By Patson Chilemba
The mistakes UPND is making are a manifestation of teething problems and they will be able to eradicate them not too long from now, but it’s a pipe dream to think that the current PF can bounce back to power, says Kantanshi member of parliament (PF) Anthony Mumba.
And Mumba said he is now only spending at most K20,000 monthly from his pockets to help out in his constituency as opposed to the K60,000-K70,000 and sometimes K100,000 he was spending monthly before the increased CDF.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Mumba was asked if he retained any hope that the PF can come back into office. Responding, Mumba said the country’s political polarization is what would continue to weaken democracy, saying democracies which were strong usually have two, three or four political parties, but Zambia currently has over 30 parties and that that in itself made it very difficult for any particular party to grow.
“Patriotic Front candid as I am, in its current form cannot bring inspiration to the people of Zambia or be an alternative to the people of Zambia because of the composition of the leadership. That leadership lost elections in 2021. It’s the same leadership which is there, which is thinking that in 2026 they will win simply because people are complaining that the cost of living is high, simply because the UPND is making also mistakes, which are normal because they are in the teething state. They are in the learning state and they will sharpen those, they will eradicate those mistakes not too long from now,” Mumba said. “So it’s a pipe dream for PF in its form, in its form right now, with the people at the helm it can’t. That’s my position.”
Mumba said if the PF revisited its leadership composition and brought fresh faces to provide fresh energy, saying otherwise there was nothing PF was doing to remain on the political scene.
“And every time you advise them then you have been bought. Every time you have a different opinion then you have been bought. I have never heard UPND buy anybody,” Mumba said, adding that the current people in leadership must take a back step, and “not organizing people so that they can be able to support you at the convention. That is selfish thinking. You need to make sure that you put people around you who are going to provide the necessary criticism. That criticism is meant to rebuild you. When people are talking about your mistakes and you learn from your mistakes you will be able to become a better person.”
Mumba said “in its current form, PF cannot come back. Unless it looks at its leadership. Unless it starts to provide a different form of political arguments so that people are able to see that this is a party that was in opposition for 10 years, (another) 10 years in government. They are armed with the necessary experience, necessary exposure and they can actually use that. There are so many things PF did that you can talk about.”
Mumba said he finally did the school’s bursaries in his constituency involving over 1400 youths that have been selected in the first round, and got an approval for purchasing computers for 23 schools and was now at the stage for the evaluation for grants targeting the most vulnerable but self motivated people, like those doing small businesses by putting them into cooperates.
He said the first part has been finalized and was seeking for approval, saying he felt the right people have been targeted.
Mumba said this has totally lessened his burden as member of parliament, but that that it did not stop him from supplementing government efforts from his own pockets.
He said he roughly spends K20,000 on a monthly basis on giving out various empowerments from his own pocket as compared to K60,000-K70,000 he used to spend before the increased CDF, and that in certain months where he did business well he could even go as far as K100,000.
“But that has been eliminated to a very very large extent,” said Mumba. “Because Remember also as a member of parliament you are a guest of honour, wedding you are a guest of honour, at a fundraising. I am a patron for Mufulira Wonderers. I am a patron for Mufulira Tennis Club. All those you have to dig deep into your pockets, buying jerseys, footballs and you have also got other sporting activities like volleyball, netball. All those it’s you from your personal pocket but now with CDF we will find a way of supporting these sporting activities, and even in terms of their attire and what is required for use. All that is through CDF.”
