The victory we seek is not an easy one,
UPND HAS COMMITTED MANY ATROCITIES
…and is willing to go to extremes to
protect their criminal acts, says Kalaba
By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)
I’M alive to the fact that the victory we seek is not an easy one, Citizens First president Harry Kalaba has said.
He explained to party members and United Kwacha Alliance partners, in his acceptance speech as party president following the CF’s extraordinary general conference held at Sami’s Event Centre in Lusaka on Saturday, that this is because “we are faced with a regime that has committed many atrocities and is willing to go to extremes to protect their criminal acts.”
Kalaba said the UPND government has moved corruption to the highest it has ever been in the history of Zambia.
“I want to acknowledge and appreciate the presence of the leadership from the United Kwacha Alliance – UKA, with whom the CF has forged an alliance that and through which we will be able to rid this nation of this repressive and divisive government that has been consistently inconsistent in all its dealings. I also acknowledge and appreciate the leaders from other political parties, members of the civil society, well-wishers and friends that have taken time to witness what we are doing today as we seek to set in motion our level of preparedness to weather the challenges that our detractors may wish to inflict on us in a quest to derail our progress,” he said. “I acknowledge the chairman of the Citizens First, Hon. Levyson Mumba, the man with whom I have had the privilege of walking closely with in the last two years and I am happy to announce that he will be retaining in his capacity as chairman so that we may continue to benefit from his wisdom as we prepare for the 2026 general elections which are due within the next 20 months.”
Kalaba committed himself to steer the party to a higher level of engagement and mobilisation as “we seek to work with other progressive partners in our quest to rid the nation of this repressive and divisive government and usher in a pro-poor government that reflects the aspirations of the majority of Zambians”.
“It is with a deep sense of duty and higher resolve that I accept the position of president of the CF. My acceptance comes with a full realisation of the burden it places on me like all partners in the United Kwacha Alliance and indeed in the opposition to hold those in government accountable for the hardship they have brought to the people of Zambia. Hardship that has been compounded by a litany of lies perpetuated at the very core of the leadership of those in government including the President himself,” he said.
“Just the other day, the Vice-President [Mutale Nalumango] was quoted as saying that the number of HIV/AIDS cases are on the increase especially among the youth. What she failed to state was that this number has increased owing to the untold poverty and hunger that her government has inflicted on the citizens of this country and as always the most-hard hit are women and the youth.
She also failed to mention that owing to her governments’ failure to order drugs on time resulted in people having heightened viral load which advertently result in higher vulnerability to partners. She also failed to say to the nation that hunger levels have increased from the time the UPND assumed office, resulting in higher maternal and infant mortality rates.”
Kalaba stressed that “this government has moved corruption to the highest it has ever been in the history of Zambia”.
“Over the last 60 years we have never had a government that has been as corrupt as the UPND government. A government whose leaders feel its ok to make deals through proxies, externalise all the proceeds, while Zambians are left wallowing in abject poverty. For the first time in the history of Zambia we have seen a negative outflow of FDI (foreign direct investment). This is unprecedented by any standard but thanks to a corrupt government, they do not see anything wrong with that, besides it being flagged by state actors,” he said. “We have a government and a leader that finds is hard to follow laid down procedures and thrives in abusing resources for their own self-interest.
How does a serving Civil Servant offer his own company to make a multi-million dollar procurement using his own company and it does not even get flagged throughout the procurement process? How many more of such rotten transactions is this government involved in that are yet to come out in public?”
Kalaba called upon all CF members starting from members of central committee “to the very last man and woman in the line of defence at the section level to ensure that we go back and speed up the mobilisation of our party”.
He urged them to encourage their friends and family to join “us in our quest to call as many citizens as possible to register as voters”.
“Let us make use of the continuous voter registration to get as many people as possible to register as voters. We must start the exercise of encouraging our friends and family members not to wait until it is too late to register as voters. We are aware of the schemes at play that may involve shortage of materials and equipment in a bid to disenfranchise citizens from some parts of the country. It is therefore cardinal that we get as many people as possible to register as voters now,” Kalaba said. “I am alive to the fact that the victory we seek is not an easy one because we are faced with a regime that has committed many atrocities and is willing to go to extremes to protect their criminal acts. We are however consoled that we have the resolve of the citizens on our side and more importantly the will of God to restore the nation to its state of being a beacon of hope and a place of refuge for many. And so to those who want to join us on this journey of restoring hope for mother Zambia, join us because it is the right thing to do so that together we can reset the nation and bring it back on the path of progress and growth.”
He said he accepted the presidency of the CF with a full and grateful heart that is “noble and without reservation and with only one obligation”.
“And that obligation is to devote every effort of body, mind and spirit to lead our party and its alliance partners into victory and restore our country back to greatness and regain its dignity of being consulted and trusted as an integral part of the global community,” said Kalaba.
Kalaba, what victory are you seeking, it’s like you are just becoming an entertainer now and no one will take serious.
The opposition seems blind to the fact that Zambians are not falling for cheap politics anymore. Things might not be ok but we still want credible checks and balances……tell us how you will do things differently, and why you went back to your vomit and decided to work with PF and Lungu after resigning on moral grounds. Zambians are awake now
If you HH cheated you
The dictionary meaning of atrocities is: “an extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act”
In this piece of nonsense by Kalaba does he identify any such acts. It shows the ignorance of the man
People particularly so called politicians, should only use words they know the meaning of.
You and your pf inflicted these suffering on Zambian. Harry before joining politics and eventually been made a minister what did you own. You are also a beneficiary of pf theft.
Mr. Kalaba you are being hypocritical here. What the people of DRC in Kivu and beyond are experiencing is what is referred to as, ‘atrocities’. That’s not the same in Zambia. So please if you don’t know anything with a bought honorary doctorate from a very corrupt India..just shut up. You were unknown until you joined akasaka nga ndalama the PF, stole and then formed a political party out of selfishness. Things may be tough now yes owing to the fact that your PF messed up things big times but I can assure for once we have a capable leader in State House. President HH may not be every person’s cup of tea, but the man is solid and he’s trying his best to correct what had been wrong for a long time. ECL is now done and dusted. Zambians are not stupid or blind anymore. They are very much alert and on the ball. Your message to the people of Zambia lacks credibility and is bent on power hungry mode. We have since moved on from that crap. We need substance more than rhetoric.
When we speak of empty rethoric this is exactly what we mean. Ukusabaila. No substance. Now how do you objectively offer checks and balances?
This man sat at the table with Lungu after calling him corrupt and leaving his cabinet. For convience a few weeks ago he sitting with the man plotting what next. Where are his morals? What Priniciples does he stand for? There is more in that in Saboi than Kalaba, cause he put Lungu in his place if he wants to play active politics.
Ba Lungu money can only open certain doors. Remember that. The Catholic Church maybe a captured entity. Zambians are not the Catholic Church.
He used to speak sense now after rubbing shoulders with Nakachinda and Mwamba he has grown same farthers.
Mixed washed brain.