By Daimone Siulapwa
SO, the United Party for National Development (UPND) is willing to go to bed with the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). Interesting!
Just for the record, the UPND is in a Pact with the Patriotic Front (PF). Some analysts believe the only way the MMD can be defeated is for the opposition to go as a united front. So far, that strategy seems to be working, at least in so far as the by-elections are concerned. Where the opposition has been able to field one candidate, they seem to perform much better than was the case when they used to stand against each other.
What is not working though is the way forward going into next year’s general elections. While the choice of candidates to field in the Parliamentary elections may be easy for them to sort-out, the one bigger one to do with the President seems to be a tough one to crack.
Some believe that people holding the notion of waiting until the end is a better option, are misplaced and that option is likely to cause splits at the last minute. You do not want to lose focus and be embroiled in chaos at a time when you should really be set. Therefore, the earlier these guys sort that one out, the better for all of them, for they will be able to explain the decision to their members, who by the time it is election time, would have gotten used to the choice of the candidate picked.
But as we all seem to know, the two are not willing to cede their positions. On their part, the PF believes they have the right to the Presidency of the pact because they are the biggest party, based on the election results of 2006 and 2008. On the other hand, the UPND thinking seems to be that it is time for a Southerner to be President. But also, there are some elements in the UPND who do not like PF leader Michael Sata’s management style and they loath at the idea of him leading them.
Understandable, for the UPND, at least under Anderson Mazoka, he was believed t have brought an efficient management style to the political front. Anyhow, with Sata seemingly being favoured as the Pact presidency by PF vice president Guy Scot, and a leading tabloid, the UPND seems to be re-strategizing. Talk therefore of them being in discussions for some form of alliance with the MMD is not far-fetched.
For those that have been watching the political platform for a long-time, these revelations should not come as complete surprise. Vernon Mwaanga, like him or hate him but nonetheless canny politician did some time back claim that the people of southern province prefer an alliance between the MMD and the UPND than that of the PF and the latter. At this point, and if Vernon Mwaanga has to be believed, the discussions are really at grassroots, and if that be indeed the case, then the PF and indeed the UPND top leadership should take note.
One of the weak points of the PF-UPND Pact is that it lacked the backing of the general membership. It was simply imposed on the membership, the reason why the likes of Robbie Chizyuka, the UPND Namwala member of Parliament, are on a different wavelength.
Still, UPND Mps have been quick to deny that the party has opened discussions with the MMD to explore possibilities of an alliance ahead of the 2011 elections. In a joint statement, the MPs said the story is untrue and malicious. Kalomo MP Request Muntanga, instead accused The Post of being instrumental in advising the PF that it does not need an alliance with the UPND. Well, that is a story on its own, and perhaps a digression.
What Mr Muntanga and his colleagues do not realize is that it is not everyone in the UPND who favours an alliance with the PF. There maybe many Robbie Chizyukas but are only too afraid to come out in the open for fear of victmisation. Now these are the people that could possibly be talking to the MMD for a possible alliance.
This alliance may not need the support of the UPND high command. Their strategy would be to resign en mass and surprise the UPND leadership possibly with weeks or months to go before the election. Already, it is known that some PF MPs led by Dr Peter Machungwa will do so.
If that was to happen, and if these people have been having discussions at grassroots level, then the likes of Mr Muntanga should not dismiss the story as highly malicious. If anything, it is time for them to get back to work, and by that, it means they need to go and ask their general membership on the way forward. What is it that the membership want, an alliance with the PF or the MMD? That should not be difficult to do at a convention.
Well, everyone knows that the PF and UPND are really like cat and mouse in their manifestos. The PF seems to favour a more socialist approach to the economic management of the country while the UPND is more pro-business. The UPND also appears to be more robust and efficient in general management than the PF.
On the other hand, the MMD is more closer to the UPND in management style and also economic policy. It is against that background that the likes of VJ seem to be saying an alliance between the UPND and the MMD is more natural. In fact, a lot of people agree but do not want to admit it.
