YOU WON’T STEAL LUMEZI
Opposition solidly united in stopping UPND – M’membe
By Mast Reporter
WE SHALL all camp in Lumezi Constituency to protect the opposition parliamentary seat left vacant by the imprisonment of former independent member of Parliament [MP] Munir Zulu, Socialist Party (SP) president Dr Fred M’membe has said.
And United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) chairperson Sakwiba Sikota says Zambians want a strong and united opposition to unseat the United Party for National Development (UPND) and President Hakainde Hichilema next year.
Featuring on the weekly ‘Socialist Hour’ programme on Hot FM Radio yesterday, Dr M’membe said the opposition did not have a choice but to field one candidate in the forthcoming Lumezi parliamentary by-election in order to stop the UPND and Hichilema’s desire to increase his party’s numbers in the House to change the Constitution to suit their narrow agenda.
He said for a long time Zambians had been demanding for a united opposition front with an agenda to liberate them from the UPND,and that was what the parties were determined to do going into next year’s elections.
“What choice do we have? We have no alternative to unity. The first thing with the parliamentary by-elections is they want to use these parliamentary by-elections to increase their number, to reduce the numbers of the opposition so that they can get the two-thirds majority they want. And when they get the two-thirds majority they want, they will change the Constitution and change it in a way you have no control over,” Dr M’membe said.
He said the UPND and Hichilema’s schemes were deadly and dangerous for Zambia’s democracy if the opposition remained scattered, warning that any space left would lead to the successful amendment to the Constitution.
Dr M’membe wondered why the UPND was in a hurry to take away parliamentary seats away from the opposition on flimsy grounds, if it was not for constitutional amendment purposes to benefit them.
“They will change everything. And they will put themselves in a position to change things as and when they want. They are seeking numbers. You can’t take away a parliamentary seat on a misdemeanour simply because one citizen has insulted another citizen, has offended another citizen. Has called another citizen a liar, a thief. Then that parliamentary seat in Lumezi should be lost. That parliamentary seat in Mfuwe should be lost. This is banditry,” he said.
Dr M’membe said the UPND should not be allowed to win the Lumezi seat as doing so would be sheepishly allowing dictatorship to take root in Zambia.
He said Hichilema and the UPND had set a clear agenda of sending opposition, independent MPs and civil society members to jail for speaking out for the poor people.
“This should not be allowed. Even a case where one can be fined and where those without seats were fined, those with parliamentary seats are being sent to prison for months that require them to lose their constituencies. It’s very clear what is happening. And a subordinate court, a magistrate court should be final in taking away the seat of a person on a misdemeanour. This is scandalous. Again, let’s wake up and see the realities. There’s nothing Mr Hichilema is seeking other than total control. They are scared,” Dr M’membe said.
He described the UPND and its leadership as frightened little men scared of their own shadows who were now hitting at everything that tried to shake them, saying sadly, they were even fighting the wind blowing.
Dr M’membe urged Zambians to unite ahead of the Lumezi by-election and show the UPND that they were ready to defend their democracy.
“All Zambians who have got the capacity to go and campaign in Lumezi should go and camp in Lumezi so that the UPND does not steal that seat successfully as they have been stealing other seats. How many seats have they stolen so far? They have stolen Kwacha. They have stolen Kabushi. They have stolen Pambashe. They have stolen Kawambwa. And they want to steal Lumezi. Next is Mfuwe. And we don’t know where that will end. This must be stopped. So, for us it’s not a rupture to field one candidate and increase the chances of stopping them from stealing Lumezi,” he said.
And the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) chairperson Sakwiba Sikota says the demand by Zambians is to have a strong opposition which must work together.
Sikota said the opposition had resolved to work together because they were responsive enough to the loud call from citizens.
“Governance, good governance, is listening to the people and putting into practise what they say. That is why you see that all progressive opposition parties are going to be going out there supporting and campaigning for the joint candidate that we are going to put in place. And this is something that we are going to be doing going forward,” Sikota said.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set June 26 as the date for the Lumezi parliamentary by-election.
The seat fell vacant after the jailing of former independent MP Munir Zulu on sedition charges.
