Thursday, April 18, 2024

Sikwela steps down as MP with immediate effect, ditches UPND

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Opposition UPND Livingstone Member of Parliament Howard Sikwela sandwiched between PF 1 and 2-President Michael Sata and Vice President Guy Scott when he launched the Link Zambia-8000 road project in Lusaka today
Opposition UPND Livingstone Member of Parliament Howard Sikwela sandwiched between PF 1 and 2-President Michael Sata and Vice President Guy Scott when he launched the Link Zambia-8000 road project in Lusaka today

A By-election is eminent in Livingstone Central Constituency after its Member of Parliament Reverend Howard Sikwela quit the post with immediate effect and Member of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).

Meanwhile, PF Livingstone District Chairman Fred Chibuye said the resignation of the Livingstone Central Member of Parliament had come as good news to the ruling party in particular and Livingstone residents in general.

And UPND District Secretary, Fwanyanga Lutangu challenged PF bonafide members to reject people like Reverend Sikwela as they were practicing what he termed as politics of poverty.

Reverend Sikwela has also apologized to Livingstone residents and the nation at large for the costly decision he has made at both individual and national levels.

“It is with a heavy heart that today I have to announce my resignation as Livingstone Central Member of Parliament and I further announce my resignation from the United Party for National Development (UPND),” he said.

[pullquote]“It is with a heavy heart that today I have to announce my resignation as Livingstone Central Member of Parliament and I further announce my resignation from the United Party for National Development (UPND),” he said.[/pullquote]

He attributed his resignation to the UPND’s hostility towards government, tribalism within the party and failure by the UPND to adequately support him when his election was petitioned by the Patriotic Front.

ZANIS reports that the former MP who was flanked by Patriotic Front Members said this in Livingstone today during a press briefing held at Armadillo Restaurant.

“I must confess that I failed to practice the culture of being hostile to government and hence my pronouncement in September last year, to work with government for the development of Livingstone but this provoked a lot of insults and animosity from UPND members,” he said.

Reverend Sikwela said he could not be party to this attitude as an MP needed resources from the government of the day and as such needed to work closely with them.

“I have refused to be an MP who is like clouds without rain and strongly believe an MP should think, talk and dream development,” he said.

He also advised the UPND to desist from the ‘bantustan syndrome’ and dependence on its strongholds and instead concentrate on rebranding and repositioning itself if it expected to have national representation.

Reverend Sikwela said this could be achieved if advisers surrounding UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema built him up by being sincere with him.

And when queried over his next political move, the former MP said he was ‘an open cheque’ and would wait for advice from people adding that his resignation did not have any political affiliation.

Meanwhile, PF Livingstone District Chairman Fred Chibuye said the resignation of the Livingstone Central Member of Parliament had come as good news to the ruling party in particular and Livingstone residents in general.

Mr. Chibuye said Reverend Sikwela faced numerous challenges in his quest to bring development to the tourist capital as the UPND did not allow him to work with government.

[pullquote]“We regret his resignation especially that the reasons he has advanced are baseless and he cannot even substantiate them,” he said.[/pullquote]

“The MP cannot generate resources on his own as he needs support from government. This resignation will serve as a lesson to the next MP as he will need to work with government if Livingstone is to develop,” he said.

Meanwhile, UPND Publicity Secretary for Livingstone Neto Halwabala said his party was disappointed by Reverend Sikwela’s resignation as it would subject Livingstone residents to another unnecessary by election.

“We regret his resignation especially that the reasons he has advanced are baseless and he cannot even substantiate them,” he said.

Mr. Halwabala said contrary to Reverend Sikwela’s allegations, UPND had provided him with a lawyer to represent him in his election petition case and was not hostile to government but merely offering checks and balances.

And UPND District Secretary, Fwanyanga Lutangu challenged PF bonafide members to reject people like Reverend Sikwela as they were practicing what he termed as politics of poverty.

Mr. Lutangu said politicians such as Rev. Sikwela were selfish and only interested in getting high paying jobs at the expense of bonafide members who fought hard to ensure PF was ushered into power.

