The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila has said that PF is not campaining but just mobilising the party and called on the other parties to do so.

Speaking when he arrived in Solwezi to receive 2 000 defectors from other parties, Mr Mwila said that he is not holding public meetings and as such they cannot be construed as campaigns.

“Those claiming that we are campaigning should know that we are not campaigning at all. We are just mobilising the party. We are going round and you have never heard of us holding public meetings from my office, we have been holding indoor meetings. It means that we are there to mobilise the party; that is my Job, I am paid for that. So all those who want to mobilise their party and I am talking about the UPND and the rest, let them go also and mobilise their parties. They are free. This is a democratic country. Us we are not playing as a party, we are very serious,” said Mr Mwila

ABOUT 2,992 members of the opposition political parties in North Western Province have ditched their former parties and joined the ruling Patriotic Front -PF- in Solwezi district.

Notable among those that have defected to the ruling PF are 5 Village Headmen, FDD provincial secretary Kaila Sachiyeka, UPND Mushindamo district chairlady Betty Lupito, Mushindamo district youth chairperson Precious Masaba, Solwezi constituency secretary Misheck Lukama among others.

And out of the 2,992 new PF members, 1,940 are from the UPND, 797 from FDD and 255 from MMD.

Village Headman Kajoba who spoke on behalf of other village headmen described his stay in the opposition UPND as a share waste of time.

He said UPND has nothing to offer to the people of Zambia and that is why he and his fellow headmen have decided to ditch their former party.

And former FDD provincial secretary Kabaila Sachiyeka described his former party as a party without a vision.

The former UPND Solwezi constituency secretary Misheck Lukama and Mushindamo youth chairperson Precious Masaba said they do not want to remain behind by clinging to the opposition for years.

They mentioned the undemocratic tendency in their former party as some of the reason they have decided to join the ruling party.

Meanwhile, PF provincial chairperson Jackson Kungu said turnaround of the people in the province to support and work with the party in power is because of the good leadership of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and feedback on the implementation of various developmental programmes and projects being witnessed in the province.

He said the people in the province have committed to work closely with the party and its leadership in order to continue fostering development in the region.

And receiving the defectors, PF Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila said the PF is the party of choice and that is why people are joining every day. He said the democracy that the party has exhibited from inception at all levels is attracting masses into the boat.

He announced that the defection of the over 2900 members from the opposition is a clear indication that the ruling party has penetrated the province which the opposition UPND boast of being their stronghold.

And Hon Mwila said President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will continue taking development to all parts of the country without segregations.

“We are receiving the defectors because we want more members in the mighty Patriotic Front. Remember that Politics is about numbers and 2021 is around the corner and because of the numbers we are attracting to ourselves i can assure you that even in 2021 general elections, PF will carry the day.

“We are in government because we have 7 provinces in our hands and i want to say that you can not givern this country with one province or two provinces! You can only lead this country when you have the majority in the 10 provinces. And i should mention here that North Western being part of our 10 provinces, government has resolved to massively develop this entire region. We made a promise in 2016 when President Edgar Chagwa Lungu came here and committed his government that he is going to finish the Chingola- Solwezi road. We have stuck to this promise as we will soon finish the now Chingola- Solwezi dual carriageway,” said the Secretary General.

He reiterated that the Head of State has made a commitment to develop every corner of this country regardless of tribe, ethnicity and political inclination.

He mentioned North Western province as a region has received attention in terms of development under his leadership.

“You have seen here in Solwezi, after we have finished with the dual carriageway, we are going to work on the Township roads inside the district. I can tell you that the PF’s 2016 slogan still stands; sonta apo wabomba. And once we deliver, 2021 will just be about ukusonta apo twabomba. You will remember that most of the districts here in North Western did not have power, they were not connected to the national grid. Now through the leadership of His Excellency, President Edgar Lungu, the majority of the districts here are now connected.”

The PF Chief Executive Officer -CEO- implored old members to embrace the new members by recruiting more members stating that politics is about numbers hence the need to continue recruiting members.

Today’s Scripture

“…God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.”

