CF, SP AND PF DISCUSSED FIELDING ONE CANDIDATE IN CHAWAMA BUT TALKS BROKE DOWN – KALABA

CF, SP AND PF DISCUSSED FIELDING ONE CANDIDATE IN CHAWAMA BUT TALKS BROKE DOWN – KALABA

CITIZENS First President Harry Kalaba says he met with PF’s Given Lubinda and SP’s Dr Fred M’membe to unite and field one candidate for the Chawama by-elections but talks had broken down.

And Kalaba says he believes that opposition not working together does not give advantage to the UPND.

Meanwhile, Kalaba has advised Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa to consider applying to be adopted under Citizens First for the Choma Central seat in the August polls as he will not be adopted in the UPND.

Speaking when appeared on Diamond TV, Tuesday, Kalaba said his party believed in unity.

“The Citizens First has always believed in unity, because we believe that there is strength in unity. The English adage goes ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ and we in the Citizens First have always believed that unity is strength that is the reason why the Citizens First sought to be part of UKA, you remember?

We were in UKA for one year three months all because we were seeking unity of purpose. Before the Chawama by-elections filing in took place, I personally went to the home of the PF President Honourable Lubinda and I sat with him and I said ‘look we would want to see how we can collaborate and work together’. And in that meeting was my brother Fred M’membe as well, we said we work together, things never worked out,” he said.

Asked why it couldn’t work, Kalaba pointed out that the timeliness set for the selection of the candidate couldn’t be met.

“That is the time that we had Bill No. 7 coming out on the floor of the house. The timelines we had given each other I think could not be adhered to strictly. Central committee members of individual political parties were meeting and they had to make decisions because the filing in of nominations was happening on a Tuesday.

So, think time was not an ally of that endeavour, we wanted to pursue but I think also there was an issue of agreeing on a candidate. What is important is that an attempt by the CF was made and I believe this attempt didn’t end just at the by-elections, comrade Lubinda and I still talk and I’m confident that even as we go in the future, the people will tell us that you people this is what you put to do,” Kalaba responded.

“The CF will always reach out but when things don’t work out don’t you come to CF and tell them CF you didn’t want unity. We in the Citizens First have always been the ones reaching out and we will continue reaching out to people. But when we see it’s not working, the CF is not going to remain dormant, we have a manifesto, we have an agenda for this country, that agenda has to be fulfilled. And this myth of saying ‘no you are giving advantage to the UPND’, let’s wait and see. We are not giving advantage to the UPND, I don’t think we are giving any advantage to the UPND because in 2021 we stood as how many candidates? 16 candidates. The incumbent the late Edgar Lungu tumbled to an opposition leader despite being 16 because the people had zeroed in on one candidate”.

Kalaba said he understood the challenges of the people.

“The people will choose, the Zambian people know Harry Kalaba is there. We have traversed this country selling our message of unity, selling our message of working together, selling the message of coercion. So the people have come to know us, we have come to know them, we understand the challenges across the country and we are extremely confident that if it comes to that the people will make the right call,” Kalaba said.

Meanwhile, when asked on why he and Mweetwa seem to always be exchanging words, Kalaba advised Mweetwa to send his CV to the CF Secretary General for possible consideration under the party.

“Cornelius Mweetwa is not a serious person and it’s you people who are taking him seriously. Mr Mweetwa is Chief Government Spokesperson but he has been overtaken by those young guys who are calling themselves media directors right, left and centre. He should have sat down to see ‘why are all these people excited and hungry for my job?’ And as I advised him last time, Mr Mweetwa if you are listening to me, please there is a young man there, I heard that there is a young guy called Trevor Mwiinde. This Trevor Mwiinde guy, a deputy youth chairman of UPND. He’s now the one Mr Hakainde is supporting, he’s giving him money giving him materials to go and remove Mr Mweetwa [from his parliamentary seat]. But Mweetwa is busy talking about Harry Kalaba and yet his boss is busy talking to that kama deputy youth chairman,” said Mweetwa.

“And people love that boy in Choma, Mweetwa stands no chance. This is his last term, the last three in that office. So you should understand him, he’s got that issue of saying ‘I’m going, I don’t know where I’m standing’. We wish him well, for us in the CF, if Mr Mweetwa is not adopted in the UPND in Choma, the CF might consider looking at his CV. He better see Mr [Vincent] Chintu, the SG. The earlier he does that, the better”.

News Diggers