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Expect more dirt from MMD, Hichilema warns Zambians

Expect more dirt from MMD, Hichilema warns Zambians
By Mwala Kalaluka
Wed 07 July 2010, 04:01 CAT

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema yesterday warned Zambians to expect more dirt from the MMD against their perceived opponents as the country approaches 2011 general elections.

And Hichilema said the ongoing voter registration exercise by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is chaotic and the beginning of rigging.

Addressing the press at the UPND secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, Hichilema said the UPND were aware that MMD was circulating alleged ‘dossiers’ purporting that UPND and what he referred to as small parties were going to form a coalition with the MMD ahead of the 2011 general elections.

“We are all aware that the MMD has begun a vicious propaganda machine against those of us who I call genuine opposition. You have seen a lot of documentaries. I think there was one yesterday on Muvi TV,” Hichilema said.

“There were also two others particularly dealing with Mr Sata and I understand there is one coming on me. I am ready for it. You are also aware of the vicious attacks coming through the public media; Daily Mail, Times of Zambia.”

Hichilema said this heightened propaganda was seen from how some people that had been in PF and one person who was in the UPND had become darlings of ZNBC, where they were being given sufficient airtime to attack the Pact. He said now that the MMD had realised that the Pact was not breaking, it had changed its propaganda tactics.

“They can’t,” Hichilema said. “I have had sight of that document they will be circulating.”

Hichilema said the MMD was now taking the propaganda documents to Michael Sata, his colleague in the Pact, so that they create an impression in Sata’s mind that Hichilema was an insincere person. But Hichilema said the MMD propaganda would not get anywhere.

“You will remember when you see these documents. I have had discussions with my colleague Mr. Sata over the weekend. He told me how in PF they have been infiltrated,” Hichilema said.

“The Pact is here to stay with any propaganda or no propaganda, and we will not change our position because if we change our position we are arming the MMD to rig us out of an election.”

Hichilema said the Pact had once again caught President Rupiah Banda and his MMD napping and exposed.

“I am preparing you that ahead of 2011, there will be a lot of dirt. There is a lot of money that is going to be dangled in front of you,” Hichilema said.

He said the way the MMD was behaving ahead of the 2011 polls was a signal of a regime that was going out, and that it fitted one Tonga saying that the elephant gets vicious in its dying minutes. Hichilema said the MMD’s propaganda against the UPND would not work because people were thirsty for change and they would not tolerate anything that diverted the process of change.

“So, try something else, sir!” Hichilema told President Banda.

He urged the UPND and PF membership to be strong and not waiver amidst the propaganda and intimidation from the MMD.

“They will send people to sit with us in our structures. They will send people to sit with PF in their structures, as we discussed with Mr. Sata. Please ask yourselves are you going to be the one to kill the agenda?” Hichilema asked.

“If you are not convinced about the Pact, ask more questions and also tell us about the alternative. But what is the alternative? To rule with who?”

Hichilema reiterated that there was no way he could agree to form a coalition government with President Banda’s MMD, as the MMD propaganda machine portends, because he does not agree with their leadership style.

“That is cheap (propaganda), completely cheap. It will not get anywhere. We entered into the Pact with all our hearts and minds. We looked into the history,” Hichilema said. “We are not going to do that, to go into 2011 with a divided opposition. Yes, they can have the other small parties. After all, the division has already been created.”

Hichilema asked his members not to sell their souls to the MMD and not to be convinced by wrong convictions.

He said the people of Zambia had waited for 12 years for change, and that they could still do so for about 11 months to bring about the change they wanted.

“Together we shall make it,” Hichilema said. “Frankly speaking, I think that Rupiah Banda is lazy. I think he is not serious about running this country…can I go and work in a government that is extravagant?”

And Hichilema said it had become clear that the ECZ was spending little time to register voters in areas that were seen to be opposition strongholds when it had given an impression that the exercise was for three months. Hichilema said this was the beginning of the rigging of the 2011 elections.

Meanwhile, Hichilema said President Banda’s government wants to remove the ‘abuse of office’ crime from the ACC Act because it wanted to ensure that come 2011 when it got out of office, they would have laws that would shield them from going to court for corruption.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:25 PM