PREPARE TO HAND OVER
…Hichilema facing a crushing defeat, Silumbe says
By Mast Reporter
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema must prepare himself to hand over power peacefully after his defeat in next month’s election on August 13, says Leadership Movement (LM) presidential candidate Dr Richard Silumbe.
And All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni has pleaded with the people of Eastern Province not to waste their votes on Hichilema.
In an interview with The Mast, Dr Silumbe said Hichilema was facing a crushing loss of power in next month’s election.
He said Hichilema should prepare to hand over power peacefully to the opposition because indications were clear that he was losing the presidential election.
“The way things are looking, Mr Hichilema has lost this election and the only thing he must do at the moment is to prepare his exit. He must prepare to hand over power peacefully,” Dr Silumbe said.
However, he wondered whether Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) were ready to hand over power peacefully after losing.
“With this UPND-coordinated violence, intimidation and threats so far, it is clear that Mr Hichilema is not ready to hand over power peacefully. It is sad that he has failed to condemn violence perpetrated by his known cadres. For Mr Hichilema, violence is only violence when it is committed against his cadres. If you are not his supporter, then it is not violence,” he said.
Dr Silumbe reminded Hichilema that Zambia was a peaceful country and all past leaders had handed over power without any bloodshed.
“Even under his worst enemy former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s reign, there was no bloodshed recorded when it came to handing over power. In fact, Mr Lungu himself handed over power peacefully. But with Mr Hichilema, we doubt if he is ready to do that. This man will refuse,” he said.
And All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni has pleaded with the people of Eastern Province not to waste their votes on Hichilema.
Msoni said Hichilema had been rejected across the country.
“Seo ku mawa osati tikapezeke nama vote a UPND. Ayaasu akatuseke ayasu Zambia yonse seo. Batiseke bantu bonse kuno kum’mawa ngati tipezeke namavoti aUPND [People will laugh at us Easterners if we vote for UPND. We should not be found to have voted for UPND],” Msoni said.
Msoni said a bloc vote for the opposition in the province would show solidarity and unity of purpose, like the way Southern Province had voted in all past elections as a bloc.
“If there’s anything they have given you, just get and eat but vote them out. Muziba kuti iyi boma ya UPND nicipwafu? Cipwafu is an empty shell, and that is what the UPND is. It is an empty shell and voting for it will be laughable; it will be a sheer waste of votes and time,” he said.
