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MMD will need UPND to oust PF - Nevers

MMD will need UPND to oust PF - Nevers
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 27 Nov. 2012, 12:00 CAT

MMD president Nevers Mumba says the MMD will need UPND to remove PF from power. Mumba said in an interview that it was not a question of 'wanting' to but that the party 'needed' to work with UPND to win in 2016. Recently though, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita declared that his party was no longer interested in a pact with MMD.

And MMD vice-president Michael Kaingu said the party was not reaping any benefits from its working alliance with UPND. But Mumba said MMD needed to combine forces with UPND to match up to PF.

"It's not a question of wanting. You may not see it (benefits) now. The benefit we looking at, is that of the Zambian people. We are being governed by a government that if not well managed can bring this country to its knees in the next few months. They don't seem to care about the direction of the economy," Mumba said.

"We can win this battle faster if we combine forces. It is too early to decide that the pact is not working."

Mumba said his major focus was to push MMD forward and prepare it for elections.
"We don't need to be hostile to any opposition party in order for us to achieve our goal because somewhere along the way, we will need each other," he said.
Mumba said in reference to the just-ended by-election: "My advice to both the parties involved is that we should calm down.

After an election, whether it is a victory or a loss, there are a lot of mixed feelings, emotions for people who didn't think they would lose and they have lost and I think this is what it is."
Mumba said MMD had to stand with UPND on several issues with a common purpose.
"In Chongwe, when there was a by-election, we decided to give it to UPND. UPND lost that election but that didn't mean we would never work with them. There was really no guarantee that we would have won ourselves. In Livingstone we united again and UPND won," he said.

"I know president HH (Hakainde Hichilema) was under pressure when he conceded that we field a candidate (in Mufumbwe) he had to stand in that. He was called names and everything. I was called names that I have never made a harsh statement against the alliance. For those who want me to be ugly, there is no need…if that is called sleeping, I wanna sleep a little longer."

Labels: MICHAEL KAINGU, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, PF, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 6:39 PM