UPND Suffers Defections in Mumbwa District
The opposition UPND will have to fend off more defection drama today in their Mumbwa structures.
It has become routine for the UPND to lose members at the grassroots given the high number of councillors that have defected to the Patriotic Front.
With a group of ward officials in Mumbwa District crossing over, the UPND has pulled a pre-emptive step attempting to disown the defectors.
Below is a statement from the UPND:
12.08.18
PEOPLE INTENDING TO JOIN PF TOMORROW ARE NOT OUR MEMBERS-MUMBWA UPND
The UPND in Mumbwa has disassociated itself from a group claiming to be party members that intend to defect to the PF in Nangoma tomorrow.
Addressing the media in Nangoma this afternoon,Mumbwa District UPND chairman Maybin Kalambwe said the group led by Langson Nakamamba was expelled from the party in 2016 when they opted to support an independent parliamentary candidate Boyd Hamusonde.
Mr Kalambwe said it would be folly of the former UPND members to ride on the party name in a quest to remain relevant to the PF adding that the group has been in oblivion since being expelled.
“I want to inform the nation that our structures here in Mumbwa and Nangoma in particular are intact with not a single official intending to defect to the PF.Those that will be joining the PF tomorrow are moving from an independent candidate to the PF and not from the UPND.Am assuring the national leadership that we are solidly behind the party in the district,”Mr Kalambwe said.
And Nangoma constituency chairman Frank Malumbe has warned the PF to stay away from the 8 UPND councilors in the constituency whom they have been trying to lure using money saying the party will not sit idle and allow the status quo.
Mr Malumbe said it is sad that the PF was channeling resources meant for development towards the inducement of councillors thereby creating unnecessary bye elections.
“This is the backbone of the UPND in the central province and we shall not allow any hungry political parties to break our hold.Those former members can go but we can assure the PF that the UPND will remain standing tall and ready to defend its territorial advantage.Leave our members and councilors alone otherwise we shall crash here,”he said.
Meanwhile,Mumbwa central lawmaker Credo Nanjuwa has adviced Nangoma independent lawmaker Boyd Hamusonde to return to the UPND considering that all his members have left him for the PF.
Mr.Nanjuwa said the party in the area is solidly behind the leadership of Hakainde Hichilema and nothing would break it.
“Those people that will be going to PF tomorrow are not our members.We don’t know which political party they are from and should therefore stop impersonating our bonafide members.We are intact and we shall remain so for a long time to come,”the lawmaker added.
The media briefing was attended by 2016 UPND Nangoma parliamentary candidate,Collins Nzovu and several other district and constituency officials.
A group of expelled party officials led by former Constituency Chairman Langson Nakamamba is reportedly set to defect to the PF at a ceremony to be officiated by Davies Mwila tomorrow.
UPND MEDIA TEAM