Maravi

Mazoka's vision is being carried forward - HH

Mazoka's vision is being carried forward - HH
By Namakau Nalumango in Ndola
Wednesday April 11, 2007 [04:00]

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said the vision that the late Anderson Mazoka had for the party had been carried forward. Speaking at a card renewal and fundraising braii in Ndola, Hichilema said Mazoka envisioned a party that distinguished itself in terms of having economic and social independence. Hichilema said through his leadership, the party had been able to keep that vision alive and would carry it forward.

"UPND is a party that has distinguished itself in terms of economic and social independence which our great son Mazoka started. Mazoka's wishes live on, Mazoka's vision lives on and left it for us to carry forward," he said.

He also admitted that during the run up to the 2006 elections, the time was too short for a party that had just reorganised itself. "In the last elections, as UDA we made a lot of mistakes. We have to agree there. We picked our candidate too late unfortunately partly because we lost Mr. Mazoka in the eleventh hour but even then we chose our councillors, members of parliament and the president too late," he said.

"I was made president of UPND in July and I was only made president of UDA in August and to be precise we had 45 days to go round the country. The time was too short."
He said as a result, UPND was already on the ground working tirelessly for the 2011 elections.

Hichilema said so far, he had been to six provinces in an effort to make sure that Zambians made informed choices that would liberate them economically and socially.

Hichilema added that there should be no room left for certain parties that had failed to take the country forward. He expressed hope that by 2011, issues of tribalism and mediocre debates would not be the basis upon which people would choose a leader.

"This country needs social and economic liberation. The issue of where you come from would not matter. Everybody is hungry. Many of our people have no jobs and go without decent food because hunger doesn't know where you come from," he said.

Hichilema also stressed the importance of government to provide free education for its people.

He said if the country was going to talk about moving away from poverty it would need an educated citizenry. Hichilema also said the issues of running the economy and improving lives was connected to the constitution. He also called for the reorganisation of the emerald sector along the lines of Tanzanite of Tanzania and also along the lines of the South African gold industry.

He said to get the value from the emeralds, there was also need to have it properly structured and branded.

Hichilema said currently, the sector was fragmented and shrouded in secrecy when the country could derive the 10 per cent economic growth that was always talked about.

And UPND provincial chairman, Joe Kalusa commended The Post newspaper for the stance they had taken concerning information minister Vernon Mwaanga and DRC Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi and said the truth concerning the US$7million could only come from the duo.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 5:06 AM