economy
• The need to unify our country, and
• To introduce a new constitution that will address all the contentious issues without bias.
However, as you all know, the courts have ruled and we need to respect the decision of our courts. This is regardless of the view we may have on interpreting our Party constitution.
Following the court’s decision, we are seeking the best election outcome for the majority of our people.
Hence we will work with those, and I repeat, only those who share our vision for our country.
In other words, we will work closely with those who are prepared to accept the existence of the MMD as a legitimate participant in the current political dispensation.
It is for this reason that I would like to urge our party, the MMD, to remain united.
This is in order for us to participate effectively in these elections with our chosen partners.
Finally, I wish all the candidates in this election the best. They must all remember that Zambia is bigger than all of them, and her people’s interests override any personal ambitions that they may harbour.
As such, they must all pledge to be magnanimous enough to concede when defeated for the sake of our country.
God bless you all and season’s greetings to you. Thank you.
Belinda nafwililika nomba
Thanks for the timely advice RB as PF will definitely have use for it when they lose in January, 2015.
Viva #FlightHH2015.
Hehehehe!!! Hachimwene. Retirement should be your portion atate. It’s long overdue. Whoever was calling for your comeback was being unfair to you sir. Enjoy your retirement and many thanks for your kind advice.
Nyama soya akamba ati noti ku vutika nga mwa looza, akamba pali chi mutonga chi halenya halenya.. azalooza waziba ka!!!
***VIVA EDGAR LUNGU 2015***
In short he is saying vote for UPND. Those concerns can not be addressed by PF and its visionless Edgar Lungu.
Luska Times leta mapicture from Kasama rally. Waamba uchelwa . Please we are waiting so that the HH camp retire before elections.
?Reply
flight MH 370ws shot down by the us military and did not go missing in indian ocean
BREAKING NEWS
Over 300 hundred matero constituency people are going to defect to UPND. Source: Zambian eye.
RB sounds like HH? RB why do you hate PF, is it because they dropped you immunity? RB why indirectly support HH? Okay Zambians are with you RB, what you have said is true. All the best papa RB.
Banda please just keep quiet for once. Chinshi kanshi ??? MMD united when you came and created the disunity. I hope those benefits will NEVER come back to you. Think about your Bana Mpundu for once, mambala iwee. Watusabila
@figo, PF are promising to give him back his benefits amongst other things if he endorses Lungu.
Hope you are disappointed.
Join #FlightHH2015
PF should just stay clear of this RB. If he wants he can ‘endorse’ HH, that would be his choice. Don’t think of trading benefits for endorsements. Simply follow the law. Anaka mwine eka and shud not even attempt to cry foul.
Lets set a precedent on this issue so that in future law will be respected . Alabeko fye ifya ma benefits.
Guess you can say that considering how difficult it was for to concede. Thanks for the timely advice RB as PF will definitely have use for it when they lose in January, 2015.
Viva #FlightHH2015.
Roopy! You’re back to grace us with your ignoble presence! And just before christmas too!
I’m glad you did that Roopy because I was rather wondering whether the recent ass-whooping the courts gave you has improved your countenance any.
Let me go and look at the pictures ….and maybe read what you said.
It’s Xmas eve and I wish all bloggers a merry one and happy holidays. We’ll take a short break to catchup with family and friends and when we come back, we’ll surely be back with renewed vigour and oomph for UPND to win this election. VIVA UPND VIVA HH VIVA ZAMBIA UNITED!!!
@One Hit Wonder
Merry Chrustmas. And we’ll expect many more hits from you, cometh the new year!
Merry Merry Chrustmas All!
Just retire quietly. We pleaded with you to retire so many times until Nevers Mumba finally had the last and loudest laugh. We are not interested in the fact that ‘you did it before, so you can do it again’. That’s bullshlt! There are so many of us and Zambia is desperate for fresh ideas. Enjoy your forced retirement.
suntwe is a bastard child
Took a while to find the right words, huh… You write great concession speeches so just prepare about nine more for the losers in January and we’ll get the hankies out and hand them around. Chuckle.
RB is at least mature about issues. Rational, reasonable. Many infants on the political scene can learn from him. Back to the farm in Chipata RB, you were misled by Muhabi. teach them a lesson by voting PF! PF – Peaceful Friends, Prosperous Future
@kudos, ati Peaceful Friends you are being ironic.
Have a merry christmas.
The weakest assumption to date made by leading contenders is certainty. This delusion relegates the fact that in reality, there is strength, weakness, opportunity and threats/risks (SWOT). This should be realised by all parties so that outcomes, albeit not as predicted, are accepted magnanimously for the sake of peace and progress.
i hope those who didn’t want him to stand will vote for nevers. If nevers loses then 2016 RB should stand again. I appreciated is democratic leadership and free market approach
Naimwe ba RB you are just disgraced. But go in peace atate.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Merry Merry Chrustmas All! I send Love and all that jazz. See you all soon! And do stay safe!