Anyhow, should the UPND and MMD enter into an alliance, it is almost certain to win. That will almost mean continuity with only a few changes to accommodate the UPND wishes.
Now that is not important as the question, is that what the country really needs? The stage is set for rational debate!
Zambian politics also, kwati twaice, cila bushika na kasuba in moppet show circus. Indeed politics in Zambia is a vice, same category as prostitution complete with lumpens like VJ participating in both.
Politics is a dirty game.You never have permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics as there’s always shifting interests.The important question then becomes,are they going to bed together for the nation or for themselves?If it is the latter then i see red flags.
this can not work…..we do not need lazy pipo in mmd!!!
HH must first learn from Nervas Mumba; what did the good mwanawasa or MMD do to him and his party. HH recall when the man was vice president; later when he wanted to stand as a president at the convention????????????????
Polititians are not trust worthy.They change like cameleons en its difficult to discern who is truthful.These human beings cant be relied upon in any case.Each one of us lets trust God and and work hard for the betterment of our individual families.
I will not be surprised with HH if shares a meal with MMD. If anything Before death of Mazoka I never heard of HH.Who knows he could have been a distant doner to MMD hence a successful bussiness fellow.
HH, for once you are a gentleman! these b*stards(mmd) can play you silly bugers.Workup you could be the next president after Sata
Maybe we should declare the MMD the Life party to rule this country – offcourse it will still be democracy?? by the way HH short cuts to plot 1 are never short.
Whoever will bed with mmd will be punished by the tears of the masses. God hears the cries of His pipo.
i wud not blame upnd if they take that route,pf has been too arogant and disrespectful 2 thr partners.it z a known fact that upnd is growing thn the pf judging by the by elections nt to mention media blackout.anybody with a sane mind wud prefer hh 2 sata tribalism aside
If i were HH and UPND,i would ask MMD to do the following if they want alliance with us :
1.New constitution before elections.
2.50+1 must be in the new constitution of 2011.
3.President and Vice must be running mates.
4.Share cabinet posts equally(Finance,Foreign,Justice and Agriculture going to UPND).
5.Reintroduce windfall mining tax.
6.Reintroduce abuse of office clause in the ACC act.
7.Appeal Chiluba and Regina’s questionable aquittals.
8.Sign a 10 year alliance deal with each party getting a chance to fielding a presidential candidate .If MMD start,UPND should field in 2016.
These would be my bargaining points.If MMD were serious ,they would agree but being crooks as they are this would look so difficulty,making the alliance impossible.If it worked,it would kill…
may God help us
pay attention to what HH says about the PF/UPND PACT…..”it is the people’s wish”. Now should the people (his UPND people) wish to allign with MMD, what will he say? Will he humbly swallow those insults he has poured on the MMD leadership? HH finds himself in a very precarious position amongst the political party leaders. Alot of people had hope in HH but from the time he associated himself with sata, he learnt vulgarism. If PF were to lose, Sata “might” remain their leader. If RB loses, he “might” continue to lead but because ours is a politics of the stomach, it might spell the terrible demise of the MMD. If HH loses, he is likely to be rempoved. The pain is that, whoever ascends to power in the UPND, he might opt to go to bed with whichever party wins. The worst pain however
The alliance is workable since UPND will just be swallowed and mesh with MMD within a few days, in short UPND would be no more. To borrow business terms, it wont a merger but a takeover. On that basis, i strongly feel the alliance between the two of them would be seamless. Go for it MMD, free food for you lot.
LT that flag is misleading i’ve never been to USA.
Our H.H can not be taken for a ride by the most and very corrupt govmt. he is too intelligent for rupwee,s gungs the pact is poor for the youths not just thug cadres but the leaders of tomorrow that foolish sugetion can not work leave HH alone viva the pact viva the young we are making the impact!!!!!!!!!!!!
