Mr Lungu said he would not allow trouble makers to hijack the whole electoral process especially people who were trying to bring their reputation of the institution into question.
The Head of State said he believe ECZ was one of the best in Southern Africa and in Africa adding that the electoral body had never been found wanting so far.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport upon his arrival to officiate at the 2016 World Farmers Organisation (WFO) General Assembly being held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Growth’.
The President, who arrived at 10:15 hours aboard a Zambia Airforce (ZAF) plane, was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda, Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene, Livestock and Fisheries Deputy Minister Lawrence Evans, Southern Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu, Special assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation Lucky Mulusa.
He was received by WFO president Evelyn Nguleka, who is also Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), WFO officials, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba, Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje, other district commissioners in Southern Province, senior Government officials, provincial defence and security chiefs as well as Patriotic Front (PF) officials.
“Those people who think ECZ will be rigging this year’s general elections are just trying to find reasons for losing. How can you go in a football march and begin preparing before you even know a referee and the other team you will be playing against and start saying the referee is biased?
“What makes you say that? It is because you are not prepared. We will now allow people to demonise ECZ and try to bring their reputation into question. They have no basis to do so. Those who don’t believe in impartiality of ECZ have no room in this place. Let us believe in our own system. If we can’t believe in our system, then we want other countries to come and run our own systems? NO,” Mr Lungu said.
He said he had been a student at the University and he was aware that there were students who were not ready to write exams and resorted to bringing confusions on the eve of exams so that their institutions either closed or deferred the exams.
“We will not allow that to happen. We are ready for August 11 elections. I will protect the integrity of ECZ so that they do their job which they are paid for.
“I will not allow rubble rousers and trouble makers to hijack the whole process. We want peace and not fragmented country. Let us continue to love one another and avoid hate speech or foul language,” he said.
Mr Lungu said he was in Livingstone at the invitation from WFO saying there was need to encourage farmers as countries could not survive without food from farmers.
He was also glad that the slogan of One Zambia One Nation was sinking among Zambians including those in the opposition.
“We should not allow anyone to divide us not even politics. After we vote, we will still remain one Zambia one nation. I want to assure you that PF is stronger than it was before.
“This is because the opportunity for the opposition to dislodge is from power was in January 2015 presidential elections but they failed to dislodge us. Now that we are fully in charge of the party and Government, I will make sure that the party remains united. Those who want to come from other political parties are welcome,” Mr Lungu said.
And speaking earlier, Mr Mubukwanu said Southern Province was peaceful currently except for nine cholera cases that had been recorded in Monze and Mazabuka Districts.
He suspected that the cholera cases were coming from fishing camps and said there was need to seek ways of preventing the disease from spreading further in the province.
Monday August 15, 2016.
Headlines: GBM, Miles, Sichinga, Mulenga Sata return to PF
…….The four have returned to the triumphant PF, citing tribalism in UPND. They have since asked President Lungu for forgiveness.
What leadership record of provable achievement with positive impact the following will point to as expendable capital in UPND?
1 ). GBM-Defense
2). Guy Scott-VP
3). Miless Sampa-Commerce
4). BaShinono-Agriculture and Commerce
5). Mwiche wandi Mulenga-Mayor and Deputy Minister
6). Mwaliteta-Deputy Minister
7). The 2 more embattled cabinet ministers scheduled to defect this week.
Unless they performed, other than just insulting Lungu out of bitterness, these will have it hard to redefine themselves and gain a voice of needed leadership as campaign narrative.
Kudos get a life and a job. LUNGU IS GOING. I WOULD RATHER ZAMBIA STAYS WITHOUT A PRESIDENT AND IS RUN BY TECHNOCRATS THAN HAVE LUNGU RULE AGAIN. A PROFESSIONAL FAILURE
in your dreams, noone ever got back onto the sunk TITANIC.
That is called conflict of interests. It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. Joseph
Sincerely speaking PF was at its weakest in the 2015 bye-election. There was no better time than that lifetime opportunity to defeat a highly fragmented party with a candidate that had only 28 days in the race. What happened for all careerist politicians of over 5 general elections ballot rejection experience to fail? Its unlikely to route Lungu now that he has gained traction and all those who fought him internally have reloaded on UPND with their failed records. Unless they have record of success to point at, they may no sway too many rational voters.
You two, skull kudos and junior citizen, we know you are out there bcz of PF, thus fearing for your jobs as diplomats.
But sorry to disappoint, start packing now, preparing to kiss the dust at KKA on your arrival back home after 11th Aug bcz your PF are going under.
