Makebi Zulu urges voters to reject UPND, promises return to ‘Lungu-era’ living conditions
NRPUP vice-presidential candidate Makebi Zulu has urged Zambians not to return the UPND to power in the August 13 election, accusing the governing party of failing to fulfil some of its campaign promises and presiding over a rise in the cost of living.
Chililabombwe, 28 July – Speaking at campaign rallies in Chililabombwe and Chingola on Monday, Zulu, who is running alongside NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, singled out the price of mealie meal as an example of what he described as the government’s failure to improve people’s lives.
Zulu said a National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) government would seek to restore what he described as the living conditions experienced during the administration of former president Edgar Lungu.
“We want to elect a truthful government. We want to continue the way we used to work with Mr Lungu, so we will go back to living the way we were living under Mr Lungu,” Zulu told supporters.
He accused the UPND of failing to deliver on promises made before taking office and questioned whether voters should give the party another mandate.
Zulu claimed that the price of mealie meal had risen from about K125 to as much as K350 under the UPND government, contrasting this with earlier political promises about reducing the cost of the staple food.
“Are you going to vote for these liars again? How much did they tell us mealie meal would be costing under their government? Who’s buying mealie meal at K50?” he asked.
Zulu also raised allegations of possible electoral malpractice, claiming that some people could be given as many as four presidential ballot papers during the August 13 election.
He urged NRPUP supporters to remain vigilant at polling stations to protect their votes.
“Be careful when voting on the 13th of August. We have heard that they’ll be giving some people four presidential ballots so that even if a person votes once, they vote four times. Pay attention so that they don’t steal your votes,” Zulu said.
He did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation.
The NRPUP is campaigning on a platform that includes proposed reforms in education, mining, the creative industries, digital entrepreneurship and governance as it seeks to win support ahead of the August 13 vote.
Zulu said the party wanted to build on policies associated with Lungu’s administration, invoking the former governing PF’s “Dununa Reverse” campaign slogan as he promised a change in direction.
“We want to elect a truthful government. We want to continue the way we used to work with Mr Lungu, so we will go back to living the way we were living under Mr Lungu. We will do a Dununa Reverse,” he said.
Zulu urged voters to judge the governing party on its record and back the Mundubile-led NRPUP in the election.
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Makebi Zulu urges voters to reject UPND, promises return to ‘Lungu-era’ living conditions