MM 2011, YOU’RE A VERY SENSIBLE PERSON I LOVE YOUR THOUGHT! THE GOVERNMENT HAS A LOT OF CORRUPT BRAINS WHO CAN’T EVEN USE THEIR COMMON SENSE.
HEY GUYS I HAVE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED INTENSE LOVE FOR WIKILEAKS. I CAN’T WAIT TO READ ALL ABOUT THE LEAKED CABLES IMPLICATING THIS GOVERNMENT! COMMON WIKILEAKS!
Bloggers, why even waste time on unsubstantiated reporting by LT. Read the article and you will find that there is obsolutely no sense and no data. why saying’ this is the second time this year the leaders are shaking their hands’ refering to HH and George Kunda. There is no substance please Lusaka Times, learn to report sensibly and employ professional journalists who will not be alarming situations on cheap speculations. your audience is not ba grade 7. LT problems run from spellings to content. bwafya, please improve!!!
UPND romours to join MMD is a shame to those who think so.we went into alliance with PF because we want mabenga,mulongoti,kunda,shikapwasha,banda,siliya to leave those offices.so its madness for medias to stick to this *****ic rumours that we want to join MMD.pipo of zambia,that rumour is fake and useless.
#14,YOU HAVE GOT IT ALL WRONG,MMD CANT SWALLOW MIGHTY UPND.PF THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO JUST THAT BUT UPND HAS PROVED TO BE STRONG AND RESILIENT.
HH IS MORE INTERLEGENT THANT NEVERS MUMBA TO MOVE BLINDLY.REMEBER,THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME MMD HAVE MMD THESE ATTEMPTS TO HAVE HIM AND UPND WORK WITH THEM.
MY ONLY QUESTION IS HOW CAME THEY NEVER ASK SATA OR PF TO DO AN ALLIANCE WITH THEM ??
for HH is that NO PACT will adopt him as the presidential candidate. So he personally has to cling to Sata because his conscious tells him he has insulted the MMD more than he has Sata. However, the unsaid truth is that the only offence MMD has committed is to have overstayed hence “chewed” leaving the opposition on empty bellies. I strongly believe that the style of leadership espoused by the MMD might actually be better off than what some of these people rushing to plot 1 would give this nation. I have several times wondered why front runners like Sata NEVER atticulate policy issues but (bemba) jokes, insults, taunts, pranks etc. How can we hold such a one accountable if they rise to power? It is also worrying that such a one can run his party for years without intraparty elections!
i think its best UPND goes into a pact with MMD..we need to change the style of leadership we ve exerinced the past few years..we cant afford to go with sata as president..
I agree with you # 22,we need to change the leadership style we have been getting .Zambia deserve better.How i wish the next government after 2011 would have brains like :
Hakainde Hichilema
Felix Mutati
Situmbeko Musokotwane(Dr)
Elias Chipimo Jr
Richard Kapita
Gary Nkombo
Charles kakoma
jack Mwiimbu
Ngosa Siambyakula(Dr)
Daglus Siakalima
kabinga Pande
Patrick Chisanga
Clive Chirwa(prof)
These are just a few zambians that i think would make a difference.
My belief is that MMD has some good policies but managed by wrong people with no interest in zambia but themselves.
We need a leader who is selfless and i believe HH has shown these qualities.
while at the same time his followers shamelessly demanding of other parties to elect their leaders. it is so painful for a man i had so much hope for that his is oblivion beyond 2011. But such is the politic s of tribalism, poverty and vanity. The jackals are poised once again to take it all. Most of the opposition leaders are dying to be in power and this is what will be the last nail on HH’s coffin. Some of his Mps have once been in power and know how rosy it is to be in govt. They miss the deals and all that is associated with power that they cant wait for another five years. There are very few politicians that are honest in this country let alone the world. They cut corners when it suits them.
I want to understand something here,,what wrong will HH and UPND commit if they went into an alliance with MMD ????