Livingstone is set for a second by election since the September 20, 2011 General Elections which saw MMD’s Lukulo Katombora elected as Livingstone MP.

However, The Livingstone High Court nullified his election following irregularities after UPND and PF candidates petitioned the election results.

A by election was set by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for July 5 2012 and Reverend Howard Sikwela emerged winner after beating his closest rival, PF candidate Josephs Akafumba.

ZANIS

94 COMMENTS

  1. Say he what ba UPND? You heaped insults on Namulambe (Kafulafuta former MP), now it is your own who has resigned, so what happened bane?!!!!!!

  2. “And UPND District Secretary, Fwanyanga Lutangu challenged PF bonafide members to reject people like Reverend Sikwela as they were practicing what he termed as politics of poverty”

    Maybe the reporting isn’t complete or I have missed something. I don’t see anywhere where the Rev says he is joining the PF for Lutangu to plead with “bonafide” PF members to reject him. Or is this simply an asumption on the part of UPND that he will join PF?

    • ZANIS reports that the former MP who was flanked by Patriotic Front Members said this in Livingstone today during a press briefing held at Armadillo Restaurant….. I believe he is PF now.

    • Come on – unfortunately, you dont even have common sense for to ask that question! What do you understand when the fella says he is a “blank cheque” and why was his press conference attended by PF cadre? You need to use your head, unless you are dyslexic or have learning difficulties!

  3. The Reverand has certainly made the right decision. UPND is a tribal regional party led by a tribal enclave leader with no vision and full of bitterness. It is madness to be lead by HH when you know he is going nowhere. HH and Mumba are a disgrace to political leadership and they should not be allowed to continue leading their party’s if they want growth of democracy. The reverand was being blackmailed left, right and centre over the money HH supposedly used during his election. Anywez the game is getting hot and the earlier the opposition learn the basics of politics the better.

    • Very shallow analysis fro the so-called Prof. You lack basic logic that you can vehemently compare Nevers and HH to your mental leader you do not want to mention openly simply because he is an ***** and you are embarrassed to proudly talk about him. What a tribal moron!

  4. well said “He also advised the UPND to desist from the ‘bantustan syndrome’ and dependence on its strongholds and instead concentrate on rebranding and repositioning itself if it expected to have national representation.’

  5. UPND has brought this upon themselves,well done Sikwela,HH and his people never supported you,its time HH stops treating his mps like babies threatening them over baseless issues UPeND

  6. Dont ignore the root cause.
    1.“I must confess that I failed to practice the culture of being hostile to government and hence my pronouncement in September last year, to work with government for the development of Livingstone but this provoked a lot of insults and animosity from UPND members,” he said
    2.He also advised the UPND to desist from the ‘bantustan syndrome’ and dependence on its strongholds and instead concentrate on rebranding and repositioning itself if it expected to have national representation.

    3.Reverend Sikwela said this could be achieved if advisers surrounding UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema built him up by being sincere with him.

    • Ba Zambia, I like your analysis i think you were good at English comprehension in class or can you remember exercises. Now what is it that UPND gonna learn from the reasons this Rev gave for him to resign, knowing how stubborn UPND is kaya?

  7. What UPND needs to know is, the arc ofhe moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. The choice that they made in livingstone was less about Rev Sikwela and more about who they saw themselves to be. Livingstone is metropolitan and as such UPND risk becoming relevant.
    NGOs/opposition political parties will continue to blame PF but they are part of the problem and not the solutions to Byeb elections as long as they feel they need to make the govt fail to rule and run the affairs of what people elected them for. Today opposition oppose the Govt on everything POA when just a year ago, Sata went through this and managed to beat MMD by following the law. Today you have Mumba who is the president of MMD wants to be above the law. Sata once said I feel sorry for MMD tomorrow it’s you.

    • Tell me what is there to work with this Bemba govt.by the Bemba for the Bembas.
      The Rev.must just be honest with himself and before the lord.Money was the issue behind his decision.

