PF calls opposition Alliance as Jokers trying to hold government at ransom
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Copperbelt, Ndola, Wednesday 27th February 2019
Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his group of political jokers so-called “Opposition Alliance” should for once show seriousness on national issues.
It is strange that the so-called Opposition Alliance want to hold government at ransom on key national issues. We find it strange that Mr Hichilema and his Alliance partners have continued the crusade of attacking any decision that government makes.
Mr Hichilema should know that ascending to State House can never be achieved through the back-door. Only God and the people through the ballot can make one President. With his bitterness and evil machinations, he will never see the corridors of State House.
Mr Hichilema and his alliance friends should stop wasting Zambian people’s time. The Patriotic Front (PF) government led by His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu means well for the Zambian people and want to develop this country.
We the PF party on the Copperbelt want to remind the people to see for themselves what kind of opposition leadership we have in Zambia today. In truth this grouping is not even an “opposition alliance” – it is actually a “UPND alliance” since it is only the UPND that have representation in Parliament. These other one-man groups calling themselves “Political parties without representation in Parliament” don’t even qualify to be called political parties because they don’t even have structures.
The agenda of the UPND is now very clear – they want to frustrate the PF government at every turn and sabotage development in the country. For example, it is shocking to hear Mr Hichilema’s reasoning when he said at a press briefing that PARLIAMENT CANNOT represent the interests of all Zambians, and the 17 million Zambians must decide what goes in the Constitution and NOT Parliament which is directly elected by the people, and hence Members of Parliament being called REPRESENTATIVES of the People.”
Mr Hichilema is further quoted as saying that “We Need To Dialogue And Agree On What Should Be Contained In The Document So That When The Document Goes To Parliament, We Don’t Waste Time Debating It.”
I wish to remind Mr Hichilema that Zambia is bigger than any individual including himself. The Constitution is not tailor-made to suit any individual or a political party but all Zambians regardless of their political affiliations.
The opposition political alliance must not be agents of retarding national development through their acts of opposing every move taken by government to refine the constitution of Zambia. They should instead focus on providing checks and balances and offering well intended alternative solutions.
As PF on the Copperbelt, we are not surprised by the conduct and ignorance displayed by Mr Hichilema. The man has never been elected to any political office in his life and therefore does not understand the role of a Councillor, Mayor or Member of Parliament. Instead of ascending the political ladder directly, the man wants to use back-door methods, the same way he became the leader of UPND. He is merely trying to ride on the backs of the so-called opposition alliance whom he is using as”political donkeys” to achieve his political agenda.
We will not accept and allow Mr Hichilema to take over the running of the affairs of the country from the legitimate Government through the so-called DIALOGUE which he has hijacked and is unconstitutionally trying to make that bigger than PARLIAMENT, the legislative arm of government.
We further appeal to the Church, Civil Society Organizations and all well-meaning stakeholders to condemn the conduct of the UPND and its alliance grouping.
On the issue of CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, the UPND should tell its Members of Parliament to go back to the people, the electorate who voted for them and consult them. Mr Hakainde Hichilema should not use his dictatorial conduct to direct his MPs against the constitutional amendments aimed at refining the Constitution.
I want to appeal to all MPs irrespective of political affiliation to be patriotic and put the interests of the nation first. We should develop Zambia together regardless of political affiliation.
Lastly, I want to commend the government for setting aside K2 million for the Constitution Amendment process and for stating clearly that the process will be all-inclusive, which shows that we have a listening government.
Issued by:
Nathan Bwalya Chanda, MCC
PF Copperbelt Provincial Chairman
0966903705