Maravi

UPND is still hurt by my departure - Saki

UPND is still hurt by my departure - Saki
By Zumani Katasefa
Monday April 09, 2007 [04:00]

UPND is still feeling the hurt and vacuum of my departure, United Liberal Party (ULP) President Sakwiba Sikota has said. And Sikota has urged President Mwanawasa to hasten the process of enacting a new constitution before the 2011 elections. Speaking on Face to Face on Radio Icengelo on Saturday, Sikota said after the formation of United Liberal Party, the UPND was still feeling the hurt and the vacuum which had been created after he left the party.

He claimed that more than 60 percent of people in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces had left UPND and joined his party which even managed to get some parliamentary seats in the last elections. "It is very clear that these people are hurting, let them go their way, we are going our way. They are feeling the hurt, they are feeling the vaccum," he said.

Sikota also urged political players to have tolerance and concentrate on the development of the country. Sikota added that not every action should lead to the creation of by-elections. He said tribalism was still being practiced in Zambian politics and that there was still need to squarely deal with the problem but in a sober manner. He said Zambians must be bold enough to confront the problem in a manner that would not spark tribal wars. "Tribalism is there, we need to deal with it. What we need is to fix it," he said.

And responding to a caller on the programme, Sikota said he was not a loner saying that he had influential people around him, some of whom were with him at the time of the radio programme. He said it was unfortunate that Zambians were fond of focusing on individuals instead of issues. And Sikota emphasised the need to have a new constitution before 2011. "We all believe that we can have a new constitution by 2008, having a referendum before a new constitution can be put in place is a misconception," he said.

He said there was no need to delay the enactment of a new constitution, as Zambians have made it clear that they want a new constitution before the next elections. Sikota said some lawyers have differed in opinion over the enactment of the new constitution by 2008, because of the difference on priority each one of them attached to the process.
"The difference depends on how much priority we attach to this process. We are urging them to attach the some amount of priority to this process," he said. Meanwhile, Sikota has urged foreign investors to adhere to Zambian labour laws.

He said foreign investors should make sure that Zambians workers were well-looked after. Sikota said his party was committed to the principle of equal distribution of wealth to all Zambians.

Labels: SAKWIBA SIKOTA, ULP, UPND

posted by MrK @ 4:43 AM