  8. ndilangilila biyo wait and see he didnt make that decission fron no where he has been promised something. why didnt he resign when he saw that UOND was not surpporting him last year.he will regret. talumi munwe ukusanini ( never bit the finger that feeds you.)

  9. Slowly but surely Sata is preparing the hearts of people to condemn multiparty democracy as divisive, disorderly and counterproductive because according to Sata multiparty democracy means continuous by elections and no development at all. One funniest thing though is that the PF led constituencies are not in the slightest better developed than opposition led constituencies. Even the famous Msanzala and Mufumbwe PF-duped voters have seen no better days.

  10. It`s possible to comtribute to developmental efforts even when you are in opposition. Goverment collects tax from everyone,including those who did not vote for them.So should an MP belong to goverment just to get development?. one party state maybe.Otherwise must we also stop paying tax if vote for the oppostion because our money will not be spent on improving our areas?. Foolish PF ,indeed together with their Ka cheap “reverand”.They are more concerned with thier bellys than the people who gave him the vote.Well shame on you ka Reverand,the resources to be wasted due to your corwadice and selfish act would have renovated a school,bought medicines for our rural clinics etc that`s why PF won`t win no matter what.We shall show you how angry we are.Foolish old men with no wisdom what so…

    • IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BRING DEVELOPMENT TO YOUR CONSTITUENCE IF YOU ARE IN UPND. UNLESS YOUR PROJECTS ARE DIRECTLY FUNDED BY UPND OR HH (Mr Ibu). IF YOU WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, THE UPND WILL REJECT YOU. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? USE YOUR POCKET MONEY? IF THE GOVERNMENT CONSTRUCTS A ROAD IN LIVINGSTONE, THE UPND SHOULD ALSO CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN ROAD. YES BECAUSE IF THE MP IS SEEN TO BE PART OF GRZ PROJECT EVEN THROUGH LOBBYING, UPND WILL CHASE HIM. THIS TO ME IS CHILDISH. THE GRZ CAN POINT AT WHAT IT IS DOING FOR LIVINGSTONE. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE UPND? WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR LIVINGSTONE SINCE THEY TOOK OVER THAT SEAT?

    • Chisenga, you need to understand and know that government is responsible for bringing development to all parts of the country regardless of the political affiliation of the MPs. I thought you have observed that in the UK where you live; or are you just visiting? I live in Lusaka Central where the MP is the Vice President and there is actually no development to boost about

    • @Puma, what does govt mean to you?

      My basic civics taught me that govt comprises of three branches; the Legislature, Execute, and Judiciary. So, if UPND, with its so called educated leaders, cannot appreciate the fact that by handicapping their MPs they are in effect destroying “government”, then they deserve to remain in the political doldrums forever!

      Even you @Puma, I am sure where ever you are, opposition parties do not behave the way these immature opposition leaders in Zambia are behaving. You can disagree with the ideologies of the party in power, but you do not let ideological differences turn into personal hatreds that stunts development.

    • @Puma:

      You want govt to develop Zambia yet you are busy threatening and discouraging people (UPND MPs) who are, by all intents and purposes, part of govt and through whom govt itself brings development to the people. How far irrational, illogical, and twisted are you folks in UPND willing to go before you finally get it?!

  11. the UPND has an opportunity to challenge itself & field a bemba to recontest this seat; that way they’ll surely know where they stand as a party especially to other none tongas that view it as a tribalist party

    • Suppose a bye election is held in Kasama central and PF is urged to field a Tonga,would he be elected.Let me remind you of what happened to Mr.Burton Mugala when he wanted to stand for elections in Kasama.Sata reminded the people of Kasama that Mr. Mugala is not from Kasama.So Mr.Mpundu why should UPND FIELD A BEMBA,WHY NOT A LUNDA,KAONDE OR LOZI?This proves BEMBAS ARE TRIBALISTIC .

