By Noel Iyombwa
GOLDEN Party leader Jackson Silavwe says the Patriotic Front are giving the UPND a dose of their own medicine for shunning national events.
In an interview, Silavwe said the PF were replying to what they received from the UPND while in the opposition.
“Our view is that the PF is simply replying to what they received from the UPND when they were in opposition. You recall that while in opposition UPND never attended national events; sometimes they would claim that they were not invited but the PF government would produce the invitation letter,’’ he said.
‘’President Hichilema shunned all national events when he was an opposition leader, so when you see the PF do that, they are simply replying to the UPND. The style of politics for the two political parties is the same, that politics of antagonism.”
Silavwe charged that President Hichilema when he was in opposition was not a uniting factor, adding that UPND is on record having bashed other political parties.
He further alleged that the UPND as a party in government has not provided leadership because what used to happen during the PF regime was still going on in the new dawn administration.
And New Heritage party vice-president Samuel Kasankha observed that there was nothing new about the PF shunning national events.
He said when MMD was in power, the PF did the same and that when they took over government, the UPND took the same direction.
“At the moment relationships between these political parties are still very bad for them to attend, but these are national events; like Women’s Day it’s an international day,’’ he said. “Time should come when we reach maturity as politicians and be able to dialogue and find common ground to celebrate certain events together.”
Last week, the PF central committee resolved not to attend the International Women’s Day and Youth Day commemorations.