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(LUSAKATIMES) UPND-MMD Alliance: How Workable?

UPND-MMD Alliance: How Workable?
By Daimone Siulapwa
Sunday, December 12, 2010, 8:32

SO, the United Party for National Development (UPND) is willing to go to bed with the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). Interesting!

Just for the record, the UPND is in a Pact with the Patriotic Front (PF). Some analysts believe the only way the MMD can be defeated is for the opposition to go as a united front. So far, that strategy seems to be working, at least in so far as the by-elections are concerned. Where the opposition has been able to field one candidate, they seem to perform much better than was the case when they used to stand against each other.

What is not working though is the way forward going into next year’s general elections. While the choice of candidates to field in the Parliamentary elections may be easy for them to sort-out, the one bigger one to do with the President seems to be a tough one to crack.

Some believe that people holding the notion of waiting until the end is a better option, are misplaced and that option is likely to cause splits at the last minute. You do not want to lose focus and be embroiled in chaos at a time when you should really be set. Therefore, the earlier these guys sort that one out, the better for all of them, for they will be able to explain the decision to their members, who by the time it is election time, would have gotten used to the choice of the candidate picked.

But as we all seem to know, the two are not willing to cede their positions. On their part, the PF believes they have the right to the Presidency of the pact because they are the biggest party, based on the election results of 2006 and 2008. On the other hand, the UPND thinking seems to be that it is time for a Southerner to be President. But also, there are some elements in the UPND who do not like PF leader Michael Sata’s management style and they loath at the idea of him leading them.

Understandable, for the UPND, at least under Anderson Mazoka, he was believed t have brought an efficient management style to the political front. Anyhow, with Sata seemingly being favoured as the Pact presidency by PF vice president Guy Scot, and a leading tabloid, the UPND seems to be re-strategizing. Talk therefore of them being in discussions for some form of alliance with the MMD is not far-fetched.

For those that have been watching the political platform for a long-time, these revelations should not come as complete surprise. Vernon Mwaanga, like him or hate him but nonetheless canny politician did some time back claim that the people of southern province prefer an alliance between the MMD and the UPND than that of the PF and the latter. At this point, and if Vernon Mwaanga has to be believed, the discussions are really at grassroots, and if that be indeed the case, then the PF and indeed the UPND top leadership should take note.

One of the weak points of the PF-UPND Pact is that it lacked the backing of the general membership. It was simply imposed on the membership, the reason why the likes of Robbie Chizyuka, the UPND Namwala member of Parliament, are on a different wavelength.

Still, UPND Mps have been quick to deny that the party has opened discussions with the MMD to explore possibilities of an alliance ahead of the 2011 elections. In a joint statement, the MPs said the story is untrue and malicious. Kalomo MP Request Muntanga, instead accused The Post of being instrumental in advising the PF that it does not need an alliance with the UPND. Well, that is a story on its own, and perhaps a digression.

What Mr Muntanga and his colleagues do not realize is that it is not everyone in the UPND who favours an alliance with the PF. There maybe many Robbie Chizyukas but are only too afraid to come out in the open for fear of victmisation. Now these are the people that could possibly be talking to the MMD for a possible alliance.

This alliance may not need the support of the UPND high command. Their strategy would be to resign en mass and surprise the UPND leadership possibly with weeks or months to go before the election. Already, it is known that some PF MPs led by Dr Peter Machungwa will do so.

If that was to happen, and if these people have been having discussions at grassroots level, then the likes of Mr Muntanga should not dismiss the story as highly malicious. If anything, it is time for them to get back to work, and by that, it means they need to go and ask their general membership on the way forward. What is it that the membership want, an alliance with the PF or the MMD? That should not be difficult to do at a convention.

Well, everyone knows that the PF and UPND are really like cat and mouse in their manifestos. The PF seems to favour a more socialist approach to the economic management of the country while the UPND is more pro-business. The UPND also appears to be more robust and efficient in general management than the PF.

On the other hand, the MMD is more closer to the UPND in management style and also economic policy. It is against that background that the likes of VJ seem to be saying an alliance between the UPND and the MMD is more natural. In fact, a lot of people agree but do not want to admit it.

Anyhow, should the UPND and MMD enter into an alliance, it is almost certain to win. That will almost mean continuity with only a few changes to accommodate the UPND wishes.

Now that is not important as the question, is that what the country really needs? The stage is set for rational debate!

Labels: MMD, PF-UPND, UPND

posted by MrK @ 12:35 PM