Fight for change, Mutinta Hichilema urges women

Fight for change, Mutinta Hichilema urges women
By Lambwe Kachali
Wednesday April 30, 2008 [04:00]

THE womenfolk should rise and fight for change because they are the victims of the poverty created by the MMD government, opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema's wife Mutinta has said. And Mutinta Mazoka, the widow of former UPND leader Anderson Mazoka, said Zambians have lost the culture of the independence struggle where there was no exchange of money or chitenge materials for votes.

Addressing a rally in Mumbwa district on Monday, Mutinta Hichilema said she was shocked at the suffering of the people in Mumbwa.

She told the people that they should not trust MMD because it had failed to live up to its promises of addressing their plight, especially women. Mutinta Hichilema said the MMD government had failed the mothers in Zambia and time had come for them to speak out for change. She said most women in the country could not access education and proper healthcare among other things because of government's lack of foresight.

Mutinta Hichilema said the problems people were facing were an eye-opener that the MMD government was tired and could longer provide basic necessities for its people.
"I am speaking as a mother because we are the ones who suffer most during the time of hunger. When a child goes to school, to hospital, it is a woman who suffers. So, I beg you, my fellow women to tighten your chitenge materials, to work together in order to change your standard of living," she said.

Mutinta Hichilema said during the days of Dr Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP, problems in the country were not as severe as they were in the MMD era. She urged people to stop voting for selfish leaders who were only interested in enriching themselves at the expense of the national. Mutinta Hichilema said it was only UPND that could change the lives of Zambians once voted into government.

"Those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s have not felt the impact and profits of the country's independence. In 2011, MMD will be 20 years in government. Therefore, they are tired and must leave government for fresh and capable people to properly run the affairs of this country. What is happening in MMD is dangerous for the nation because our leaders, when they get sick they go to, London and South Africa while we are forced to go to clinics and hospitals which do not even have a panadol. But did we vote for them to be comfortable and make us poor?" she asked.

Mutinta Hichilema said Zambians should support UNPD as it was the only solution to the country's numerous problems. And Mutinta Mazoka said Zambians should be mindful of the negative repercussions of bribes during election time.

Mutinta Mazoka said it was unfortunate that politicians had continued to take advantage of people's ignorance especially in rural areas during elections.
She said UPND would not stop sensitising citizens because its vision was to make Zambia independent economically and politically. Mutinta Mazoka also warned the people of Mumbwa to desist from falling prey to selfish politicians during the 2011 general elections.

"Time has come to teach these politicians a lesson because they have taken us for granted. Let us show them that our vote is more important than chitenge or K10," Mutinta Mazoka said. "If we are not proactive now, we shall continue to suffer while politicians live a comfortable life."

Mutinta Mazoka further urged Zambians to support the party and ensure that in 2011, UPND formed government. Meanwhile, party vice-president Richard Kapita bemoaned the lack of development in Mumbwa. Kapita said Mumbwa would never develop if it continued to support MMD, which he described as a non-functional party.