. Wina

By JAMES KUNDA –
VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has dispelled falsehoods that President Edgar Lungu intends to cling on to power in an event that he loses the August 11 general elections.
Ms Wina said Mr Lungu was one of the most democratic leaders in Africa and that in an event that the Patriotic Front (PF) lost the presidential election, the victorious opposition political party leader would assume office peacefully.
She said this in Parliament yesterday during the Vice-President’s question time when responding to Siavonga United Party for National Development (UPND) Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Hamudulu who referred to online media reports as his basis for argument.
“Mr Speaker, the Member of Parliament posing the question seems to be a disciple of social media and some sections of the print media.
“I want to assure the honourable member that Edgar Chagwa Lungu is one of the most democratic leaders on the continent and to insinuate that he won’t hand over power in an event of a loss is totally wrong,” Ms Wina said.
She said President Lungu would win the forthcoming election by a landslide margin, surpassing the 50 per cent plus one threshold for a presidential victory enshrined in the Constitution.
“It is a well known fact that the PF will win the election on August 11, so the honourable member should beware not to believe whatever he reads on social media and other institutions which are being sponsored to mislead the people into voting against the PF,” the Vice-President said.
She told the House that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Examinations Council of Zambia and the Judiciary were meeting over matters pertaining to the interpretation of the constitutional clause requiring elective political office seekers to possess a Grade 12 certificate.
Responding to Ikeleng’i MMD MP Elijah Muchima, Ms Wina said the institutions would provide further guidance on the matter.
She also said the 15 diplomats accredited to Zambia who were invited to a luncheon by UPND president Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka last week were at liberty to do so.
Responding to a question by Nakonde PF MP Abel Sichula, Ms Wina said the Government was not agitated by the will of the diplomats to exercise their democratic right of freedom of association.
Ms Wina, in response to a question by Kapiri Mposhi PF MP Eddie Musonda, took time to implore other MPs to support the crusade against political violence.
Mr Musonda wanted to know the Government’s position on the call by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) for continued political discourse on violence.
Meanwhile, Ms Wina in a brief statement informed the House that the Constitution signing ceremony at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka last year gobbled up K4.8 million.
And Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda informed the House that the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) spent K186.9 million to print 439 million pieces of bank notes and mint 317.5 million pieces of coins between January 2012 and October 2015.
He was responding to Chadiza MMD MP Allan Mbewe’s question.