By Derrick Sinjela
UNITED Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) leader Charles Chanda wants the Seventh (7th) Republican President Hakainde Hichilema to genuinely unite the country beyond United Party for National Development (UPND) Alliance political interests.
Making a passionate plea in a Friday 15th October, 2021 Facebook Statement themed: ‘BALLY SHOULD SPEAK OUT AND UNITE THE COUNTRY’, barely 9 (nine)days to Zambia’s 57th Uhuru (Self-rule) on Saturday 24th October, 2021, Mr. Chanda implored President Hichilema to depoliticize national unity.
Sensing a selective approach toward co-existence environment, Chanda pleaded with Mr. Hichilema to openly preach national unity, if this is to become a guaranteed policy pride and heritage.
Sought entrepreneur Chanda: “As UPPZ Zambia, we believe that as President Hakainde Hichilema is the Republican President, it is time he (Bally) stopped playing and responding to partisan politics. He needs to arise and prove to the nation that he understands what it means to have the instruments of power. When he made an oath after his party’s election victory, it was not an oath for UPND and its alliance nor the 2.8. Neither was it an oath for Southern, Western and North Western provinces but for the entire ten provinces”.
Aside from Southern, Western and North Western provinces, Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga and Northern equally deserve space in the policy and decision making process of the New Dawn administration led by Mr. Hichilema.
Making reference to Finance Minister, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane’s and Infrastructure Minister, Charles Lubasi Milupi’s word, emphasised by Mr. Hichilema, Chanda protested that the language of “We have borrowed money for building schools in three provinces” does not befit language of a Republican President but a party President dealing with his strongholds.
Admonished Chanda: “Are you aware that such a language from Cabinet is an insult and a slap to citizens in the seven provinces that will not have a government for five (5) years because they must suffer as the UPND Alliance New Dawn Administration punishes, former 6th Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu and the rest of the Republican Presidents that have ruled Zambia”?
As much as UPPZ agrees that some provinces were left out by previous governments, Chanda maintained that it is immoral, regionalistic and segregatory bias to publicly pick just three (3) provinces.
“What message was government passing across? That those children people in Mumbi Mfumu, Kasama District, Northern Province, whose Bridge has not been built are less human beings? No government has ever done this and this statement is rather unfortunate.
It makes us to have the courage to mobilise the seven (7) provinces that now have no President to work together, so that come 2026, it will be the three (3) UPND PREFERRED PROVINCES VERSUS THE DISGRUNTLED SEVEN PROVINCES,” grieved Chanda.
Reiterating a need for inclusive nationalism, Chanda noted that the apparent selective approach, explains why Kitwe youths on the Copperbelt Province are erroneously viewed as Patriotic Front (PF) who must expect nothing from the incumbent government.
“Someone must teach Bally and his government that we don’t have PF in power but citizens who are waiting for government to deliver their promises. I expected Bally to have corrected the statement by UPND Alliance Chairperson Hon Charles Lubasi Milupi but ‘BIRDS of the same feathers flock together’. Bally sees nothing wrong in splitting the country and its academic needs. You borrow money for three provinces and want to collect taxes from the ten provinces. Who does that for real?
Looking ahead to the Thursday 13th August 2026 Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government election, only 1, 763 days remain, from Friday 15th October, 2021, a determined Chanda conclusively implored Zambians to continue to searching for a Republican President that will unite the country.
“Indeed not all that glitters is gold. If PF failed to educate the three provinces, UPND will fail the academic needs of the seven provinces. Indeed Tomato is TOMATO and the only difference is colour,” worried Chanda.