To the members of the PF, the President sent a message of encouragement and guidance that they focus on mobilization and ignore idle commentary and baseless criticism because in the final analysis, the only poll that counts is the legitimate ballot cast under the country’s democratic arrangement. The Head of State observed that the self-proclaimed popularity by some politicians was simply hot air because they have failed to put their claims to a test through the ballot. “With humility of heart, I wish to congratulate those who participated in the just- ended by-elections for running a good race. I also salute the people of Zambia, the voters, for ensuring that the campaigns were peaceful. This is the meaning of the democracy we collectively and individually volunteered to pursue. This generation has a duty to renew the vision of our founding fathers and mothers captured in the country’s national anthem: One Land and One Nation.” The Head of State observes that the PF victory has come amidst a smear campaign by those who seek to create delusional enemies. “This victory has come when reactional forces have mobilized to divide the nation, instilling fear in citizens of good conscience while trying to buy sympathy to cover up for their inadequacies. This agenda seeks to supplant the spirit of our nation, they seek to dilute the reason for our being as a country.” “From the foundation of the PF, our departed leader refused to use uncivilized means to gain political power at the expense of national unity. To all those who seek our fall as PF and as a people, we seek to remind them that we exist to serve the masses and not misplaced interests designed to injure society.” “As your President, I will move from province to province, district to district, town to town and village to village to ensure that we expedite the rate at which development reaches our people. In the coming days and months, I will roll our Presidential initiatives to guarantee food security to our people,” he said. The President stressed that the current generation of politicians owe it to the next generations to prove to them that a political opponent is not an enemy. The real enemy is the challenges we must overcome as a nation. “To those who doubted PF’s capacity to emerge stronger and united after mourning the painful loss of our leader the late Michael Chilufya Sata, the answer is right before you. Three straight victories in the just-ended parliamentary by-election must speak volumes about our strength, resolve and most importantly, the people’s confidence in PF.” To the tireless PF members who abandoned their homes to camp in all the three constituencies, and campaigned from their hearts, the President assured that their sacrifices have built the foundation of the party’s journey towards 2016 and beyond. “As your President, I am asking each one of you to step out, recruit new members, and energize our structures at every level. Therefore, to those who seek to distract us, we are saying: “Seleni, tubombeko”!
