By Daily Revelation Reporter
Zambians must take Edgar Lungu seriously over his utterances that he had learnt a lesson from the manner Uganda conducted its elections last year, says Colonel Panji Kaunda.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Col Panji said President Lungu was not joking nor merely talking when he made certain statements.
“He said they had learnt how to win elections in Uganda,” Col Panji said of President Lungu’s statement following the discredited Ugandan election which ushered Yoweri Museveni into another term, after curtailing his opponent’s freedoms, Bobi Wine, including a house arrest against him. “He told us that he had no vision, we laughed but he wasn’t joking. When presidents say something we should take it seriously. Even (late Frederick) Chiluba he said power was sweet and he attempted a third term.”
Col Panji said the move by President Lungu, through the police, to clamp down on opposition campaigns was right from Yoweri Museveni’s playbook.
He said he found it unusual for instance that PF secretary general Davies Mwila could accuse the opposition UPND of trying to rig the 2021 elections, as laying grounds to hold on to power by the ruling party in the event they lost the elections.
“It’s very unusual where the ruling party is saying the opposition is going to rig. All the apparatus are in their (ruling party) hands, so how can the opposition do that?” Col Panji asked.
And Col Panji echoed his close friend Ambassador George Zulu’s sentiments that he was supporting the UPND for their ideas, saying “if God willing we are still here in 2026 and the person we are supporting don’t stick to their promise, again we shall rise up and condemn.”
“We don’t follow parties but ideas. It’s the same ideas we followed to PF,” Col Panji said, adding that it was difficult to know what was in the mind of someone, but since the PF had been given the chance to prove themselves and according to him have failed to perform, it was now time to try the UPND.
“It’s about taking a chance. Those we are helping today and if they don’t fulfill we shall tell them to go home and rest,” said Col Panji.
Asked on assertions that left UPND, with some wondering why he was back supporting the same party he left for PF, Col Panji said he never left the UPND but was expelled for advocating for the PF-UPND alliance, which collapsed before the 2011 elections.
“When they refused I went and campaigned for PF. So I didn’t leave on my own,” said Col Panji.
