Maravi

Zambians haven't learnt to differ on principle - Luo
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:01 CAT

PROFESSOR Nkandu Luo says Zambian politics are different from the English ones because Zambian politicians do not differ on principle. And Eastern Province minister Malozo Sichone says there is no UPND in Chipata Central constituency.

Featuring on a special programme on Breeze FM on Monday, Prof Luo, the chiefs and traditional affairs minister said in Zambia, the scenario was that the opposition just oppose everything that comes from the government. She said the difference with the PF was that it supported bills that were good for Zambians even when they came from the opposition.

"The people of Chipata should help bring a representative who would talk on their behalf so that there can be more development in Chipata because it should not lag behind. Zambian politics are not the same like the ones being practiced in England where people choose to differ on principle. Here we just oppose as long as something has come from government," Prof Luo said.
She said some opposition members of parliament were bringing bills that the PF used to talk about when they were in the opposition.

"If you follow parliamentary debate, us as PF we are very different. If our colleagues bring bills that we think are good for Zambian people, we simply support it. For example, in my own ministry there was a private motion on rural development. When I stood to debate on the motion as a minister I said 'thank you very much for bringing this motion because it will help our people in the rural areas'. Just last week there was a bill on MDGs (millennium development goals) so that we put poverty reduction programmes none of us (PF members of parliament) opposed," Prof Luo said.

She said the people of Eastern Province had a choice whether to remain backwards and continue opposing or not.

"It's up to you, imwe banthu bakuno kuno. I am your cousin, it's up to you ngati mufuna kuti muzinkhala backwards kuti iyai ife tifuna kuchita opposing, you are free to do so but ife we are appealing to you kuti muone future yabana banu," Prof Luo said.

And Sichone who was also a guest on the same programme said the percentage of UPND in Chipata Central was 0.01 of the total voter population in the constituency.

He said he normally gets shocked when people say MMD and UPND had come together in Chipata where he said there was no UPND.

"If we had UPND (in Chipata) then it's just that man (Michael Chuzu) who talks on radio all the time. That's the only man who is UPND here in Chipata. The MMD has been there, we have a few pockets of UNIP but surely UNIP they are just dreaming, UNIP is gone," Sichone said.
He said the MMD had ended because the party had no leadership.

Sichone said the government was focusing on driving its development agenda.

Both Prof Luo and Sichone were drumming up support for PF's Lameck Mangani.

Labels: NKANDA LUO, POLITICS

posted by MrK @ 3:57 PM