    • Why specifically a Bemba? You monkeys are really selfish, eh! You’re not satisfied with the 98% positions your tribal leader has given you in cabinet, civil service, foreign service and parastatal sector. Not to mention the many commissions of inquiry you chaired just to steal money!

    • whatever gave you the idea that I’m Bemba!!!!!! eish, see how emotional tongas become when you tell them the truth; you have said all that about MCS, He has MPs even in other provinces apart from Northern & Luapula; where else can u find a UPND mp apart from SP? the mistake your party has made is to do exactly what Sata does or did, try being different. its only tongas & lozis that say bembas are tribalists, there are 71 other tribes who’d still vote for a Bemba. cant you people reason beyond this monkey & whatever insult you’ve showered on bembas.

    • THE BATTLE MUST NOT BE ABOUT STATE HOUSE BUT HAVING A CREDIBLE OPPOSITION TO GIVE CHECKS AND BALANCES TO THE GOVT. OF THE DAY.BEING IN OPPOSITION DOES NOT MEAN ENEMY OF THE GOVT. OF THE DAY.

    • Failed governance looks like this, this so called Reverend is a failure plain and simple. he is joining the larger bandwagon of failures and clowns. It’s OK, it is his choice, but his betrayal to the people who voted him in will soon reflect the results of his election/re-election if he goes through. reverend my ass. Simply goes to show how much the bible has taught him, it is better to be a traitor and a turncoat is easier and better than serving the mandate given to you by the people who voted for you.

  12. leave pipo of livingstone to tell you what is on the ground not someone to say that sikwela is right. he even faild to explain himself.pf carders protested on 01/01/2012 new day and 3 days later he resign. this man is a failure thats why he failed to manage his family and went as far as sleeping with another man’s wife.

    • WHEN YOU SAY THE MAN FAILED TO MANAGE DO YOU KNOW WHAT HIS CHILDREN DO OR WHERE THEY ARE ??????????STOP ACTING CLEVER LIKE BITTER HH WHAT IS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE IS HIM RESIGNING NOT HIS FAMILY

  13. Our leaders have not hearts. they have no feeling for the poor otherwise they would not be supporting such nonsense. I surprised that people that have commented are think this guy has just resigned out of principle. He did not join UPND yesterday, so he can not claim tribalism today. where was he all this time. This guy like the rest of these heartless MPs has be bought by PF which is intent on creating a one party state as stated by its secretary general. But they should brace themselves for a tough challenge because some of us will not sit by and watched what we fought be destroyed by greedy leaders. Money for this unwarranted by election could hve been best used else where

    • THE BYE ELECTION MAY BE EXPENSIVE. BUT WHO IS TO BLAME? THE MAN IS PRINCIPLED. AND ACCORDING TO HIS PRINCIPLES HE SHOULD NOT BE TOSSED ABOUT LIKE A SMALL CHILD. IF HE WORKS WITH THE GRZ THE UPND DISPARAGE HIM. SO WHAT DO YOU WANT HIM TO DO? JUST BECAUSE BYE ELECTIONS ARE EXPENSIVE YOU WANT THE MAN TO PRETEND THAT HE LOVES UPND? YOU WANT HIM TO STICK TO A PARTY THAT HE HAS COME TO DISLIKE? INFACT MOST OF YOU ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF THE BYE ELECTION. IT IS YOUR FEAR OF LOSING THE SEAT TO THE PF.

    • Iwe ka Chisenga, This man is a failure, he did not need to be in bed with PF to do his job. you know that I don’t mind PF getting the seat in 2016 because they won it fair and square in open campaign, but like this…. Dog_shti. When will such politicians begin to fear and respect the people that vote them in?

  14. That country is too hot for my liking, since I have come back to UK I am being told I did get much darker, not forgoing the visible wounds I am carrying from the mosquito bites
    How on earth do people get bitten by mosquitoes there without showing any remnants?

    Thanks

  15. @Mushota, you are a real attention seeker. Its good you managed to survive the mosquito bites. So we should brace ourselves for more of your out of topic comments.

