UPND scheming against M'membe

UPND scheming against M'membe
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Sun 17 June 2012, 13:22 CAT

OPPOSITION UPND leadership are scheming to start radio programmes this week to denounce Post editor-in-chief Fred M'membe. And MMD member Sunday Chanda says opposition political parties should not be a bunch of bitter, vindictive, revenge-seeking persons bent on destroying the nation's stability.

Sources within UPND disclosed yesterday that the party's leadership were uncomfortable with editorials that had been running in The Post over the last days and were planning to denounce M'membe.

"Some of the leaders feel the editorials had been too hard on Hichilema and they want to denounce Fred also on radio and some of these small newspapers beginning Monday or so. So be ready because they are bitter," said the source.

And commenting on UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema's statement likening President Michael Sata's running the country like a clueless hyena (Chimbwi no plan), Chanda said Hichilema could be playing politics in an effort to be noticed because controversy could announce one's presence.

"My appeal to Hichilema is that as a politician from the younger generation seeking to provide national leadership, he must be above board. He must avoid practicing politics that are way below his standards. This is good for him and the party as a whole. If my brother HH became president in 2016, he would not wish for anyone to call him anything just because they have failed to reason with him," he said.

Chanda said precedent was an important phenomenon in life and as such, people must watch what they built as a culture in the nation and body politic.

"My brother HH does not need to love President Michael Sata for him to give him the respect he deserves firstly as Republican President and secondly as a man old enough to be his own biological father. Not long ago, my brother HH had likened late President Frederick Chiluba to a monkey in a maize field. The other time, he likened President Sata to Nigerian actor Ukwa. Honestly, these are not the type of politics my brother HH is called to practice and he can do better," he said.

Chanda said Hichilema must not allow himself to be sidetracked otherwise he would lose himself and his relevance to the new political order.

He said opposition political parties must take on the responsibility of keeping each other in check and not just offering support for the sake of it.

Chanda said the political tug-of-war characterising Zambian politics must be abandoned as belonging to the old school.

"We must not have problems adopting value-based and issue-based politics. The worrying factor is that the generation which we hoped presented a new beginning to how politics can and must be conducted has become so desperate after sipping from the fountain of bitterness. Political leaders must not become polarising figures," he said

Chanda said in multi-party politics, it was possible to hold divergent views and disagree on certain issues without becoming personally disagreeable, adding that the culture of name-calling must be condemned in the strongest terms.
He said the opposition parties could also avoid going beyond the stages of reality to take on the mantle of rulers.

"It seems they have developed the 'what we say you must do, you must do' attitude towards the government of the day. Instead of instructing the President, let the opposition start to reach out instead of 'telling' a head of state what to do. The man is 'The President' whatever you say. Whether you like him or not, he holds the post. These are the realities of power and the Presidency, unfortunately," he said.

Chanda said Zambians were interested in an opposition that would provide alternatives on job creation, constitution-making processes, reforms in the Judiciary and economic growth.

"These alternatives are very different from mere criticisms. A criticism to carry any weight must be accompanied by researched and workable proposed solutions. This is the standard that the opposition in this country is yet to attain. So far, opposition parties understand politics to be a personal battle with a perceived enemy and not a battle of ideas on how best we can take Zambia forward. We need some forward-thinking in this regard and let the opposition open up debates on ideas of taking the nation forward," he said.

"By and large, the opposition is being led by people from the younger generation the post-Cha Cha Cha generation and these are called upon to make a difference. The real competition for leadership is within the rank and file of the opposition as a whole. The leaders from these different parties will use their energies trying to indirectly out-do each other before the next elections and in so doing, they are bound to make so many mistakes."

He said the 'who is who' within the opposition (in general) remained the biggest challenge for the opposition political parties to establish.

"In order to distinguish themselves, they (opposition political leaders) will flex their political muscle and in most cases, they will end up slapping themselves in the face because they are not keeping their eyes on the ball," he said.

And Chanda also said the police should act professionally in Hichilema's case so that justice prevails in this matter.