‘UPND, MMD members form over 60 PF committees’

‘UPND, MMD members form over 60 PF committees’
By Edwin Mbulo in Kalomo
Fri 22 Apr. 2011, 04:00 CAT

UPND and MMD members in various parts of Kalomo Central Constituency have formed over 60 PF ward committees, says Kelvin Chilufya. And Clara Chakufola says she decided to defect to PF because of tribalism which was rampant in UPND.

In an interview, Chilufya, who is Kalomo district PF secretary said her party was doing fine despite the area being a UPND stronghold. He said many people in Kalomo rural now knew the PF.

“In Bongo area, we had 60 committees formed by a combined team of MMD and UPND members. In Simayakwe ward, we have Clara Chakufola with Dorothy Kayumu, who organised women to defect from UPND to the PF, this is strengthening the participation of women in the PF,” Chilufya said.

He said despite the people of the district not being happy with the break-up of the PF-UPND pact, more people had expressed willingness to join the PF.

Chilufya, who was flanked by constituency treasurer Justine Sampa, vice constituency treasurer Lazarus Mulenga, youth district chairman Paul Silungwe and constituency secretary Aaron Sichela said the five-kilometre stretch from Kalomo town to the district commissioner’s office took 30 minutes for motorists due to its poor state.

Chilufya said the MMD government had neglected the mining potential of the district.

“We have the best amethyst in Mapatizya but these are being neglected by the MMD, hence depriving our youths of jobs,” he said.

And Chakufola, from Kalomo’s Nazilongo area, said she decided to join the PF because it was embracing people across tribal lines.

“In the UPND, they do not want anybody who is a non-Tonga to hold positions. In the PF, I’m the treasurer for the women’s committee,” she said.

And Dorothy Kayumu said she was shocked that the UPND told her during the ward adoption process in 2006 that she could not be selected because she was single.

“Under the PF, I will aspire to contest for Chonga ward and not in the UPND where they don’t want single women to be leaders,” Kayumu said.

Meanwhile, Choma PF chairperson Felix Chilufya said defections from UPND to PF in Choma had marked the beginning of more defections to come.

“Come this year’s elections, UPND will be embarrassed and HH will never contest the elections ever again,” Chilufya said.