This article is rather baseless,the author’s objective is to make gullible readers conclude that HH is infact considering forming a pact with mmd; the first paragraph says it all,coupled with the caption on the picture,,wise up folks,these are all mmd tactics.Im pretty sure HH made a statement to this effect and yet we are made to think that HH and mmd are working on pact
There is nothing wrong with alliances. They are like marriages. Let those in love marry. How many couples have defied advice from their parents because they are of different tribes?
therz no rumour in zed wen it cums to politiks,luk at da finance bank rumour it has passed.these guys are here to stay so they shall do anything to stay in power,wth weak oppositions like UPND n its power MPs we expect da alliance to cum true
UPND hold on to one thing.Uwaikete fibili afwile kumenshi.
It’s OK …let the UPND go if they so insist.
On the other hand, please realize that politics is just a game. Only supporters take things personal. These same leaders you guys differ over are always dinning together, shaking hands and sharing jokes…try visiting the Assembly motel and see how they interact.
The media will on the other hand play their part in provoking the spectator’s mind …and then real stupid politics starts. What’s wrong in HH greeting this MMD chap. Do you know when this photo was taken … and where? Why not report on what HH said on this particular day to indicate that he’s now in agreement of what the rumor says? Read between the lines …don’t just conclude!!!
Ok UPND joins MMD, where will be the position of kakoma and other upnd officials? So do you think RB will cast away some of his asss lickingg members? If UPND joins MMD, it will be HH alone because these others even if they join as they purport. That will be disaster. HH is a good guy though not yet tested in public management. It is a decision that will see upnd finishing it’s race in politics. Mind you milupi seems to be a good ally of PF. If upnd moves in with mmd I am sure pf and milupi will join hands.
Wait come 2011 RB will still win the elections even if all people in Zambia voted for opposition. In short rain or no rain RB will retain the seat and steal even more. Peace
:)>- who the hell are you cheating , we all know why things are like that . No more reliance on some of these tribes
Chiefs back MMD-UPND alliance
Almost all Southern province traditional leaders have backed calls for the ruling MMD and opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to form an alliance.
The traditional leaders say this would be is welcome as it is in the interest of developing the country and promoting national unity.
PF is 97% bemba club with 96% of its Central committee being Sata’s tribal cabals handpicked and stuffed in. Elections and competitive democartic practices are not PF norms. PF a disillusioned bemba supremacist is tribal centric club will open no do door to a tonga candidate. We know that Sata is a doomed political moribund and Lubinda is a better choice yet the moribund is being shoved to vanity. Bembas know very well that Sata is a no choice to the 9 provinces besides the fact that ruthless MMD hand will leave the moribund in a final stroke come 2011 election results. How can UPND fit in a bemba club?
Political prostitution @ its best,this is what we call Yakumbuyo
# 33 and 34,
You are such an ***** !
You surely have no brains to think even for a minute.I am extremely upset by your posting .I normaly dont use use bad langage but i am forced to unleash it on you.Have you ever been to school ?
here are some facts that you dont know .
1.Sata is not BEMBA as you claim.He is BISA from Mpika district.
2.Paramount chief CHITIMUKULU(mwinelumba) does not support SATA and PF but supports MMD,how then do you link the BEMBA TRIBE to SATA ??
3.Among PF MCCs are ;Dr Ngosa Siambyakula,Wheelbar Simusa,Inonge Wina etc,,am sure these are BEMBA to you.
I have always advised you fools on these bloggs to desist from engaging in tribal politics as this wont take you anywhere but some of you are so empty that you cant survive without going into this tribal debate.
Still on you #33 and 34,i want you to know that i am more BEMBA than SATA but i have never voted for him.In 2001,i voted for Godfrey Miyanda,2006 and 2008,i voted for Hakainde Hichilema .I intend to vote for him again and again .I dont care what tribe he is.All i care about is the fact that the guy looks sane among so many insane politicians.His articulation of issues just makes me feel this is the guy we need.
Meanwhile you tribalists are busy looking at which of your tribesmen is going to stand .
Zambia is for all zambians regardless of their political or tribal background.
