Tayali hints at quiting: “Politics is making me a destitute”

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Chilufya Tayali has hinted at quiting politics saying it is making him a destitute.

Tayali who heads a political party called EEP has also revealed how he got resources from the ruling party, PF to settle liabilities at his disbanded NGO, Zambia Voice (ZV).

In a statement below obtained by Zambian Eye posted on his facebook page, Tayali says it is difficult to sustain a political party and running Business while in opposition.

Tayali says he admires Hakainde Hichilema of the opposition UPND on how he has managed to maintain his business empire..

POLITICS IS MAKING ME A DESTITUTE, NALAFILEKA (I WILL STOP IT)

Have you ever stopped for a moment to ask yourselves, how most of us politicians survive? I can speak for myself, it is not easy especially if you are in the opposition and want to be objective, not taking sides.

Doing business, along side politics is also not easy, GBM can tell about that, yet many people want money from you just because you are a President of a political party.

I really admire and commend HH on this one, for he has survived, though he has a lot of people funding him.

When I started The Zambian Voice (ZV) I had my company, Chilutaya Compter Solutions (CCS), running and it used to keep me liquid, which is why I could manage to be so vocal and objective.

However, CCS could not do very well with me running ZV, I.T. business, is hands on, you need to be there, otherwise, the one who does the job gets paid.

Liberalities increased at ZV and I ended up soliciting for resources from the PF in exchange of political support, but I was wrong. Political parties, never empower you, they keep you on unending promises.

Ashamed of claiming to be neutral as a civil activist, after being politically dented, I thought of forming Economic and Equity Party (EEP) to be a vehicle under which I speak, because I don’t agree with the PF leadership on many issues, though I find them to be better off than UPND.

I refused to be that prostitute who gets paid to have sex yet claim to be a virgin, because that is how I see, some of these civil activists who are politically aligned, yet claim to be neutral. The best they should do is just come out as politicians, which is what I did.

Since then it has been a struggle to run EEP singlehandedly depending on unstable income, mostly out of the connection I have built.

My biggest problem is that, I want to be independent, objective, fair and just, but when you are dependent of others it is very difficult, even if they may not directly be corrupt, themselves, but their friends of friends may be.

Some of you may say what you want, but even at my lowest point, I have never lost my principles and I have never taken money to speak against anyone maliciously.

Whatever I have said, it is because I was convinced by what I was told or what I saw. If someone offered to pay for the Press Conference, I accepted the money just to have my message go far and wider, but never to change my content.

But for how long will I continue like this, my conscious is telling, I am taking a burden too huge to sustain.

I appreciate those of you who call to encourage me, but sorry, I still have a family to look after.

Many of you are expectant of many things from me, but how can I have a voice when I have not eaten.

Those of you who are frustrated, come to this page to vent your anger on me, accusing me of the very thing I wish I could have. Imagine how painful it is to be accused of having stolen food when you wish you could have food, because you are very hungry.

In speaking the truth, I have found myself in Courts with many of those I spoke for, watching from the terraces

Anyway, I am seriously thinking of quitting politics and public life and get back my private business and life.

THANKS!

Chilufya Tayali