Maravi

PF, UPND to go for electoral pact

PF, UPND to go for electoral pact
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Tuesday August 19, 2008 [04:00]

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) is pushing for an electoral pact with UPND in the event of a presidential by-election, informed PF sources have revealed. But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said they had just began the process of working together with PF. And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said he, and PF leader Michael Sata, would de-campaign the MMD government around the country if salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials were not reversed. According to PF sources, UPND and PF leaders have also agreed to hold public rallies on the Copperbelt and Southern provinces.

“It is actually being dealt with at the top level. We want our co-operation through these meetings to culminate into an alliance or electoral pact because it seems likely that we are headed for a presidential by-election,” said the source.

But when contacted for comment, Kakoma said: “We have not yet reached that stage. But a pact or an alliance takes so many forms. I think we are just beginning the process of working together and we shall cross the bridge when we get there.”

Asked if Sata would be the appropriate person to politically groom Hichilema, Kakoma responded: “As an elderly person, he is a veteran politician. Certainly, there are things we can learn from him. When we agree with him, we shall take his advice. On some other things, we shall disagree with him. But we will value his advice.”

Kakoma said it was important for the opposition to work together and be united on some issues. He said there was a general feeling that the younger generation should take over the leadership of the country.

“And what Sata is saying, I think he supports HH as one of the young leaders in this country,” said Kakoma.

Meanwhile, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said although there were speculations that Sata would lead the pact as president with Hichilema serving as his vice, they had not yet reached that stage of discussions.

“What we want to do now is first to work together to sustain pressure on this government so that they can withdraw the salary increments,” Kapita said.

“If that is achieved, then that will be the right time to look at the next step forward. After all, even before I became vice-president of this party and Dr Scott as vice-president of PF, first and foremost we are Zambians and we should work for the common good of this country. For now, we want to concentrate on this national issue.”

And when contacted for comment over their imminent alliance with UPND, PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott responded: “I think don't rush it. We rushed the ULP (Sakwiba Sikota's United Liberal Party) pact because the elections caught us wrongly. I don't think we need to rush this one. We want to know each other.”

Dr Scott also said Hichilema was the most appropriate person for Sata to groom because he had a strong standing. He said he was not insecure and was ready to serve in any leadership position.

PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said only politicians who lacked self-confidence would be scared over Sata's statement that he would groom Hichilema before he died. Lubinda said naturally, Sata was already grooming PF leaders through their interactions with him. He said Sata would not sit in a classroom to teach people leadership.

However, PF Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba said Sata was not God to groom other people. He said Sata was a man of U-turns who recently said there was no grooming in politics.

“He is just an inconsequential being in the eyes of God and the moment he realises that probably his existence will become more meaningful. If it's grooming, it is grooming to become a political opportunist,” said Chishimba. “If it is grooming in the evil cobra spirit, I'll understand because he believes in the cobra spirit. Not grooming in the name of Jesus.”

And in an interview after the rally at Mpamba Basic School in Chilanga constituency on Sunday, Hichilema said he was ready to do anything to serve the country from MMD's extreme plunder of national resources.

He said the step that Sata and himself had taken over what he called irresponsible increments was irreversible. He said he would, jointly with Sata, embark on countrywide campaigns against the MMD's ills.

"The activities you saw yesterday (Saturday) are only one in many to come. We shall sustain these activities until this irresponsible behaviour by the MMD government is reversed,” Hichilema said.

He said it was nonsensical for MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba to accuse him and Sata of seeking political mileage by holding rallies against ministers' salary increments. Hichilema said ministers were jittery because they knew that their time in government was shrinking.

“In fact, if they are clever, they should act quickly and reverse that decision. They must be interested in the people of Zambia not themselves. For me, if I went into public office, I don't need to steal from the people of Zambia. What I need to do is to give the people of Zambia a better life, better agriculture, health and schools. Doctors and nurses are not being paid, a policeman is underpaid, why should a minister pay himself responsibility allowance?

Personally, I call it irresponsibility allowance,” Hichilema said. “If they gave that money to the people of Zambia, that school pointing at Mpamba Basic would be a good school today. But because it has been denied that, the school is in a bad school state.”

On Sata's statement that he would groom him politically, Hichilema said he would not comment because that would dilute their friendship. Hichilema said Sata was a good and experienced politician whose advice was always required in the country's politics.

And addressing a rally earlier, Hichilema urged people to trust the opposition and vote out the MMD government which had failed them for almost the past two decades.

Hichilema said UPND believed in the servant-type of leadership as opposed to master leadership currently being practised by MMD government.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF, SATA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 3:46 AM