Southern province minister Daniel Munkombwe has vowed to ‘crush’ the opposition and turn the province into a stronghold for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
Receiving about three thousand people who defected to join the PF at Ngwezi in Kazungula district yesterday, Mr Munkombwe promised to mount a sustained campaign for mass defections to the ruling party.
The three thousand people defected from the opposition MMD and the UPND.
Mr Munkombwesaid the PF under the leadership of President Michael Sata is the only political party capable of delivering development to the remotest parts of the country.
Mr Munkombwe said this can be attested by his visit to Ngwezi area which is one of the remotest and previously neglected places in the province.
He assured the people of Ngwezi that the PF government will address the poor road network in the area which is usually cut off from the rest of the country during the rain season.
The minister dismissed assertions that the PF is a party for Bemba speaking people only saying all tribes are adequately represented in the leadership and membership of the PF.
Mr Munkombwe told Ngwezi residents not to listen to some opposition parties that were busy day dreaming that they will rule this country one day.
And a Ngwezi resident who led the defections, Getrude Pomboloka, said the people in the area have realised that it is only the Patriotic Front government that can free them from the shackles of poverty.
Ms Pomboloka said the area has suffered neglect from the previous government resulting in serious under development.
She said people want the PF government to develop the area.