(Romans 4:17, NIV)

Call Things as Though They Are

Your words have creative power. Just as God calls things that are not as though they were, we should also declare what we want to see in our lives. In other words, you may have days when you don’t feel well, but don’t go around saying, “Ah, my back has been hurting me. I’m getting so old. I don’t think I’m ever going to get better.” When you speak like that, you are speaking defeat into your future. Instead, turn it around. Declare a report of victory by saying, “I may not feel up to par, but I know it’s only temporary. God is restoring health unto me. I’m getting stronger, healthier and feeling younger. My best days are still up ahead.”

Remember, you’re going to get what you call in to your life. You have creative power in your words, and you are prophesying your future. Declare what God says about you – that you are blessed and cannot be cursed, that you are above only and not beneath! As you call things that are not as though they were, you will see God’s wonderful promises and blessing come to pass in every area of your life!

A Prayer for Today

“Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting me with Your power. I choose to declare words of life and victory. Help me, Holy Spirit, to use my words to move forward in victory the way You have planned in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

THERE is nothing wrong with the distribution of books bearing the portrait of President Edgar Lungu, Vice President Inonge Wina has told Parliament.

Responding to questions during the Vice President’s question time, Mrs Wina said President Lungu’s portrait is displayed in public offices and so there is nothing wrong with books to have his picture.

Mrs Wina said it beats her understanding why a Member of Parliament could complain about books meant for vulnerable pupils just because they have a portrait of the Head of state.

Mrs Wina said the books will continuously be distributed in Government schools bearing portraits of President Lungu and there was nothing wrong.

The Vice President was responding to a question by UPND Katuba Member of Parliament Patricia Mwashingwele who wanted to know if Central Province permanent secretary Chanda Kabwe was in order to distribute books bearing President Lungu’s portrait to pupils in Katuba. “President Lungu is the President of the Patriotic Front and he is also the President of the Republic of Zambia. His portrait hangs in our offices and everywhere and you don’t complain,” Ms Wina said.

And olitical activist Laura Miti has urged the ruling PF to stop the distribution of campaign books to children in public school bearing President Edgar Lungu’s image.

Ms Miti said failure to stop such campaign methods which Ms Miti calls desperate would result in some PF detractors also starting a smear campaign like the one bearing President Lungu’s image on toilet paper.

“The PF say the tissue with the President’s image on it is not part of their campaign material, but they do not apologise for the children’s books. I am actually glad to hear the tissue was not official party business because maweee,” she quipped.

She said the distribution of campaign books to children in public schools is beyond low and North Koreasque aimed at brainwashing the learners.

“What the children need is for class sizes to be reduced from the now regular 100, to have qualified teachers, to not be sent out of school because they have not ”contributed” a ream of paper,” she said.

Ms. Miti who is also a graduate of the UNZA School of Education said the paper used to print those campaign books would, if translated to school budgetary support, keep lots of children in school.

“So the PF has to understand that if it insists on this puzzling and desperate campaign they are on, they will encourage detractors to come up with responses like the tissue. Govern please, govern. For once, dear PF, campaign by running the country,” she said.

SECRETARY to the cabinet Roland Msiska says owning a national airline will open Zambias potential in various sectors of the economy.

Speaking during an Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) discussion programme in Lusaka on the National Airline and the best economic model, Dr Msiska said the country is assured of good returns on the investment in the air transport sector.

“We are having one million Zambians flying out of the country . Let’s make an assumption that the average cost per ticket is US $1000 That’s million US Dollars going out of the country, Are you surprised that the Kwacha is under pressure. I’m just giving you these thoughts because you are economists,” Said Dr Msiska

We are not under any illusions that our colleagues from the other side (Ethiopian Airline) are not discussing how they can take advantage of the situation.

He stated that Zambia is studying the business model carefully and will settle for a win win situation

“On the question of the benefit of it, every person goes into business to make profit. We are not under any illusions that our colleagues from the other side (Ethiopian Airline) are not discussing how they can take advantage of the situation. It is our negotiation skills and our abilities to look at the model and get a win win situation”

And Ministry of transport and communication permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu says it is important for the country to be Air linked. Mr Lungu said that Zambia’s economy can not survive with externalization of resources which is done due to unavailability of a national Airline

“If you look at the passenger traffic that uses our Airports you will realize that we are externalizing money. Our economy can not sustain externalization of our resources. All tickets are sold in Dollars. We are exporting Movement. Why can’t we tap in that money and localize that money,” he wondered

Meanwhile Centre for trade policy and Development Executive Director Isaac Mwalipopo welcomed the decision to establish the National Airline