NUNDWE SPOKE FROM THE HEART, WE DIDN’T COERCE HIM TO PRAISE HH – UPND
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Elvis Nkandu says the ruling party does not need to coerce someone to praise government when they do something commendable.
Recently, during the commissioning of Kuku Police Post, Chawama FDD MP Bright Nundwe thanked President Hakainde Hichilema for the CDF initiative, saying it demonstrated that he meant well for the country.
However, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) spokesperson Anthony Chibuye claimed that Nundwe was under siege and had been coerced to praise President Hichilema.
Commenting on the matter in an interview, Monday, Nkandu argued that Nundwe’s praise came from the heart.
“I want to appeal to all members of parliament in the opposition that we should not just tell political lies. When there is development, let us accept that indeed this government has done well and vice versa. Constructive criticism is always welcome, that’s what we have said. So there was no coercion whatsoever. That is a big man, a big person. Remember, he was an administrator. He has been in government of PF for some time. He was PS, Copperbelt Province. I think that was his last assignment. So he understands what development is all about and how you can work with government to propel development in a respective region or constituency,” Nkandu said.
“I think if you were there, or someone was there, you saw that he was not even reading any statement. Maybe if there was a statement, he would have said it was written by us. But it was just coming from his own inner part, from his heart. Because that is the only way you are going to evolve functions. That is the only way decentralisation will be achieved through matching resources. And this is what we have done. So I would very much like to commend President Hakainde Hichilema for his vision and leadership to see to it that money is decentralised. And I think that’s what it is”.
He added that Nundwe’s action was worth commending.
“So what the MP for Chawama did is something that should be commended. It is the government’s money, and he is now presiding over the people of Chawama. Something that maybe when he was campaigning he was even told that we need this police post. And now that it has come to fruition, the best you can do is to thank the people that have made it possible for the people of Chawama to have that police post. Before CDF was enhanced, our colleagues, the same opposition, were saying that this is a hoax. Free education is something that is unattainable. Everything that we always put on the table, they always disagree, they always disapprove. But at the end of the day, those are the issues that have come now to fruition,” Nkandu said.
“And now today they want to be champions of our idea. So there was nothing like coercing anybody. But as usual, we have people who have been in opposition for some time, who would want to be antagonistic every time to government. But I hope that the MP for Chawama may be different, not that we want to tell him what to say or what to do. Let him differentiate politics from development. Anything that would develop in his constituency, at the end of the day, credit will go to him as well as the President. So he has no option but to commend something that is right. What was being commissioned there was the police post which the people of Chawama have been longing for. And it was okay for the member of parliament to praise something that is good. You don’t need to coerce anybody to praise you when you’ve done something nice”.
He insisted that it was only right to praise what was good.
“When someone has done something wrong, you can criticise because it’s the wrong thing. When you’ve done something good, it is just prudent that you praise something that is good. After all, we are presiding over the same people. Chawama member of parliament is presiding over the people of Chawama. The UPND government is also doing the same. So there must be a convergence point where we meet and agree on something tangible and also sustainable. So I’m happy that the member of parliament realised that it does not pay just to always object on everything. There could be something that we can agree on,” said Nkandu.
“For instance, it’s today that the opposition now wants to even speak the loudest. For example, I heard [John] Sangwa talking about, let’s delimitate Lusaka in 30 constituencies. Remember, this is the same person who took us to court. Who didn’t want us to delimitate. He was saying we have no time, the time is wrong. These are the people that should just keep quiet. But today they want to be champions. They want now to dictate the process. Something that they didn’t want to participate in. But for us as UPND we always embrace everyone”.
News Diggers
Mr. Nundwe is not the type who can be coerced or who can be expected to toe the party line blindly. I remember this from his days as Copperbelt PS. He is his own man (boss).
We are likely to see more of his independence as he settles down. FDD/PF should not expect to shackle him down, especially that there is this confusion of who is the captain of the boat (not ship) between Mr. Mundubile and Mr. Lubinda.
Whether bought or acting on his own volition, he failed to read the Situation of his ascension to the Position of Member of Parliament for Chawama.
He inherited the seat from the Grieving Daughter of the Late President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu who still remains unburied in South Africa.
A Courtesy call on the Hon Tasila Lungu should have been ideal, just to recognize the injustice done to the former Parliamentarian..some basic humane minimum from a person who inherits the load Tasila Lungu is carrying..the load of the death of a father.
Mr Nundwe rode on a Sympathy Vote..but he seems to have forgotten.
Two weeks later he is dancing on the podium with the same people who dragged the grieving Widow to Court on the day of the Burial…and showering uncontrolled praise to Hakainde.
Yes we may be independent in our approach to politics, but it’s important to know where we are coming from… Anything outside this is foolishness.
And I see that in Hon Bright Nundwe.