Difficult questions for the UPND/PF Pact

There are some worrying questions emanating from the appearance of Mr. Hichilema on Radio Phoenix and reported in the POST. The main issue that threatens the existence of the pact revolves around leadership. Who is going to be the Presidential candidate for the pact or are they going to field two candidates? In a recent blog we asked the pact to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency. Below are some interesting extracts from HH’s appearance on the radio programme.

Asked about who would head the alliance in 2011, Hichilema answered: “That question has been asked several times. We said that the Pact is here to stay and we reiterate that. The Pact is here because the people of Zambia wanted it. The political map of Zambia has been pretty drawn. People are fatigued with divisions, that’s what the Pact is here to resolve. To unite the people to take out the divisions that have been too obvious. This pact is being structured on that basis of unity of purpose. Ethnicity should never divide us. We must organise this pact, learn the lessons of the past.”

He said people in the Pact were not fools and they understood what MMD wanted.

“Why are they driving us to give them a candidate? When they are squabbling whether it’s Ng’andu Magande, whether it’s George Mpombo, whether it’s Rupiah Banda and whether MMD will have a convention.

A caller from Ndola, a Mr Mizhi who described himself as Hichilema’s traditional cousin asked if he was ready to serve under Sata.

“I want you to tell me the truth from the bottom of your heart. The pact that you have entered in with Mr Sata the writings are on the wall no doubt about this. It is Mr Sata who is going to be adopted as a presidential candidate from that pact. Now badala, again I repeat tell me the truth from the bottom of your heart. Are you ready to serve under Mr Michael Chilufya Sata?” Mizhi asked.

But Hichilema maintained that the Pact had not decided on the candidate yet.

“…That Mr Sata will be adopted candidate, that’s not true, absolutely not true. If you say it’s Hakainde, that is not true also because we have not decided and we have explained this several times. What we are saying is not really basically …if you like to dodge the questions, there is no dodging the questions. We have set a process, we have set a procedure,” Hichilema said.

I fully understand that this is a very delicate and difficult issue to resolve. However, the pact is now carrying hopes of many Zambians at home and abroad who see this as a credible opportunity to rid themselves of the corrupt MMD regime. We therefore urge the leadership of the UPND and PF to bang their heads together and come to a workable solution. It is said that a chain is as strong as its weakest link. As long as the leadership of the pact is not resolved it will be weakest block in the pact and enemies are going to be hammering on this until a fracture occurs. Many progressive Zambians do not want this to happen. Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema please resolve this matter before it is too late!.

The PANEL

Time to resolve PF/UPND Pact leadership

The results of the last two bye-elections in Milanzi and Mufumbwe have clearly demonstrated why the opposition need to approach the 2011 general elections with a little be more creativity.

Had PF fielded a candidate in Mufumbwe, the ruling MMD would have carried the day. By the same token, the opposition would have won the contest in Milanzi had they rallied behind a single candidate. UNIP basically spoiled the race for PF. Perhaps it is time to welcome UNIP in the pact and ensure that the MMD fights a united front all the time.

I have always supported the pact and agreed to the decision to kick the leadership issue into the long grass when the alliance was announced. However, the time has now come for the leadership of the pact to be ironed out. In particular, the pact needs to resolve who its presidential candidate is going to be in the next general election. Time is running out and the constant rumours that RB is going to go for an early election makes this issue even more pressing. My personal opinion is that Sata should lead the pact for now and stand against RB as he is best placed to win the election. HH should then serve in Sata’s cabinet to gain some valuable government experience with the view to lead the pact after Sata retires. I am not a fan of Sata but sometimes one has swallow personal pride and principles for the good of the country.

The PANEL

PF and UPND agree to work together

The POST is reporting this morning that the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at dislodging the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) from power. This is a very positive move from the two political parties and has a fair chance of succeeding because it is being made way ahead of the next elections. PF and UPND have a chance to know each other better and build trust in the relationship.

The two parties stated that they had therefore started a long and difficult march in the same direction, not as one organisation but as two giants in Zambian politics."We do hereby commit ourselves to the following: (1) our parties will work together at all levels on all matters of national importance; (2) our parties will jointly provide more effective checks and balances on Rupiah Banda's corrupt MMD administration with immediate effect; (3) we will provide an effective, formidable and unbeatable electoral challenge to the corrupt MMD in all elections and we demand early Presidential and Parliamentary elections," read the communiqué in part. "We will lay the groundwork for an effective, accountable, efficient and pro-poor government to replace this most notorious, scandalous and corrupt MMD regime."

The MoU highlights the focuses on the areas the parties agree on such as not criticising each other in public and presenting a united front when attacking the MMD. However, they have kicked the decision on whether they would field a single candidate in the next general election in the long grass.

The PANEL.