PF-UPND pact will redeem Zambians, says Lubinda

PF-UPND pact will redeem Zambians, says Lubinda
Written by Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Monday, June 29, 2009 2:50:47 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) spokesperson Given Lubinda has said that the PF-UPND pact will redeem Zambians. And several Copperbelt residents who attended the news makers forum organised by The Post Newspapers' Press Freedom Committee and held at Kitwe Little Theatre welcomed the formation of the pact. Speaking during the forum, Lubinda expressed optimism that the pact would work and achieve its purpose.

"Make no mistake, the first pact was formed in 1963, the other in 1972 and they all delivered. For those doubting that the pact will not work, it is going to work because it is people driven," he said.

Lubinda said other pacts formed previously failed because they were narrowly formed around an election.

"We have formed the pact not because we want to get rid off nyama soya; that will come later, this pact will work because it is formed on the basis of the people of Zambia. It has brought together the best brands of the young, the old and the mature," he said.

Lubinda also said that those in the pact should not be cowards. He said the MMD was shaken by the pact adding that they were frantically trying to discredit it but they would not manage. Lubinda said the pact was also not in a hurry to announce its presidential candidate but would first put everything in order before making such an announcement.

"PF and UPND have no differences, the only difference which is there is presentation of policies. We are going to make the announcement when the time is right but for now, allow us to live together," he said.

And Lubinda said there were so many Chinese doing jobs that were supposed to be done by Zambians on the Copperbelt.

"Government is now paying back for the money that they got to rig elections. It is pay back time for the Chinese. Let the Chinese offer technical support, we are going to provide the labour," he said.

Lubinda said true leaders of this country were those in the opposition side adding that every little progress that the MMD government seemed to make was because of pressure from the opposition.

Speaking at the same forum, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said the pact had made the MMD to panic. He said UPND members had all approved the formation of the pact with PF and they were ready to work to realise its purpose.

Kapita said the PF-UPND pact would get more than 50 percent vote during an election.
He said if only the PF and UPND had come together a long time ago, they would be running this country.

He said in 1991 the MMD won the elections because it entered into a pact with the people of Zambia such as unions and churches.

Kapita said President Banda had failed to run the country, adding that Zambia was in a big trap of getting into serious debts.

"Around 1970s we were owing over US $7 billion, KK built schools, roads out of this money, and this debt was cleared but this government has started borrowing, we already owe US $2 billion.They would borrow more money to buy hearses and mobile hospitals, even animals are annoyed with President Banda," he said.

He said chiefs in the country were also not happy with President Banda's style of leadership.

"The pact has unsettled them, this is why the MMD are panicking; worried, they have even started a campaign to discredit the pact. The MMD has divided this country along region and tribal lines," he said.

Kapita said the UPND and PF would go and camp in Chitambo Constituency and support the PF-UPND pact.

Kapita also said that President Banda did not consult anyone on the appointment of Dora Siliya as education minister.

"Yesterday (Saturday) he gave students from the University of Zambia (UNZA) K10 million to support Dora. Students use that money wisely but do not accept Dora," he said .

Kapita urged people to start mobilising themselves and ensure they obtain national registration cards in readiness for the 2011 elections.

"People should continue mobilising, even the OP (Office of the President ) want the pact to work, but they are being misused by politicians, they do a noble job," he said.

And Kapita said threats to fire nurses would not help solve the situation.
"Nurses have been threatened that they would be fired, a few years ago government fired 300 doctors but they found jobs in other countries, we are not encouraging them to be on strike, we are just saying that government should give them their demands," he said.

And PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott said Zambians are fade up with the MMD government.
Zambezi west UPND member of parliament Charles Kakoma said UPND would not pull out of the pact saying that the pact is irreversible.

And former Radio Icengelo Station manager Fr Frank Bwalya said it was sad that President Banda had failed to handle the situation in the country.
Fr Bwalya who was in the audience, was made to make remarks after people in the audience demanded that he should say something.

"I want to tell Banda that this country can survive without him, but it cannot survive without nurses."
He said the pact is the work of God.

"This is why the monkey did what it did, it was the answer that the pact is going to work," he said.