  16. When u have immature opposition u expect this to happen.l doubt the brains of some ngos and parties that are accusing (wrongly)pf of not being democratic when there is no democracy in their groupings. Hypocricy!Upnd ,with closed minds!Very rigid.

  17. What tribalism is sikwela talking about? What tribe is chibuye the pf chairperson for livingstone? Chiwamila galu….shekela.

    • TRIBALISM LIES IN THE FACT THAT YOU CAN ONLY FIND ONE NAME (Chibuye) FROM OTHER TIBES. BUT AM SURE YOU CAN RUN OUT OF SPACE IF YOU WERE TO LIST THE OTHER NAMES FROM THAT ONE REGION DOMINANT IN UPND. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. IT IS THE NATURE OF A BANTUSTAN PARTY.

    • OK LETS SEE THE PF CABINET AND SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF OTHER TRIBES AS COMPARED TO THE BEMBAS.A BEMBA BY NATURE IS TRIBALISTIC AND THAT IS WHY HE CAN NOT LEARN OTHER LANGUAGES BECAUSE FI TUNDU FYE.IF PF DID NOT USE BRIBES,THEY COULD HAVE LOST IN WESTERN AND NORTH WESTERN PROVINCES.LETS WAIT FOR THE NEXT ELECTIONS AND SEE HOW FAR YOUR LIES WILL TAKE YOU.

  18. ECZ should avail to the public their budget for so many By-elections. If no budget exists and they have to consistently knock on Alexander Chikwanda’s door for financing then there’s a serious problem in our country

  19. UPND must get rid of HH failure to which they will contiune to lose members and support country wide. Zambians will support UPND but they don’t like its leader because of the way he conducts his politics.

    • SPEAK FOR YOURSELF.NOT EVERY ZAMBIAN BY THE HATES SATA SO WHO ARE YOU TO INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE ZAMBIANS?

  20. If only opposition parties accepted that the current PF government has the mandate to rule for five years before another election and thus major campaigns! But, they seem to be in a bubble, thinking that PF leadership and government is illegitimate and so they have resorted to anything in the opposite. Politics of aggression, insults, belittling, recentment, animosity, bantustan, tribalism, falsification of reality, peddling lies, all of which lead them to fast forward self distruction, They trully have an ‘underfive’ mentality that unless its me not you. Underfives are very selfish – try ask for food or anything from an underfive, none will be given to you too selfish. Opposition must live reality, its a real govt in power and not a transition like you seem to suggest.

    • You’re the one with a problem. You should learn to accept that ordinary citizens and opposition parties have the right to criticize a government whose policies they don’t agree with whether or not that government has a 5 year or 100 year mandate. One week after Levy won reelection in 2006, Sata was in Mutendere addressing a rally , with a cabbage in his hand , telling people that this was what they had just voted for!

  21. Another Mpongwe heavy-weight joins UPND

    Former MMD aspiring candidate ffor Mpongwe constituency Rabson Chilufya has resigned from his party to join the opposition UPND. Mr. Chilufya who resigned today (Thursday Jan 3, 2012) with others from Mpongwe constituency becomes the second high profile person and Mpongwe businessman to join the opposition UPND after former DC for Mpongwe, Miniver Mtesa joined [.

  22. When HH crumbles politically, UPND will politically crumble too. You are a failure and possibly yet to fail. Because your strategies and tactics are wrong. Lets wait and see. Turn round the figures below. If yours is based on false optimism, I can predict your failure. In school, you become a drop out. In politics another chance. Another exam in 2016. Sangwapo, more cash from your pocket to the voters, they are waiting for it. Watch this figures:
    2001 2005 2008 2011
    UPND: 26.76% 25.32% 19.70% 18.17%
    MMD: 28.69% 42.98% 40.09% 35.42%
    PF: 3.35% 29.37% 38.13% 41.98%
    Don’t shoot the messenger, it is just your performance. Do you understand?

