Only defeat of UPND can save Zambia – Muhabi
By Charles Musonda
THE only solution to Zambia’s current economic and social mess is to put together an effective coalition to defeat the United Party for National Development (UPND) in the August 13 presidential and general elections , says We’re One Zambia Alliance (WOZA) secretary general Muhabi Lungu.
In an interview in Lusaka on Friday, Lungu said the UPND government was outrageous.
He said the current leadership did not care about how Zambians felt
“The major reason why opposition is to offer checks and balances. If the opposition expresses a concern, the government is supposed to listen. But the current government does not seem to care about anything that is said by anybody, whether that thing is said by the opposition, whether it is said by civil society, whether it is said by the Law Association of Zambia or whether it is said by the American ambassador or even the Church. This government listens to none,” Lungu said.
He said the UPND administration had arrogantly classified those offering checks and balances as enemies instead of voices of wisdom.
Anyone who asked government officials to watch out was viewed as an enemy and a detractor.
“Everyone of us, if you criticise the government on any issue, they say we are just disgruntled, or we don’t know what we are doing, we are being undiplomatic, or we have ulterior motives, there’s nothing that the government is listening to, or there’s nobody they will listen to. Now that is just an incredible behaviour,” Lungu said.
He said the UPND government was treating critics like children in a playground.
“It can’t be like that. It is exhausting. It is exasperating and it is frightening,” Lungu said.
And veteran politician Dr Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has said the UPND has already rigged the August 13 general elections through various manipulations or imingalato it has implemented on the Constitution and electoral laws.
“They have already rigged the elections from the manipulation they have done on the Constitution and the manipulation they have done to basically dissipate the opposition in Parliament,” Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
“The manifestations they have done through Bill 7, which is now Act number 25, plus the delimitation they have done, plus the way they have sought to introduce proportional representation where women and the youth are concerned and tying up that to the presidential vote, rather than the parliamentary vote,” he said.
