Chongwe member of parliament Sylvia Masebo says Zambians will not risk electing into office a President with questionable health like PF candidate Edgar Lungu.
But foreign affairs minister Harry Kalaba says Masebo is a suspended party member and that her actions are designed to pre-empt the disciplinary measures she is facing.
Meanwhile, Masebo says gender minister Inonge Wina is a treacherous woman who tricked acting President Dr Guy Scott.
Speaking on Wednesday when she and Rufunsa MMD member of parliament Kenneth Chipungu, declared their support for the UPND ahead of this month’s election, Masebo said Zambians were tired of state funerals.
“How can Edgar Lungu be President? Lungu should continue with the alcohol he drinks because he is used. He is an alcoholic. Someone who drinks all week long should be your president? Are you sure you can vote for someone who drinks every day from morning to afternoon to be president?” Masebo wondered.
She said Lungu looked like someone who drinks tujilijili.
“We don’t want state funerals, we are now tired of them. We don’t want someone who looks like he drinks tujilijili,” Masebo said.
She said the ruling Patriotic Front died along with president Michael Sata.
“I want to tell my [acting] President Dr Scott, whom I have a lot of respect for, that there is no continuity after Sata has died. In his heart, he knows that PF was buried with Sata at Embassy Park,” Masebo said.
“But I’m sure he is trying to buy peace for Zambia and I respect that. But I want to tell the people of Zambia that don’t be misled by the so-called reconciliation. There is no reconciliation to talk about. People at the top can’t reconcile without the grassroots.”
She said Lungu had no respect for acting President Scott because he was drunk with power.
“They feel like they are already in State House; they have already won, so he has become so arrogant and even during the convention, they started forgetting that Sata and his wife are the ones who made PF. They started insulting his wife. She (Dr Christine Kaseba) is quiet because she is shocked that the people she cooked nshima for are the ones insulting her,” Masebo said.
And Masebo described Wina, who is also PF national chairperson, as a treacherous woman.
“It was Inonge Wina who dubiously allowed that illegal conference which made Lungu to be PF presidential candidate. Someone who people think is a very nice person and who they respect so much. I want to tell you that the woman is a very treacherous old woman. While accreditation was going on, they made another meeting outside and she was coming to Dr Scott to pretend nothing was going on. She tricked him by lying to him that nothing was happening,” she said.
Masebo urged people in her constituency to vote for the UPND on January 20.
But Kalaba stated yesterday that Masebo remains a suspended member of the PF and that the party’s Central Committee is yet to dispose of her case of gross indiscipline.
“Regarding Sylvia Masebo’s utterances and endorsements, we wish to state that Masebo remains a suspended official from the Patriotic Front for her earlier acts of gross indiscipline. Her actions are designed to pre-empt the disciplinary measures she is facing. It is for this reason that Zambians should not pay attention to such an official attempting to clean her misconduct by such an action. The Central Committee will sit, deal and resolve her matter of indiscipline,” stated Kalaba.