Indeed Zambia is bigger than bene Willie Nsanda with his corrupt team. They have made us farmers to suffer not knowing that its time for elections so they need to dance to our tune. We are voting them out forever! check this out!
?2020vision
Stop insulting, your PF is going to lose whether you like it or not ,stop insulting HH he is not part of PF problems. It is your leaders themselves to blame, currently they just copying whatever HH says, look at this:
(1) reinstating the nurse
(2) Reduce cost of living
(3) Pay farmers early
(4) Reinstate the retirement age from 65 to 55 years
(5) Free education
Ba LT, we want a Christmas Message of LOVE tomorrow to help us reconcile during the festive season.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Viva #Flight HH2015 & 2016.
To All LT Bloggers,
i am taking leave for the entire festive period as i will be with my lovely family uninterraptedly.
Please during this period think LOVE, UNITY and PEACE…
The journey is on…Forward with HH2015
Chumbu Mulolwa
Luska Times leta mapicture from Kasama rally. Waamba uchelwa . Please we are waiting so that the HH camp retire before elections.
?
I like this man, very wise. I like his humbleness.
Thanks.
In terms of vision Lungu has said it all, ” I Have NO Vision For Zambia” But just been wondering, is Lungu fit physically, his face tells unfinished story or its another liability for Zambia? I think Miles Sampa would have been a better option for Zambia. Anyway, just thinking!!!! Zambia deserves better.
I hope you know that a “Vision” is a dream. If somebody tells you my vision is for all Zambians to have a 2 bedroom Kimberley House and have an egg a day, he is dreaming!!! And I bet you are old enough to understand this “Vision”. I am more prepared to listen to somebody who is telling me about going after tax evaders and businessmen/houses responsible for capital flight than to someone telling me about free education, free this and that and improving the standard of living – and yet is unable to articulate “How?”
RB you are ‘Albert Einstein’ for saying the obvious. You will defeated and you wanted to hang on to power until you were pushed to jumps. Thanks for reminding us about democracy.
To ba ‘Nyati’ Lungu is campaging as PF. It is PF which has the Vision. Lungu is not Martin Luther to start dreaming now. One does not need a vision for Zambia for one year. The work is already cut-out. A vision is a long term strategy. A one year tenure only requires strategic objectives or tactical plans. And this is what Lungu is saying.
Nyama Soya, the courts had to stop you from contesting the presidential election and now you want to give advice, this man is better off just keeping quiet. People including your own son never supported to your unruly return to politics and you thought you were smart to unseat a duly elected Mumba. CHimambala you belong at the farm were you make your own rules!
oberver mwana wa hule get the massage properly, mfwiti ya chibemba mwana wa mavyavya, RB is not insulting here for you to start misbehaving, behind online , stupid person indeed who has no respect for elders in society, beer and stupid life causes this ,
failing to blog in a constuctive way, fools
Fellow country men and women i greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord on this great day.
The reason i speak to you today is simple—my family and i would like to wish you nothing but love, peace, joy and unity this Christmas, and of course a happy new year.
I pray to God that you celebrate this Christmas peacefully with your beloved family members and friends. Do not over indulge.
During this period, please focus on that which you unites our country and not that which divides us.
To our party members, and sympathizers, i thank you all for the tremendous support you have given us thus far as we step up the campaign for the 2015 presidential elections.
Let’s us continue to campaign in the same spirit and zeal of oneness
2015 VOTE PF (EDGAR)
I THANK YOU
• The concerns about the high cost of living in Zambia – You had the opportunity to address this
• The need to stabilize the economy – Your children were busy looting the national treasury
• The need to unify our country, and – You were busy galavanting the whole of the world
• To introduce a new constitution that will address all the contentious issues without bias – Why did you not give us one?
RB – all of your concerns here are totally baseless.
Great one,now rupia shud go to eastern and northern we shud use the cow horn formation VIVAHH
my gogo aBwezani is becoming quite the expert at this losing business. If I was his chief adviser I’d highly recommend he starts a losers consulting firm. To counsel all the losers how best to adjust to reality.
People always sound wise after a condition of being wrong in conduct or judgment.
We advised RB not to come back to active politics but he snubbed our virtuous counsel.
But I am happy that he is open enough to realise that mistakes are gems and guideposts in our learning and growth as people. Mistakes not only make us uniquely who we are, but also teach us very powerful lessons about who we and life as whole.
My advice to you is that your time limit to remain in active politics is over and done.
