ZCID dialogue to go ahead

ZCID Spokesperson, Jackson Silavwe

The Zambia Center for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) says it will go ahead with plans to hold the summit of political party leaders whether the opposition UPND takes part or not.

The UPND has remained adamant about the Church being the one to lead the national dialogue.

But ZCID spokesperson Jackson Silavwe has told a media briefing in Lusaka that the Center will not allow any political player to vitiate the course of the national dialogue.

Mr. Silavwe says the ZCID has already wasted too much time and will not delay the national dialogue any further.

And Mr. Silavwe has dismissed assertions that the ZCID is being driven by ulterior motives by insisting to lead the national dialogue despite the Church offering to do so.

He says the position the ZCID has taken is not strange as it arises from a resolution that was made by all political parties that it facilitates the dialogue process.

Mr Silavwe states that to this effect, the ZCID board received four names of the five it requested political parties to nominate as those that would possibly chair the dialogue now that the Church has opted to go it alone.