Col Panji, others consult on Pact

Col Panji, others consult on Pact
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 28 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

Col Panji Kaunda yesterday disclosed that stakeholders in Eastern Province will this week be consulting on the candidate they will support for this year’s presidential election to ensure that the MMD is kicked out of office.

In an interview, Col Panji, who is organising chairman for the Eastern Province Pact Forum, said people in the area would not allow the Pact to die because it was their initiative. He said the PF-UPND pact was born out of the people’s will and not because of Michael Sata or Hakainde Hichilema’s wish.

“We will not allow the Pact to die because it doesn’t belong to Sata or HH,” Col Panji said. “For this reason, as a province, we have embarked on consultations with all stakeholders who will include churches, NGOs and all political parties on who to support to represent us in this year’s election. We hope this process can be completed in the next ten days.”

Col Panji said to conclude the consultations, the organising committee would put together a day’s conference in Chipata, where all stakeholders from the province would be represented.

“We have picked on Chipata because of its centrality. People from all districts in the province will find it easier to travel to Chipata,” Col Panji said. “At the end of the conference, there will be resolutions.

This is very important for us because this conference will resolve as to which candidate we will rally behind in this year’s presidential election. We hope other provinces can emulate what we are doing. To us, this decision is our 50+1%. It is the surest way of getting rid of the MMD. As a province, we are saying we shall not allow any individual’s interest to spoil our opportunity to remove the MMD from power. And in doing what we are doing, we have risen above party interests or affilliations. We are considering national interest first.”