Step down and take it easy, and just enjoy life’s simple pleasures without pressures by mentoring novice politicians.
Thank you for advising MMD to support anyone they feel is suitable. Who are you backing?
Lastly RB, I am wishing you and your entire family health,…
look who is talking now! a lot of Zambians including your son advised you not to be involved in politics but alas you listened to Muhabi’s destructive song and danced to it.
Lies have shorts legs and thus cant carry you far.
Thanks for making learn from you RB.
Lastly RB, I am wishing you and your entire family health, happiness, and peace this holiday season and in the coming New Year.
May the magic of Christmas fill your wife’s heart who is not feeling well.
Ba RB,
you no longer have the moral higher ground to say what you are saying now and still be taken seriously. You blew it when you blatantly bulldozed your way back into Politics with absolutely no regard to your party constitution.
To suggest that the method you tried to use to come back into active politics, was motivated by …….”The concerns about the high cost of living in Zambia, The need to stabilize the economy, The need to unify our country, and To introduce a new constitution that will address all the contentious issues without bias etc”….. is a flat lie and very insulting to an average Zambian with an average IQ.
Should have just kept quite. You are now digging yourself deeper into a hole.
RB says “MMD should remain united in order for the party to effectively participate in these elections with our chosen partners”. RB is implying that MMD members have a right to support a candidate of their choice exclusive of PF. In short he is justifying why MMD members should not necessarily support Nevers Mumba but any other progressive
candidate like HH.
Today we nominate you as MMD Presidential Candidate [yes, yes, yes]. Today we remove you, you are no longer the the MMD Presidential Candidate [yes, yes, yes]. Man, do you have brains of your own to make judgement of things about! Why even attempt it, causing havoc and splits in your own the party? Common sense is never always common!
The majority of voters don’t even read these newspapers how every they read what they see ont ground if roads are there schools built. New districts lighting rural places universities in provinces and muchinga province choma city , these are areas of good economic improvements ; if they can see new development they will give you a care. not just talkining can see lungu winineven if sampa goes away
So Rupiah now wants a position in PF!!! This is what is called political prostitution. The man has no principles. Can go to bed with anyone as long as he is promised a position. Left MMD, tried to come back, abandoned MMD and now is flirting with PF in just a week!!! Why does he think he is God’s gift to Zambia? He should retire gracefully and stop the political prostitution.
26 MPs JOIN 81 MPs TO SUPPORT EDGAR LUNGU
EDGAR SET TO WIN ELECTIONS
The certainty of who will win the forthcoming Presidential By-election has become very clear with 107 MPS endorsing the candidature of PF President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
The MPS are now expected to go into the countryside and embark on a vigorous campaign that might secure the win in the 107 constituencies out of 150 Constituencies in Zambia.
The 26 MPS are drawn from the 35 MPS from MMD.
The MPS mostly drawn from constituencies with Zambia’s biggest voting population have provided the clear swing that Edgar Lungu needed.
PF draws most if it’s support from Copper belt, Luapula, Lusaka and Northern provinces.
MMD draws it’s support from Eastern Province but has support from Central, Western and Northwestern.
Dear nothing will change the numbers if people have made their decisions.
No true loving Zambian especially we who have been humiliated in terms of farming will see Lungu go through.
Check and ask the people on the ground. Dont put up a PF T-shirt when doing the survey. You will be shocked dear.
Look who is talkin nw,shrek do u think any reasonable person cn take u serious?
What you PF supporters don’t know is that your vote for Lungu is just as good as voting RB. If Lungu wins, watch how he’ll sort out those perceived to be RB’s enemies. These elections could be a win win for Zambia.
The man who should have become President 2015/2016 but for one Nevers Spoiler. We should have united behind this man against PF.
We shall live to regret this, just watch this space.
Now we have the spectre of PF continuing in office with even more arrogance and corruption because they will take it that we have endorsed their bad ways.
Now expect the animal driven constitution to become a reality.
I have no kind words for this foolish old man who thought he could impose himself on the people. His benefits must not be reinstated until after 2016 elections so that if he wants to try his luck, cabinet office will not be called upon to freeze his benefits again. Can the courts also hurry up with his cases and hope the state Prosecutors are tightening the case. This man must taste jail for his corruption. Bye bye polio.
Eyalelo, eyalelo eyalelo, 24 days to go to see one party with constructive message to go through. I want to send my opinion that PF will fall and disappointment will go to those who thought PF will win.
The truth of the matter on the ground is that no one loves PF any longer because of their inside fights and their cadres are beating up their fellow PF brothers and sisters who are disagree with them, worse is their cruelty thrown on UPND.
Normal Zambian can not accept this so is the change awaits on 20 January.