Maravi

Katele advises UPND to change political strategy
By Henry Sinyangwe
Tue 19 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT

DR KATELE Kalumba has advised the UPND to change its political approach if it is to be taken seriously. And Dr Kalumba, a former MMD national secretary, says the MMD is 'sleeping' as it has not recovered from the 2011 loss of the general elections.

He said the UPND needed to change the public perception that it was an inward looking party rather than outward by interacting more with the grassroots. In an interview, Dr Kalumba advised the UPND to interact more with the people in rural areas rather than concentrating on Lusaka politics.

"There is need for a lot of effort and change in the way one relates to the people, especially the grassroots. Unfortunately, I don't see a major change in the culture of the UPND. With due respect, I think the UPND has a lot to do to change the image that they are an inward looking party rather than outward looking party. They have concentrated too much on Lusaka politics, but we in rural areas don't listen to the politics of Lusaka, so I don't see radical change in popular views of their status as a political party in Northern or Luapula province," Dr Kalumba said.

And Dr Kalumba said the MMD had failed to reclaim its status as a popular political party.

"I think the MMD are sleeping and I don't know when they will wake up. They need to wake up from the injuries of losing the last general election," Kalumba said.

He also said the Mansa Central PF candidate Dr Chitalu Chilufya had no serious challenge from the opposition.

"The PF candidate Dr Chilufya is a very strong candidate and it does look as if popular sentiments are for him. He is a very respectable man of considerable integrity and he had a very good run last time against a very good candidate, the late Hon Kennedy Sakeni. So he already has considerable support from both rural and urban Mansa vote," said Dr Kalumba.

"I don't think he has serious challenge from the opposition parties."

The Mansa Central by-elections will be held on Friday.

Labels: KATELE KALUMBA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 12:36 AM