LET US STOP FILTERING ZAMBIA THROUGH EITHER THE PF OR UPND LENSES! THE ‘TIT FOR TAT’ POLITICS OF RETRIBUTION CURRENTLY BEING PRACTISED WILL NOT DEVELOP ZAMBIA! – CHISHALA KATEKA
12 September, 2023.
Under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, we saw a number of things happening, that ought not to have happened.
We saw Hakainde Hichilema in opposition being stopped from going to certain radio stations, being stopped from attending a church service in Chingola, being stopped from holding rallies, an attempt to block him entering Eastern immediately prior to the elections and also receiving a threat to the effect that he would be imprisoned after the elections whilst regionalism was being practised.
What is surprising is that we are now seeing exactly the same things happening under Hakainde Hichilema’s watch. We have seen that ECL has also experienced not being allowed to attend a church service in Ndola, the PF not allowed to hold a rally, while the UPND go ahead to hold rallies, ECL is also being threatened with being ‘fyanta-ed pamukoshi’ for trying to regroup, while it is no secret that regionalism is rife.
No one is in no doubt that the PF did not conduct themselves in a manner that was acceptable to Zambians and they have paid the high price, for their arrogance and the taking of Zambians for granted, by being voted out of office.
We thus expected the UPND to chart a very different path to that of the PF. Alas, we are seeing more of the same type of retributory behaviour.
The level of hardship being faced by Zambians is both unprecedented and unacceptable requiring the UPND Government to fully occupy itself with its resolution. For the UPND to occupy itself with the fixing of its perceived enemies, does not gain them anything aside from their inner satisfaction. In fact, it detracts from whatever they try to do in terms of nation building. It demeans them in the eyes of the Zambians, reflects badly on the Republican President and in fact builds up their so called enemies.
The UPND has, two years into their tenure in office, not impressed Zambians at all, with their performance nor their inability to handle the high cost of living. It really does not augur well for them to be seen to be side-tracking from the issues that really matter and should be focusing on.
To this effect, we at New Heritage Party, are beseeching the UPND to rise above the need for retribution and focus on resolving the myriad of issues facing the nation and that require their immediate and focused attention. The best way for the UPND to effectively get their revenge on the PF is to perform way beyond expectation, reduce the cost of living and succeed where the PF failed, thus showing up the former.
CHISHALA KATEKA
President – New Heritage Party