QUIT POLITICS OR LOSE BENEFITS, LUNGU ADVISED

BY ADRIAN MWANZA THE UPND Alliance members have advised former president Mr Edgar Lungu to stay away from active politics for him not to lose his pension benefits. Alliance spokesperson Thabo Kawana said that Mr Lungu did not have to listen to people that were advising him because they did not mean well and would make him lose his benefits if he continued on that trajectory. Mr Kawana said that president Lungu had proved to be a statesman who peacefully handed over power to the new president, Hakainde Hichilema without any qualms. He said the people surrounding Mr Lungu wanted to lose his benefits because the new government was governed by the law and that it was clear that former presidents who stayed in active politics risked losing their benefits.  Mr Kawana said that there was life after politics and the likes of first republican president Kenneth Kaunda and fourth president Rupiah Banda had been living comfortable lives after retiring from active politics. “They told him he was so popular and people were singing praises to him which made him think he would win the election but did you see what happened,’’ he said. He said the new government would be a government of laws and not men and that they would not look after him if he decided to continue in active politics because the law was clear. Mr Kawana said that the Alliance partners cared for the former head of state because he had shown magnanimity and that he deserved to be respected. He said that the former head of state needed to be careful and not listen to the people around hime because they wanted him to lose what he had worked for meaning he would lose two things an election and benefits. He urged the former leader to stay away from active politics but said the Alliance partners meant well for the former head of state hence the plea for him to take leave.