United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) President Charles Chanda has called on the opposition political parties in the country to boycott the forth-coming ward by-elections.

Mr Chanda says that this is because they are just a drain on the national resources.

Unprecedentedly by-elections in the country have taken centre stage, with the ruling party dangling carrots to United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate councillors to inflict costly by-elections.

The latest one in Solwezi,Tumvwanganiya ward where the UPND councillor Kyapalushi Kapatamoyo, Monday 10 th September 2018 resigned, citing personal reasons.

Surprisingly and for the first time in history of the country, the Vice President is now included on the campaign list of the ward by-elections, as a demonstration that the ruling party means business.

Appearing on UNZA Radio, “The Lusaka Star programme”, Tuesday morning, Mr Chanda was holding nothing back has he strongly urged opposition leaders to consider boycotting the Patriotic Front manufactured by-elections.

He said the opposition should rather allow the PF candidates in the ward by-elections to go unchallenged and save tax payers’ money.

Mr Chanda said that UPPZ will participate in all the Parliamentary by-elections but will not be tempted to participate in the ward by-elections because they are not necessary.

He said Parliamentary by-elections have impact on the strength of the party and can be used as checkmate for the 2021 general elections.

“Sometimes, we must apply political morality, as President of the party, l have made a decision, we will not waste time on these useless by-elections of electing a councillor because these are man made and they are draining the coffers of the treasury.

We are now spending money on elections instead of development.

Do you know that the money we are spending on by-elections, we can dig boreholes in communities but then we have situations where we have invisible hands…

Even if someone comes up to say it is personal reason, don’t think we are fools.

You can’t tell us for personal reasons, why did you become a councillor?

When people are receiving brown envelopes and they tell us that, l am not going to be a councillor, does it make sense?

You spend money on campaign.You were on this party ticket and you decide am not going to continue being a councillor..

Let those who are behind the by-election take part and l want to appeal to other political parties, let us boycott all these councillor by-elections.

If there is any ward by-election,just boycott all these ward by-elections,just boycott it.

If PF wants to win, let them go unopposed.It will be a waste of time.

What is happening is someone wants to confuse our focus but we will not participate.

Parliamentary by-elections? Yes because that is helping us reaching out, having a bigger picture of 2021.

We have got the resources to participate but on moral ground, let us say no to these useless ward by-elections,” Mr Chanda said.

And the UPPZ president said that his party is able to dethrone the PF single-handedly without being in an alliance with any political party.

He said that the fact that the UPPZ beat PF in two wards in Kasenengwa to break the wako ni wako syndrome demonstrates what will happen in 2021.

Mr Chanda said the PF has the common enemy and these are Zambians who are wallowing in poverty.

“I will be honest with you, you don’t need to bring all the opposition political parties to defeat PF.

They are inflicting wounds in themselves. All you need to do is to get some salt and put in those wounds.

PF is finished and they are living in denial.They have conflict among themselves.

We must not think that PF is unbeatable.

Are you aware that a party that is just one year ten months was able to beat the Patriotic Front in two wards and am proud of that.

UPPZ got 197 votes against PF with 91.

Now if UPPZ can beat PF in their own backyard, in their own village, in their own stronghold and with wako ni wako syndrome.

If we can beat them there and we only campaigned in less than 20 days.

If we can do that, then you know that the ground is ready,” Mr Chanda said.

He said that the PF should not create a picture that it is so popular that it can only be booted out of office if the opposition combine because that is far from reality.

UPPZ MEDIA