UKA RALLY IN KAFUE WILL GO AHEAD – Sakwiba Sikota

UKA RALLY IN KAFUE WILL GO AHEAD – SIKOTA

… urges the UPND Government to stop using emotions when making decisions.

LUSAKA, MONDAY, APRIL,08, 2024 (SMART EAGLES)

United Kwacha Alliance Chairperson Sakwiba Sikota says the scheduled public rally in Kafue next week will go ahead despite the police denying them a permit.

Speaking when he featured on Pan Africa’s ‘People’s Debate’ program this morning, Mr. Sikota said alliance leaders will appeal the decision to deny them a permit by the police to Home Affair Minister Jack Mwiimbu.

He said the UPND Government should stop stepping on people’s rights and freedoms of assembly.

” The UPND should not stand in the way of people and their right to freedom of assembly. The UKA rally in Kafue will go on. We will appeal the decision by the police to Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwiimbu so that he can intervene,” Mr. Sikota said.

Mr. Sikota said nothing will stand in the way of UKA adding that it is good to note that the UPND Government and President Hichilema are now implementing some of the solutions has provided to the challenges facing the country.

“UKA is having an effect on this government and they are now implementing some of the ideals we suggest, it is not that they are a listening government but that they have to be forced to listen. We are Ukanizing even President Hichilema,” Mr. Sikota said.

And Mr. Sikota adds that it is too early to celebrate the debt restructuring because it is far from being concluded.

He said the UPND Government has not been truthful to citizens regarding the debt restructuring process.

” This government always wants to embellish the truth, the debt restructuring process is not yet done, there is about 25 percent remaining before it is concluded. The debt restructuring is not a bad thing, but there is no need to excite people. UPND Government likes to lie and do things under the cover of darkness. They should have told the public about the full conditions of the agreements because it affects all of us,” Mr. Sikota said.

Meanwhile, M. Sikota who is also the United Liberal Party President said the UPND government stop using emotions when making decisions especially in relation with work left by the PF Government.

He said had the UPND upon forming Government, not suspended the debt restructuring process started by the PF, Zambia was not going to pay Lazard Freres, a company contracted to restructure debt, USD45 million Dollars the amount which is nine times higher than what the PF Government was going to pay.

” We need to stop looking at each other as enemies and focus on bettering the lives of Zambians and this is what we are looking at as UKA. Zambia lost what would have been the best President in Anderson Mazoka because he brought together tribes, religions, and youths of Zambia. The UPND then was a party for everyone, and this is what we are trying to bring as UKA. If you look at the Council of Presidents, it is balanced both in age and gender, even the qualifications are diverse,” Mr. Sikota said.