Statement by Bowman Lusambo-MMD Die Hard National Youth Coordinator We have restrained ourselves from commenting on the raging war of words between the MMD and UPND leadership. Clearly the aggressor in this war has been the UPND. In line with party policy, the MMD Die Hard Youth Wing resisted great temptation to weigh in on the debate. We have however been compelled to react to some rather unfortunate attacks levelled against some of the leaders of our grouping. During Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba’s appearance on Joy FM Platform radio programme on Thursday, many paid for UPND members took advantage of the open line to attack us and disparage our work. We have now being left with no choice but to respond and put a few issues into context. Firstly, the MMD Die Hard Youth Wing has never insulted Hakainde Hichilema. We have been on record raising some critical questions about Mr Hichilema’s suitability to hold the republican presidency. We believe our duty to scrutinize and raise questions about whoever is running for the presidency is genuine and is done as a noble service to our great nation. We will continue raising critical issues against Mr Hichilema and any other contestants we feel has some explaining to do for the benefit of Zambians. How does asking Mr Hichilema to account for his role in the RAMCOZ privatization saga amount to insults? We want to put it on record that our level of debate does not have room for insults. We only raise critical issues for the greater good of Zambia. From the radio programme, one gets a feel of how the UPND is governed and structured. The UPND members somehow believe that they have the inherent right to rule Zambia after 2016. Well, we have some news for them, 2016 is far from decided. Mr Hichilema is but a mere contestant in the race and as the MMD, we will approach him as such. As MMD youths, we will continue to offer checks and balances across the political spectrum. We will not shy away from raising alarm when we feel the sovereignty and all that is good about this great nation is under threat. We believe that the UPND under Mr Hichilema remains a tribal and regional clique. History does not in any way help the UPND in its cause to launder the party off its tribal image. The tribal tag is well entrenched in the UPND. We have not forgotten how Mr Hichilema presided over a tribal coupe d’état following the death of the great Anderson Kambela Mazoka. Mr Hichilema sponsored a tribal wing to categorically state that only a Tonga will rule the UPND. Unless they have forgotten but we will not stop reminding them that Zambians from that point decided not to vote for the UPND and that marked the decline in fortunes for the UPND. When we recite these events, we are not picking a fight with the UPND. We are not insulting Mr Hichilema or its leadership. What we are doing is merely reciting history which unfortunately the UPND cannot undo. Our humble advice for the UPND is to drop Mr Hichilema as its leader and choose a non-Tonga leader as a way of cleansing itself. As far as many Zambians are concerned, the UPND will remain a regional and highly tribal grouping as long as its led by a Tonga because of the manner in which he assumed that position.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:21:27 +0000
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