No one chose to be born with a tribe ,its an act of God.
RB is from Eastern but his developmental agenda is benefiting everyone including your relatives in the village .
Is he only taking development to Chipata ?
The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.
It is really amazing how tribal bloggers can get on Lusaka times. Let me remind bemba haters about one thing. KK is a malawian (all his children have malawian names), Chiluba is BISA/LINGALA , levy was LENJE, ala B is NGONI, sata who is vying for presidency is BISA. HH is TONGA. Zambia has never had a BEMBA president you losers. You are fighting with the wrong niggers. Lolest
Bembas are people from Kasama,Chinsali,Mporokoso,Mungwi and parts of Luwingu.Other parts of Northern province has Lungus,Mambwes,Namwanga,Bisas etc.
Please leave us alone.If you are suffering from inferiorit complex,go hang yourself.
MM 2011 keep up the good job of teaching these ignorant tribalist!!!
i am not a tribalist i support a bisa from mpika!!!
Don’t worry,the more people talk of tribalism-the more zambia gets united as long as we do not go physical.however,lets remind ourselves tat tribalism is treasonable offence if found wanting.
PLEASE , LETS AVOID IT..!
We all know that Tongas are extremely tribal in their political alignments. That’s why UPND, despite it being grossly mismanaged is still standing because Tongas had no option. Now, factor-in Magande (perhaps more a thoroughly tested Tonga in leadership and national economic management than the under-five HH) coming up with a potentially viable political party. Where that does that leave the UPND ghost? To be sincere, every decent and normal Zambian, Tongas inclusive, is having very serious problems with the direction the country is taking under RB and his cronies. So, if UPND goes in pact with MMD, by the time they dock, their ship will be empty; all Tongas would have jumped on the Magande vessel, and we are back to the drawing board about who wins: MMD-UPND, Magande or PF?
The big question is not whwther or not MMD/UPND are to form an alliance or not but whether HH will be the presidential candidate in 2011 to MMD’s sole candidature of RB.The other one is,is he going to be the presidential candidate in 2016 if he supports RB in 2011???????????????
HH won’t even be a VP to RB because there is Kunda, the architech of all the misrule under RB. So what will be HH’s position in MMD? Perhaps a special advisor to RB at State House!
it seems to me that UPND is the likely part to win the elections because all other parties want to form allaince’s with them. if these others parties are strong enough and feel they can win without UNPD let them stand on their onw rather than mambooling. as well UPND is a very strong part that cud win by itself hence, they MUST stand on their own. if MAZOKA was still alive, he wouldn’t have bothered mak9in allainces with stupid parties like of n mdd.
BA LUSAKA TIMES editor does not know how to write n they are causeing conflict in zambia by making their stories more trabalised than they are happening. All what they say is false. PLEASE NEVER TELL FALSE STORIES OR ACCUSE POLICAL LEADERS OF BEING TRIBALISED. U ARE TRIBALISED.
Here there exist a big difference between Hh and Rb. Rb is a corrupt chap while Hh Is not how do u think they will run their GRZ?
MM 2011 @ 11,i agree with you.
The chap who has written this sotry must have been under some spell. It is like a dog which keeps backing at the sound of wind.Everyone nows that HH has on a number of occasions done away with this useless rumor. This writer needs to be caged for this nonsensical speculation. These are the chaps who create trouble through there unproductive and gossip type of writing.This one of those toilets articles/graffiti reporting.
politicain splease watv the hell is in you.you shame us.
sometimes i wonder if politicians are sane
HH is really making a mess of things, first you wanted to be in bed with Sata, then you went to Magande (who told him NO) now MMD? Brother, be a man and stand on your own two feet… what kind of leader are you? A leader leads, they do not follow… first rule of the game.
In the picture Kunda and HH are not marely shaking hands. This was during Mass when they gave each other a sign of peace, the ‘Peace of Christ’. This has deeper implications for them as individuals, for the people they lead in their parties and for the country they aspire to lead.