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(LUSAKATIMES) Sata is 2011 PACT candidate – PF

Sata is 2011 PACT candidate – PF
Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:53

THE Patriotic Front (PF) in Lusaka has declared that its president Michael Sata will stand as presidential candidate on the PF-UPND pact ticket in next year’s general elections.

But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said anybody within the pact is free to make choices of who they deem fit to stand as pact presidential candidate in next year’s elections.

PF Lusaka Province chairperson Paul Moonga said in an interview yesterday in Lusaka that the decision is non-negotiable, and that those who feel that Mr Sata is a wrong person to lead the pact are free to go their own way.

“We expected UPND to campaign for us in Mpulungu as we vigorously campaigned for them in Chilanga. Mr Sata told me personally that I had to ensure that UPND wins that seat, which they did,” he said.Mr Moonga accused UPND of being insincere, and said even after winning the Chilanga parliamentary by-election, it has not gone back to PF to thank its partner for helping it scoop the seat.

He said PF campaigned alone in Mpulungu, and there was no sign of the pact as the UPND concentrated on campaigning in Chilanga where they had fielded a candidate.

“We expected UPND to campaign for us in Mpulungu as we vigorously campaigned for them in Chilanga. Mr Sata told me personally that I had to ensure that UPND wins that seat, which they did,” he said.

Mr Moonga said all the wards in Chilanga are his party’s strongholds and that there is no way UPND would have won the seat without the help of PF.

He said it is wrong for UPND members to continue claiming popularity when it is obvious that PF has far more members than UPND, and can win the general elections on its own.

‘Our president, Mr Hichilema, held a briefing a day after the results where he thanked both PF and UPND for the job well-done. The statement by Mr Moonga, therefore, that we have not shown gratitude for their help is baseless,” he said.

Mr Kakoma, however, denied that his party did not show gratitude to PF for the efforts it put into ensuring a victory for UPND

He said shortly after the Chilanga victory, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema held a press briefing where he thanked everyone who had made it possible for the UPND candidate Cosmas Moono to win the seat.

‘Our president, Mr Hichilema, held a briefing a day after the results where he thanked both PF and UPND for the job well-done. The statement by Mr Moonga, therefore, that we have not shown gratitude for their help is baseless,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, MICHAEL SATA, PAUL MOONGA, PF-UPND

posted by MrK @ 2:46 PM