Maravi

l'll not remain alone in UDA - HH

l'll not remain alone in UDA - HH
By Chibaula Silwamba
Monday June 11, 2007 [04:00]

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said he would not remain in the UDA alone. Commenting on United Democratic Alliance (UDA) partners, UNIP’s Tilyenji Kaunda and FDD’s Edith Nawakwi, who said the alliance was finished and that it was merely for purposes of the 2006 election, Hichilema said some people were free to leave the struggle.

“The issue of remaining alone does not arise. Some people go and many more come. I can’t be alone because there are about 12 million Zambians who can join me,” Hichilema said. “In a struggle like this people lose vision and fall out. People who are tired are entitled to fall by the wayside. But we will continue the struggle to emancipate Zambians from economic and social problems.”

Hichilema said even during the independence struggle some people abandoned the struggle and became agents of the colonialists but still those that remained managed to attain the country’s independence.

“We said it is necessary to work with other people but if some sections of these people fall away that does not mean that no sections will remain,” he said. “We need to join and put this country together because currently it’s so polarised.”

He said only the UDA national management committee could make a binding decision that the alliance agreement had finished. “People should be allowed to make decisions and say what they wish to say but we have structures that make binding decisions. Our national management committee is meeting and it makes decisions,” he said. “For us we are looking at building conscience and that conscience building process should be focused on doing things that are beneficial to people.”

A fortnight ago, Tilyenji who is former UDA chairman said the alliance had finished. “UDA niyazulo, niya 2006, inapita inatha, inasila. Chigwirizano chinatha. (The UDA was for last year 2006 and now UDA is finished, it’s over. The alliance ended),” said Tilyenji.

Nawakwi, who was Hichilema’s vice-president, said the UDA was just for the 2006 elections and now the three political parties – FDD, UPND and UNIP- should revert to their individual operations.

Nawakwi has since started mobilising new FDD membership with a view to contesting the 2011 presidential elections.

And Hichilema said he had been to seven provinces in the last three months and realised that the country was in a desperate situation.

“I travelled by road, meeting and talking to people, seeing how they live and what they eat and the situation is desperate. So we need collective efforts to move the country forward. We need to solve the paradox of a rich country yet its people are poor,” he said. “There is no time to waste; we need to harness all our resources to benefit our people. We need prudent and strong economic management.”

Hichilema urged his fellow politicians not to continue arguing on petty issues while ordinary people were suffering. “The day when Zambia will have good economic leadership that is when we shall give hope to all Zambians, for better and free education, free medical services, clean water and other services,” he said. “I can assure you that during the next election our agenda will be economic and social development.”

Labels: DEVELOPMENT, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UDA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 8:25 AM