The Candidates’ Comment
The International Women’s Day which falls today on the 08th March is not a creation of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND). This is a day that recognizes the importance women play in societies world over and seek to foster gender balance. This is not a day created by any political party. Observing this day should not be conditioned to how one is relating to those in power. We must celebrate this day because we have an obligation as society to creating an environment that has no class of gender.
We agree with Chishimba Kambwili over his remarks concerning the decision of the Patriotic Front (PF) to boycott observing and celebrating this day. There is no sense in what the PF have decided to do – to stay away from celebrating Women’s Day for whatever reasons they have highlighted. We all know that PF themselves spent their entire time castigating, demonizing Hakainde Hichilema and his party for staying away from State functions for whatever reasons. For the sake of clarity, Hakainde never attended state functions because each time he did so, it was an opportunity for the PF to harass, ridicule and harm him. His supporters were beaten and shot by thugs of the PF. Clearly, Hakainde had enough and genuine reasons to stay away. In fact, when Kenneth Kaunda died and during his funeral processions, Hakainde was barred from attending. We all saw how he watched the entire program through a television at his house. That was PF for you.
Today, the PF are mostly free to do their things despite the ill treatment they gave to Hakainde while he was in opposition. Yes, there are still sporadic incidents of violence and hostility against PF by some overzealous UPND thugs, but overall, the situation is far much better than it was under PF. There is no security risk for any senior PF member to attend these state functions.
When you look at the reasons that Nickson Chilangwa has catalogued which necessitates them staying away from observing Women’s Day, clearly the PF are not being honest. They are crying against the same things they themselves meted out against Hakainde and his party. Did they treat Hakainde differently and better than they want to be treated today? The answer is categorical no. The PF could allow all other opposition parties to be part of them but they could not allow Hakainde and his supporters to freely attend state functions.
It is very clear that these elements in the so-called PF central committee are useless and must be done away with by those who care to save their party. There is no sane person who agrees with their decision. Of course, what can you expect from elements who are the very reason why the PF is not in power? Look at them very carefully. The PF central committee is comprised of characters that played very active roles in the government of Edgar Lungu which was rejected and voted against by Zambians. We all know that Zambians can’t ever trust these characters again but because they are foolish, greedy and lack a sense of self evaluation, they still want to hold on to positions within the party. Where can that senseless, rotten central committee even take PF?
If PF wants to survive from the destructive path it is currently on, all central committee members must leave their positions willingly and they should go for free elections presided over by an independent body to choose new bearers of their highest organ. The people in the PF central committee were all hand-picked by Edgar. Their relevance, their significance ended with Edgar. The loss of the PF in the August 2021 elections is their legacy. Let them leave.
We believe – and we know the majority people agree with us – that, the decision by these PF elements to stay away from celebrating state functions for whatever petty reasons they have championed is nothing but nonsense.