Trade Expert Trevor Simumba has predicted that a third force will emerge in Zambian politics If Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND fail to up their game and provide a visionary roadmap towards 2021 elections.
Mr Simumba predicted that a third force will arise in Zambia that will bring together all the disgruntled upright Zambian citizens from progressive members of PF, UPND and MMD if the UPND fails to up its game.
He charged that there is no sane right thinking Zambian today that believes another five years of President Edgar Lungu is the best option for Zambia.
”Everyone agrees he has been the worst President of this country supported by cowardly selfish corrupt Ministers and civil servants that have completely run down the treasury and the economy of Zambia,” Mr Simumba said.
”However, the longer UPND fail to galvanise a new leadership team around HH the more likely we will see a similar movement as we had in 1991 arising from the ashes and choosing a single candidate with the best chance of defeating the incumbent ruling party. You do not need to be a seer I to prophesy.“
He said Zambia is in serious jeopardy and there are many in PF and UPND that see the coming implosion if the country continue on this path.
“I say to those of my friends and relatives especially in the PF remember the courage of the late MCS, get out of your comfort zone and show your patriotism to the nation of Zambia. MMD get back to your ideals and unite for the sake of Zambia.“
Mr Simumba said Zambia needs a credible balancing third force in the country.
“UPND, Zambia needs a vibrant strong opposition that is focused on transforming the lives of all Zambians not just focused on making HH President. We are in deep trouble this is not a time for personal egos it is a time for genuine leadership to rise to the occasion.“
He added, “I know that RB, ABC, VJ, Magande and many other Zambian leaders who I know personally and have discussed issues with them before, are not happy with the current status of Zambia. Only Uncle VJ has spoken publicly the others are still talking quietly at their golf clubs, homes and churches. Stop it. Without real action you will doom this great nation of Zambia to disaster in your lifetime. Come out and speak truth to power.“
”Everyone including his own cadres know that President Lungu has failed and he must bow out peacefully and ensure the Zambian people have a free and fair election to make their choice. We cannot continue in this manner,” he said.
What would be the basis of strength of that 3rd force to the extent it can overtake the UPND? I know the MMD was formed on the day b4, galvanized the people the following day and the next day it was in power. But the conditions then were different. It was the only alternative. Imagine if we had multi party politics that time and that there were other already well established parties that had been campaigning b4. Do you think the MMD would have managed to rise yesterday, campaign today and tomorrow it is in power?
I do not see that today under the circumstances a group of few people can form a new party, campaign and then beat the PF just next year, how? Such a group would just be spoiling the chance that the people of Zambia have for freeing themselves from the rogue PF. That wouldn’t be serious thing to do or even think of. Only the PF would benefit from such a twist in our political arena. In 1990 when the MMD came up, there was no opposition, there was no opposition party at all to which those that did not affiliat with UNIP wud have been trapped in with all their mind, strength, spirit and soul. Today we have a very big opposition in UPND in which the entire Southern province, western and northwestern is dug in with all their minds, strength, spirit and soul. How would you think that a new party formed now would have time to shift the affiliation of all these voters to the new party, to the extent of winning elections just in a year’s time. It will be just confusing the people’s smooth ride to election 2021 with hope of kicking out the party of thieves from power. The best each one of us can do is bring your ideas to UPND how you think the weakness that you think may be in the party can be worked on. That small addition from anyone would be a big fraction of what remains to be done by UPND to win election 2021 bcos what remains to be done is much, much smaller compared to what would be required to be done for any new party formed now to win elections next year. Just test your idea this way. We have all these other parties in opposition, they were formed some time back, some of them quite serious parties like DP, NDC. also M’membe socialist party. There is non among all these that will go into election next year with hope of winning but with the aim of simply building themselves for the future. Why if it’s so easy don’t these other opposition parties work themselves to override the UPND if it’s that easy? What formula wud any new party use to achieve that? Perhaps by cutting deals with the fearful thieves in PF. So an idea trying to work on another political grouping to beat the PF in few months time is sterile, it can’t work. It is better to build on existing resources, on existing structures in the UPND. It is not that bad a party anyway if that’s what you think of it. It is strong enough. It is viable for the project to boot out the thieves in government. Remember it’s not the loudmouth person we need for president, like the crooked Chiluba was. What we need is a sober person, knowledgeable one especially in fields like economics and the like. If HH is not an orator, it’s not necessarily the an orator we need. A good idea in this area wud be to find good speakers for the campaign business for the campaigns. So let’s just stand together, fight together, bring your best ideas, contribute resources, criticise for purpose to build… how can we fail to win? . If we did it in 2016, when life was still easy why can’t we did it next year? UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
aluta continua.