UPND challenges President Lungu to call for early elections

The opposition UPND has challenged President Edgar Lungu to call for early elections following his statement that opposition parties are scared of meeting him in the 2021 elections.

While featuring on a special program on ZNBC where he went to check on rehabilitation works to the studios, President Lungu said some people are scared of facing him in the next general election the reason why they do not want him stand.

UPND Spokesperson Charles Kakoma says if indeed President Lungu believes he is popular, he should him call early elections now instead of waiting for 2021.

Mr. Kakoma states that the statement by the Head of State is highly deceptive.

He says President Lungu is so unpopular such that if elections were held today, he would get 40 percent less votes than what he got in 2016.

Mr. Kakoma claims that his party has data from a survey conducted by credible international researchers to that effect that with all the corruption, unemployment, poverty and poor governance under his administration, President Lungu cannot win the election.

In a separate interview, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Spokesperson Eric Chanda says President Lungu would be the weakest presidential candidate in the 2021 election.

He says to the contrary the NDC is not scared of President Lungu.