Back to the roots baba…..no more luxury which comes with being a lazy diplomat!
In the 2015 byelections people were voting with the memory of the popular sata and his money in 90 days still ringing in their ears. They were voting while being told the development will bring investores.
But alas, the reality has now set in. The economic missmangment is there for all to feel, there is no money in their pockets and there are no investores. Instead joblessness and cholera are stalking them while they adopt to life without electricity in the 21st century, they have eyes to see the extent at which PF have enriched them selves while the poor are being brutalised by PF thugs in markets at bus stops.
Bear in mind the opposition have not been allowed to campain thus far. Let the people hear the other side of the story. Let the games begin.
MR PRESIDENT WITH ALL THE LIES YOU HAVE TOLD US AND ARE STILL TELLING US HOW CAN WE BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ECZ ??? WILL YOU PROTECT IT SO IT CAN BENEFIT YOU AGAIN ???? WILL MUGABE ARRIVE AGAIN 3 DAYS BEFORE FINAL VOTE COUNT TO COME AND CONGRATULATE YOU ???????????????????????
Cry baby, sontapo epo wabomba ,fwebo twasonta pa misebo panga yonse.
OBSERVER? MISEMBO NSHI? SHIMBI SHILEGUMBAUKA, ELYO SHIMBI NASHIKWATA AMAPOT HOLE.
Stupid Wrungu you failed to protect the integrite of your clients whom you swindled their hard earned cash and today you are talking about integrite which yourself dont have, nonsense anyway i wont say so much and congratulation on your award for being the 2016 most incompetent and *****i.c president.
You failed to protect the integrity of your client you swindled money from and today you are talking about integrity which you dont have yourself,i now understand why you have been awarde the 2016 most incompetent,*****i.c president of the millenium and panga man of the century.
“Let us continue to love one another and avoid hate speech or foul language,” Lungu said. If the President had started talking like the way he is reported to have said from day 1 in office, I would have been in his camp. There is nothing I have like people who peddle lies and tribalism. We should all love one another regardless of our colour, creed, tribe, race or even sexual orientation. I also know that the biggest problem we have in our country is that of poverty, if, for an example, Edger Lungu were to give money to Frank Bwalya so as to demonise HH. Poor Bwalya will be barking day and night like a rabid dog to justify his salary. That is poverty where you accept to do anything for money.
soory but tuntu tumwi tulasesemya mukanwa
I don’t think Lazy Lungu understands what good governance is…and its no wonder he lamentably failed to crack as a lawyer. The man is simply too dull.
There are serious allegations made by individuals and political parties against ECZ. The allegations are that ECZ and PF are conniving to rig the upcoming elections using a Dubai based printer. The rigging will be done thru printing extra and pre-marked ballot papers. It Is further alleged that the Dubai printer is charging $3.6 million as opposed to $1,6 m which a South African printer is charging and whom ECZ has used in the past .
Furthermore it is alleged that the rigging of elections by ECZ is being done to favour ECL and PF. Instead of seeking to safeguard the elections the President seeks to aid and abate ECZ’s rigging processes. This Is very sad coming as it is from the State President. Surely the President should pacify and assure all stakeholders that he will make sure that…
@Zezemba
If he (S. Citizen) is a diplomat, Sata would have personally fired him and then shot him in the head himself.
Comment:your Excellence we really appreciate the work u are doing,fear not God is returning u into office after August elections.u will win no matter wat they do they will never change that coz God is on ur side.
It’s true his excellency and We shall retain you in 2016.
Shame that his own integrity was judged by the High Court of Zambia and found short of accepted minimum standards and meriting CONVICTION for embezzlement!!!
The issue, Mr President, is Trust. People have to be convinced that the referee is untainted and not a supporter of the team they are playing against, hence the reason different referees are selected for championship matches, using criteria that minimises bias and encourages Trust. In your case, you have encouraged a culture of lawlessness. People entrusted with arms of governance to protect our constitution and democracy believing that their allegiance has to be to the President. Having replaced almost all those in control of the organs of governance, including the ECZ, how do you expect the opposition to trust the ECZ, especially when crucial decisions are made without due process that is inclusive? Aren’t you the lawyer?
That is what we expect from our good ECL. Keep on spinning their brains. The maggots wanted a fat Albert company from south africa to disadvantage PF in august elctions
It is not the President’s job to protect the intergrity of the ECZ. It is the ECZ boss’s job
Lungu o lungama a sebeza mwebantu within a short time.