  23. I said it here that this one province political party, will not go any where. It will finish it self. Whether you like it or not Livingstone here we come (PF). The people have seen what PF can do and this time around it will be 98% for PF and others to share the spoils.

    • Central, Western and Northwestern Province have UPND MPs. Cut down on your State House weed and mutototo, you just might start seeing stuff clearly!

    • What a pity.Even people in Southern Province are taxpayers,so are entitled a share of the national development just like any other province.

  24. I pity our poor country, politics of the belly, I know everyone has a right to belong
    To any party, and they reasoning is very immature, these assholes need need to be finish
    Their terms , than chickening out ,no principles

  25. What is it that the UPND is going to learn from the reasons Rev sikwela has given for him to resign? reasons he gave truly shows exactly what happens in UPND and HH/UPND should reflect upon them and take them very serious and do something about this Bantustan syndrome

    • The major lesson to learn from the Reverend is his revealing that development can only take place in a constituency in which the sitting MP is from the ruling party!

    • Mmmmmm, baba @Goncalves, kufweba tombwe maningi badaaala!

      What about the lesson that UPND should let govt function?! And I mean “govt” in its truest sense, including all three branches which make up govt. Just being in the ruling party does not make you part of govt, but being an MP (whatever party you belong to) makes you part of it. And if govt fails, UPND MPs or ministers will be just as responsible for the failure as those from other parties. Working with or within the confines of govt does not mean you agree with the ideologies of the party in power. To think this way is a grave and childish mistake that will eventually kill off credible opposition in Zambia

      This is the lesson the good Rev is trying to send to all you knuckleheads in UPND!

  26. If an MP can resign from the party and as an MP, why doesn’t the law give us the electorate POWER to FIRE an MP when they are under-performing?

  27. Anyway,situations like this bring more poverty to the nation,how much money will be wasted just for by-elections? when we surely know that we need more meds in hospitals,we good roads,and many more stuff too numerous to mention,let us stop and think twice,before we take any action.

  28. Mamamaaa. UPND is finished guys. UPND has fallen, fallen is UPND. By 2016 HH/UPND will be a shell. Can this time HH contest the L/stone bye election?? This is the only way he will gain the experience needed as a president.

    Peace and Prosperity to mother Zambia.

  29. It is very sad that we have very few principled MPs and politicians in Zambia. Most of our politicians serve personal interest rather than the interest of their constituencies that elect them. Once elected, our politicians consider themselves bosses over the electorate and do not think that they are elected as representatives of the interests of the masses. On the other hand, poverty has a lot of influence on the voting patterns in Zambia. You would hope that people would reject such politicians through the ballot as they seek re-election but because they have joined the ruling party and have access to government machinery, they spend so much money bribing people by providing salt, sugar, mealie meal and other incentives like chitenge materials and T-Shirts and somehow through such means

  30. we need formidable opposition,but they make work difficult if they shoot down anything the govt does…hence the govt also welcomes any increase in numbers for easy delivery of service…I admire th nudp for there ability to remain united even in these trying times,just be inclusive it may change the notion of tribal/regional party may be then…

  31. they secure the vote. We need to start thinking differently people. That claim that the UPND is a tribal party has been sung like a song but we all know which party is strong in which province in Zambia. So then how does the strength of the UPND in Southern province make it a regional and tribal party? And by the way, it is not just in Zambia that we have party strongholds or people voting on certain divisions. Even the American vote is determined on race, especially with an African-American involved in the election and also on certain areas that are considered as traditional strongholds of either the Democrats or the Republicans. Think differently, lest Zambia will be crumbling. Who ever throws a stone at UPND for being regional or tribal is the most tribal individual.

  32. People like Sekwila have no integrity.They would do anything for money and do not deserve to be in Parley.politics of the belly.The youths must come together and remove these selfish people who have no interests for the poor many Zambians out there.ABASH POLITICS OF THE BELLY.

