Maravi

Fr Bwalya to distribute one million red cards

Fr Bwalya to distribute one million red cards
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 08 June 2010, 11:30 CAT

CHANGE Life Zambia (CLZ) executive director Fr Frank Bwalya has said his organisation intends to distribute over one million red cards countrywide before next year’s general elections.

In an interview, Fr Bwalya said people getting red cards needed to be in possession of the National Registration Card (NRC) and voters’ card.

“Don’t just get a card when you don’t have a National Registration Card and voters’ card or you are not planning to register as a voter. All those three should be there, three cards you need,” Fr Bwalya said.

He said the red card campaign would be unstoppable in that the MMD were bent on denying Zambians the constitution they wanted.

“The government is proving to be purely unstoppable in refusing to appeal against the acquittal of Dr Frederick Chiluba, they are unstoppable in continuing to shield criminals, they are unstoppable in enacting laws that are bad and taking away from the gains that we have scored so far in terms of entrenching good governance and democracy in our country. So this campaign is going to last and succeed,” he said.

Fr Bwalya said contrary to President Rupiah Banda’s remarks on the Copperbelt Province that the people had refused to be part of the campaign, the red card campaign was gaining popularity each day.

“What you need to understand is that Mr Rupiah Banda engages in cheap propaganda so when he says the people on the Copperbelt and Zambians in general have refused to be part of the red campaign he thinks in that way people will refuse to be part of it. But the people have not refused, it’s the people who are flashing red cards not me,” Fr Bwalya said.

He said more meetings would be held to distribute the red cards.

“What we are focusing on now is that all Zambians should have a National Registration Card to show that they are Zambians, secondly they should have a red card to show that they are a frustrated Zambians but thirdly to have a voters card to show that despite being frustrated they can change their situation by voting the right way in 2011,” he said.

Fr Bwalya said Zambians wanted a people-driven constitution that could stand the test of time and support plural politics.

“We are demanding for commitment on the part of government to fight corruption and theft of public resources. We are also demanding for good governance and to ensure that justice and the due process of the law prevail over the acquittal of Dr Chiluba,” he said.

“These issues government may not respond to them in the near future, meaning therefore, that this will be a protracted campaign and we need the people to have durable cards that can last. Some of the cards actually are not being distributed by Change Life Zambia or our partners, people themselves are making these cards and we are encouraging them to do so to make a card out of any durable material or paper as long as it is durable and can last up to next year.”

He said what was witnessed during the launch of the PF-UPND Pact was just a tip of the iceberg.

“There are a lot of people out there who are flashing red cards not by way of raising it but because of the way they feel about this corrupt, selfish and inept government,” said Fr Bwalya.

Labels: FRANK BWALYA, RED CARD CAMPAIGN

posted by MrK @ 2:47 PM