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Milupi calls on Zambians to denounce Rupiah’s regional politicking

Milupi calls on Zambians to denounce Rupiah’s regional politicking
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 01 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT

LUENA ADD member of parliament Charles Milupi has called on Zambians to denounce President Rupiah Banda's regional politicking.

Milupi, who described President Banda as an enemy of democracy, said the President's call to the Easterners to vote for him in next year’s general elections to enable him to get a second term in office was ridiculous and undemocratic.

He said people should not allow President Banda to introduce regional politics in the country.

“I think it was too much to expect the MMD to be a repository of democracy in this country when clearly for political expediency and for the sake of redeeming power the MMD ring leadership had rendered useless those who in the 1990 fought fearlessly against the liberalisation of democracy in this country,” said Milupi, who is Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president. “Clearly the tenets of what a one party dictatorship president stood for is what has re-emerged in his (Rupiah Banda) party and wants it to reign over Zambia. The statement that different provinces should defend their president and that the people of Eastern Province should not allow the President to be in the office for two years is clearly undemocratic and ridiculous.”

Milupi said there was no need for President Banda to encourage Zambians to vote on tribal lines.

He said there was no basis for the people of Eastern Province to vote for President Banda when the province was equally affected by the MMD's maladministration.

“Zambians should not allow Rupiah Banda to introduce regional politics in the country. The presidency of this country whether in the hands of Rupiah Banda or anyone else does not belong to any one province but to the whole country,” said Milupi. “The suffering of the people and the chronic underdevelopment that this administration is unleashing on the Zambian people through its maladministration is equally affecting the people of Eastern Province, unemployment rate is also affecting the people of Eastern Province. High cost of agriculture input, lack of marketing of agriculture products, salaries below the basic needs basket of K2.8 million per month is also affecting the people of Eastern province.”

Last week, President Banda told the people of Eastern Province that he would be viewed as a wizard if he won everywhere and lost in Chiparamba, his home area in Chipata district.

President Banda asked the people to vote for him because he hailed from there.

Labels: CHARLES MILUPI, RUPIAH BANDA, TRIBALISM

posted by MrK @ 6:03 PM