  33. Some blogers ar realy tribal en showing hh fear! I personaly didnt knw that hh is feared as much as this. Its very visible that this so called reverand has a pf induced pregnancy but u refuse to c, wat beta definition of dulnes could we find? Which upnd wil cramble coz they are getting bak ths seat and al that fred and winter have done here is called divide and rule! Some useles heads ar luking fo bemba names in the upnd executiv in southern province, wil i find tonga names in the pf executiv in northern province? Apart frm mmd, which party has no tribal strongholds? Pf is even a worst tribal pepetrator. If very clear that some of u hav stopped thnking and ar pay fred membe 3 pin to thnk fo u daily, thats y he has brainshwashd some of u. I wish ur heards could b clear enough to see that…

  34. Youth, let us show them the true meaning of Donch Kubeba. like all thing nothing makes sense to a nkalamba when a youth brings it to the fore. Let us show these people what the true meaning of these words.
    Abuse our trust, donch kubeba
    Break your promise, Donch Kubeba
    Steal from your us, Donch Kubeba
    Lie to us so brazenly, Donch kubeba
    Make us suffer even more, Donch Kubeba
    Takiing credit for someone else’s work and effort, Shhh
    We are watching and you shall rue the day we tell you.

  35. Sikwela is a dirt, corrupt, hungry adultrous reverend. let whoever has the wife he was sleeping with take him to task!!!

  36. The fundamental problem is the lack of political and civic education in Zambia. The primary role of an MP is to enact legislation in parliament i.e., to debate and vote on bills. Therefore, an MP can work with government in parliament by simply voting with the ruling party caucus on bills in parliament! No need to resign!

    What we seem to have is MPs believing their primary role is to “bring development” — in the literal sense. Local government is what should concern itself with “bringing development” as is understood by our politicians. While an MP is expected in Lusaka when parliament is in session, councillors at local government are expected to be ever present in wards (and by extension, constituencies) to directly influence development.

    Zambia has a very long way to go,…

    • @Mus Juke:

      You will be right if the MMD who are now complaining did not destroy local government institutions. Sata is trying to build these institutions back up by creating more Districts as close to the population as possible, and guess who is shouting the loudest? YEAH, you guessed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  37. @Floyd Chitalu. YOU ARE GREAT. YOU ARGUE WITH FACTS>
    WATCH THESE FIGURES:
    2001 2006 2008 2011
    UPND: 26.76% 25.32% 19.70% 18.17%
    MMD: 28.69% 42.98% 40.09% 35.42%
    PF: 3.35% 29.37% 38.13% 41.98%

    I WISH I COULD PLOT THESE FIGURES ON A GRAPH ON THIS BLOG. BUT BY EXTRAPOLATION YOU CAN SEE THAT UPND WILL CRUSH TO LESS THAN 10% BY THE YEAR 2016. THE ONLY PARTY THAT HAS BEEN GROWING EXPONENTIALLY IS THE PF. EVEN BYE ELECTIONS CAN ATTEST TO THIS FACT.

    • Political popularity is not a linear function. You cannot deduce anything meaningful about 2016 from your so-called “facts” …of course, unless you have a brain the size of a pea!

    • @Mus Juke:

      Where is “political popularity” in these figures? All I see is statistical figures that give us a peek into an electoral trend so far in Zambia—-and “trend” is a powerful thing in politics, bululu!!

  38. This Sikwela Rev, timid as he is does not pose any risk to UPND. PF has miscalculated by targeting someone who has no real influence apart. From the fact that he was presented as a holy Rev by UPND on the assumption that he will be principled. Mind you Tongas and Lozis know quality in leadership generally and will show PF that wasting our billions of kwacha in order to further misgovern us with PF majority in parliament is unacceptable. Sorry wrong and useless move

  39. Serious politics will come to Zambia when I stand for President. You haven’t seen anything yet!

  40. I applaud you pipo for giving people the platform to Comment unlike the UPeND website zambian watchdog which kips censoring and deleting posts in support of sikwela,which goes back to what sikwela said about hh suronding himself with pipo that re sincere to him,they enjoy pipo that lie to them,upnd is a self destructive party no wonder the only posts they re allowing re just insults

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