Acting President Rupiah Banda has expressed confidence of  the party scoping the forth-coming October 30 Presidential by-elections.
Mr. Banda says the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) is a strong Party which will never be intimidated by the opposition political parties even if they teamed up in the October 30 Presidential by-elections.
The Acting President was speaking to Journalists shortly after arrival from Chililabombwe where he had gone to watch the joint Zambia/Togo 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup qualifiers game in which Zambia won by a goal.
Mr. Banda said the MMD  was ready to  win the opposition in the forth-coming October 30 Presidential by-elections because the party  is  credible  and  capable of delivering to the Zambian people.
He appealed to the MMD members to campaign vigorously to ensure that the Party continued in government and fulfill the late President Mwanawasa’s vision of developing the country.
Mr. Banda said it was the late President Mwanawasa’s wish that the MMD party continued in government in a bid to uplift the living standards of people and propel the country’s national development to greater heights.
Earlier, Mr Banda called for mature and issue based campaigns.
Mr. Banda made the call at Kasompe Airstrip in Chingola this morning before departure for Lusaka.
He said the forthcoming by-election messages must be based on the developmental agenda of the country.
He said the people of Zambia wanted to know how the political leadership of the nation would help the citizens to provide answers to people’s basic needs.
He said it was the MMD’s agenda to provide more schools, health centres and provide the necessary leadership that would improve the livelihood of Zambians.
Mr. Banda said politics of name calling and insults were long gone as Zambians were now focused on development in all the sectors.
He said the MMD cadres and members should send the right campaign messages to the people of Zambia so that on October 30, 2008 all may vote for the ruling party for continuity with programmes that the late President left in place.
Meanwhile Mr Rupiah Banda is tomorrow expected in Chipata to attend the Kulamba traditional ceremony of the Chewa people of Katete district on Saturday.
According to the program released ZANIS in Chipata by the Eastern Province administration in Chipata yesterday, Mr. Banda is expected to touch down at Chipata airport at 09 hours.
He will then go to Mama Rula lodge for a briefing before traveling to Katete to pay a courtesy call on Paramount chief Kalonga-Gawa-Undi at Mkaika headquarters, where the ceremony would be held on Satruday.
The programme also states that after the courtesy call, Mr. Banda will depart Katete for Chipata where he is expected to pay condolences to senior chief Nzamane of the Ngoni at his palace, on the death of his son.
The Acting President will have a night stop in Chipata before going back to Katete to attend this year’s Kulamba ceremony.
He is expected back in Lusaka on Sunday.
ZANIS/SM/KSH/ENDS