ABOUT UKA- ANY ALLIANCE INVOLVING PF HAS TO BE DEVOID OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT LUNGU IF IT HAS TO BE SELLABLE TO THE PEOPLE
By Sean Tembo
So then, what is our detailed position regarding UKA? Well, let me start by saying that l have utmost respect for each of the individuals that currently make up UKA. In fact, a good number of them are my personal friends. However, l personally see the UKA project as a comedy of errors. That is largely because of the presence of former President Lungu in the alliance, as well as the model that has been adopted to create UKA whereby it is made up of leaders of individual political parties. It is a well known fact that Hon. Miles Sampa has stolen the PF party, of course with help from the ruling UPND. It is also common knowledge that the court wrangles in PF are unlikely to be resolved before the 2026 general elections, again with the help of the ruling UPND party. Therefore, by President Lungu being in UKA in his capacity as PF President, he is effectively transmitting the wrangles which are in PF into UKA. Therefore, instead of UKA providing an alternative platform to the hijacked PF, it is instead facing the same dilemma as the hijacked PF.
Coming to President Lungu himself, my considered view is that any alliance involving the PF has to be devoid of Former President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, if it is going to be sellable to the people. I have no doubt in my mind that the majority of the Zambian people want President Hakainde Hichilema gone after 2021, but l also have no doubt in my mind that the majority of the Zambian people do not want Former President Lungu to go back to State House. Mr. Lungu had seven years to run the affairs of this nation, and he did what he could. Apart from diehard PF Supporters, l do not think the Former President can convince any reasonable Zambian that there is something that he omitted or forgot to achieve while in office, for which he needs to be elected back.
Of course it has become fashionable on the world scene for former leaders to seek re-election and to in fact be elected back into office. But our local circumstances here are quite different. For starters, the Former President currently does not have a political party. Hon. Miles Sampa is officially in charge, and l have no doubt in my mind that he is working day and night to ensure that he completely destroys the PF party, of course with the guidance, collaboration and support of the Government. I would not want to delve into how the Former President lost the party to Hon. Miles Sampa, that is a discussion for another day. Suffice to say that in African politics, opposition leaders are endangered species. The ruling party is constantly working to undermine and eliminate you. For you to survive, you need to constantly think and act one step ahead of the ruling party.
SET 15.03.2024