We’re with you, Mazabuka UPND officials tell M’membe

We’re with you, Mazabuka UPND officials tell M’membe
By Fridah Zinyama
Sat 03 July 2010, 14:30 CAT

UPND Mazabuka Central constituency and ward officials on Friday visited Post editor Fred M’membe to offer him solidarity following his release from prison last month.

The UPND Mazabuka Central Constituency leadership had visited Lusaka to see how Parliament works and then later decided to pass through The Post to show their Solidarity to M’membe and see how The Post operates.

Heading the delegation was Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo who said the officials from his constituency had felt the need to show solidarity to M’membe.

“The essence of this visit Mr M’membe is to come and give you solidarity from the UPND organ in Mazabuka...the people you see here comprise of party leaders from Mazabuka Central,” Nkombo said.

“These are the people who lead the people I represent. They are coming from four wards in Mazabuka but unfortunately we do not have representation from the fifth ward due to logistical problems they could not be here with us.”

In his introduction of M’membe to his delegation, Nkombo described M’membe as a tribal cousin because he was Lozi.

“In many ways, he is connected with us because he is our tribal cousin and is also married to the late Mazoka’s daughter, Mutinta...so he is one of us,” Nkombo said.

And one of the party leaders, Ronald Simukonda, offered a prayer asking God to protect M’membe in his time of trials and tribulation. Simukonda asked God to continue watching over M’membe and his family and strengthen him even as he goes through the trying times.

And Mazabuka Central Constituency chairman David Namundamana thanked M’membe for afforded them an opportunity to meet with them.

“We came to show our solidarity to you, as Mazabuka this is the newspaper that we read widely, because it continues to provide hope for the country and it writes about the issues that relate to the masses ...and this will be the case for generations to come.” he said.

Namundamana assured M’membe of the UPND Mazabuka organ support even as he goes through tribulation.

“We just wanted to let you know that in all that may be your tribulations, the Mazabuka Constituency is behind you and the support we are giving you now will continue in the years to come,” Namundamana said.

“You have our support at all times. Even if you are going through hard times we are with you and even if you go through good times, we are with you.”

Namundamana expressed hopefulness that come next year’s election, the PF/UPND Pact could deliver the Zambian people from the current sufferings and assured M’membe of the UPND support even when they are in power.

And M’membe thanked the officials for the time they had taken to pay him a visit.

“I would like to extend our thanks to our area member of parliament Honourable Gary Nkombo. I say our MP because as The Post we have an office in Mazabuka and we just recently purchased a building as we were operating from rented properties,” M’membe said.

“One cannot buy property in a place that he does not consider home. We are in Mazabuka to stay.”

M’membe also thanked the UPND officials for their prayers. He said it was important for one to be spiritually sensitive in these times.

“…we are very lucky in Mazabuka that you have represented us very well,” he said.

M’membe praised Nkombo for the role that he has continued to play in parliament as a legislator. He said even though he was not sure of what Nkombo had accomplished in his constituency in terms of projects, he was sure that Nkombo had conducted himself with sufficient honour and integrity as a people’s representive in Parliament.

“I know that there are elections coming next year. One would assume that I am campaigning for him. I am not. I am just stating that which has to be stated,” M’membe said.

He said though he was meeting the UPND party officials for the first time, they were doing a great job.

“What you are doing is very important. Politics is not a dirty job. It is in actual fact a very noble call, as it involves the lives of many people,” he said. “The decisions you make today will affect future generations.”

M’membe said multi-party politics was demanding but like everything that was good it was also very costly.

M’membe said the job of a councillor was as important as that of an MP.

“Without you, the MP will not be able to do what he is doing,” he said. “Take seriously what you are doing.”

M’membe then quoted Confucius: “He who secures good has already secured his own good.” He further encouraged the councillors to continue the good work that they were doing as it was benefitting a lot of people.

“You have decided to play a part in politics, you have a responsibility to all the districts in the country,” M’membe said.

“Take care of your country, unite to give us a future that we deserve to raise our children, dry our tears and take away our despair and replace it with hope. It takes sacrifice to save others and we will just give you our respect because we do not have resources to support your good work.”

And Nkombo said councillors in his constituency had been agents of change and their leadership had been serious and unwavering.