HH calls for responsible voting

HH calls for responsible voting
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wednesday October 08, 2008 [04:00]

UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema has urged the people of Eastern Province not to vote for people who become ‘sugar daddies’ and start distributing sugar during elections.

And Hichilema last Monday held a closed door meeting with Paramount chief of the Ngoni people in Eastern Province, Mpezeni at Ephendukeni palace. Addressing a campaign rally at Mpezeni Park square on Monday afternoon, Hichilema said people should vote for the best candidate on October 30.

"Don't vote for a candidate who gives you sugar during campaigns, only after campaigns they go like a whirlwind. Rupiah became a ‘sugar daddy’ in Katete. Now, is he going to be giving you sugar everyday? You should find a job so that you can buy sugar on your own," he said.

Hichilema charged that the political field was not levelled because the MMD was using corrupt ways of campaigning.

He said it was unfortunate that MMD was using public resources to campaign.
"The political playing field is not levelled because the MMD is definitely corrupt. They are using government vehicles, the sugar that Rupiah was distributing in Katete was bought using tax payers’ money, that was your money. Certainly, the playing field is not levelled but the people of Zambia want change," Hichilema said.

At about 14:25 hours, police blocked a taxi registration number ABH 5634 which had Rupiah's posters from passing near the meeting place to avoid confusion.
Deputy UPND national treasurer Margaret Mzyeche said the people of Eastern Province should vote out MMD on 30 October.

"We know that Rupiah is our relative here but we can't eat that relationship so we need to remove them and try us in UPND. The government has a lot of money but why is it that we buy things from Malawi?" Mzyeche asked.

Mzyeche said if Zambians voted for Vice-President Banda then they were voting for people like Katele Kalumba.
After the meeting, Hichilema toured Kapata market where he campaigned to marketeers for over one hour.

Hichilema told the marketers to vote for him because he was the only suitable candidate among the presidential candidates.
There was congestion at Kapata market as some youths demanded that Hichilema buys them beer.

"Tamuziba kudala manje atigulile malita yachibuku we have known him already now let him buy us some litres of Chibuku," one youth shouted.
And both Mpezeni and Hichilema confirmed the development a few hours after the meeting.

When asked to comment over the meeting, Mpezeni, who in 2006 endorsed the candidature of Hichilema, said the meeting was fruitful.
"Yes, it's true I met him but who told you that I had a meeting with Hichilema? Anyway phone me later in the afternoon," said chief Mpezeni who recently backed MMD's Rupiah Banda.

Hichilema said he was well-received by Mpezeni when he paid a courtesy call on him.
"We found him Mpezeni he was waiting for us, we did what a normal, civilised and basically cultured person should do to make sure that we visit our royal highnesses when we are in the areas that they actually control and for me, paramount chief Mpezeni and all other chiefs are my chiefs," Hichilema said.

Asked whether Mpezeni had endorsed him like what happened in 2006, Hichilema said: "we had a private conversation and that he did not want to make it public."

"I think you know that chiefs are chiefs for all of us and it is important that they maintain the private position over candidacy because candidates that compete are all their children so they can't choose one or the other. So the people of Zambia unfortunately or fortunately are the ones who choose who they want to be president, so it is important that chiefs retain that impartiality," Hichilema said.

Asked whether it was true that chiefs in Southern Province were supporting the candidature of Vice-President Rupiah Banda, Hichilema said only one chief who was given a brown envelope endorsed the Vice-President.
Hichilema said UPND would remove the petty corruption that chiefs were engaged in by paying them well.