Elections are over, Let’s Build Zambia

He said political leaders should now accept the people’s decision and get back to the issues that matter most to ordinary Zambians.

Chanda, who is himself in the opposition, said he had warned before the election that some opposition parties were not ready for the contest.

“I said it before. As you may be aware, as part of the team that is in the opposition, I said it when I decided to join the alliance that they were not prepared for this election,” he said.

He said voters had chosen to give Hichilema more time because they believed his policies could help move the country forward.

“The Zambian people should be aware that there is a time for everything. There is a time to mourn and a time to laugh. There is also a time for election, and there is also a time to focus on development,” Chanda said.

CHANDA BACKS SEPTEMBER 1 INAUGURATION

Chanda welcomed the announcement that Hichilema would be sworn in on September 1 and called on Zambians to come out in large numbers for the inauguration.

“I want to call upon all well-meaning Zambians to turn up in numbers and show our solidarity to a man that wants to see this country better than he found it and leave it better than it was before,” he said.

He said the country should use the occasion to close the chapter on the election and begin looking ahead.

‘LEADERSHIP CALLS FOR RESPONSIBILITY’

Chanda also had a message for politicians who lost the election, saying leaders must learn to take responsibility for their actions and words.

“Leadership calls for responsibility,” he said.

He expressed concern over reports of militias and alleged preparations for violence during the election, warning that politics should never become a matter of putting people’s lives at risk.

“It was sad to note that there were issues of militias in this country for the first time. We are hearing that the opposition was equipped with military,” Chanda said.

He urged politicians to stop fighting one another and instead engage in what he called “politics of progress.”

“What I know is that we all go to the ballot. We don’t harm ourselves, which at the end of the day endangers the life of a person,” he said.

Chanda said Zambians should remember the sacrifices made during the struggle for independence and work towards building a country where people can live better lives.

“We are one Zambia, one nation. Dr Kaunda and the team fought for independence and blood was shed. Therefore, we have a duty to talk about economic emancipation, bring about economic development and free our people from the bondage of poverty,” he said.

‘PEOPLE WANT LOWER COST OF LIVING’

Chanda said politicians should now turn their attention to the problems people face in their homes, markets and communities.

He said one of the biggest concerns was the cost of living and argued that the answer lay in producing more goods and creating more economic activity.

“What is good is that the people want to see the lower cost of living, and that can only be done if we are productive,” Chanda said.

He pointed to increased agricultural production as one way of opening up opportunities for people in rural areas.

Chanda said increasing production would not only help bring down prices but could also put more money into the hands of people in villages.

He urged political leaders to spend more time discussing how to grow the economy and less time fighting over the election.

‘THE ELECTIONS ARE OVER’

Chanda also urged opposition parties to stop dwelling on the election and instead keep the government on its toes by scrutinising its policies and promises.

“The elections are over, and I strongly believe that we all know that you can only come to power through the ballot, not through the courts,” he said.

He questioned how an opposition party could expect to govern when it had secured far fewer parliamentary seats than the ruling party.

Chanda referred to the 2016 and 2021 elections, saying parliamentary results in those elections also provided a picture of the support enjoyed by the respective political parties.

He warned Zambians against what he described as attempts to confuse them over the election outcome.

Chanda also challenged opposition leaders who had declared themselves winners to come forward and stand with their supporters who had been arrested.

“To my two brothers, come out and stand with the people that you are saying are listening to you. People that have been arrested. That’s leadership,” he said.

He said political leaders should now focus on what they promised voters and ensure that government is held accountable for delivering on those promises.

“For now, all I can say to the Zambian people is that this is President Hichilema on the 1st of September, and our goal is to see that this man continues to work for the Zambian people,” Chanda said.

“Let’s focus on productivity and on matters that relate to the promises that have been made, and not talk about the election. The elections are over,” he said.