The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has unanimously endorsed party President, Hakainde Hichilema, as a sole candidate for the forth-coming Presidential election to be held early next year.
UPND Vice president Canicous Banda disclosed the development at press briefing held at party secretariat in Lusaka today.
Dr Banda said the endorsement was arrived at yesterday by the highest organ of the party, the National Management Committee (NMC), attended by all UPND Members of Parliament (MPs) and other senior party officials.
Dr Banda, who was flanked by other senior party officials, said Mr Hichilema is a meritorious candidate to contest the Presidency.
“Our party, which met yesterday, has endorsed our leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema. He is a meritorious leader to contest the forth-coming Presidential poll. The NMC of our party unanimously endorsed Mr Hichilema because he is the only one to carry on where late president Michael Sata left,” Dr Banda said.
At the same press briefing, former Lusaka Province Minister, Sony Mulenga’s son, Gabriel, and former UNIP Isoka MP, Wilson Siame, defected to the UPND.
The duo said the UPND has good policies to steer the development of Zambia and that Mr Hichilema is an outstanding leader with quality leadership style.
Meanwhile, Dr Banda has urged party members to be peaceful during the 90 days transition period when Zambian goes to the poll slated for January, 2015.
The UPND Vice president condemned the infighting in the ruling Patriotic Front, saying it was denting the good image of the country.
And UPND National Chairperson, Mutale Nalumango, urged the Zambian people to vote for Mr Hichuilema.
Mrs Nalumango claimed that Mr Hichilema is a tested leader and this is the best opportunity for the Zambian people to rally behind him.
She echoed the UPND Vice president that the infighting in the ruling party is a confirmation of bad governance and leadership of the PF.
She called on the Zambian people to scrutinize all those vying for presidency.
Viva HH! Yes quality leadership you are right. He is currently the only one who can move Zambia forward.
I knew it. You only choose to put up a picture which shows HH elaborating an important point to paint a picture as though he is not a good man.
What ever agenda you have against HH will fail dismally.
I just opened this story to check the frenzy from UPND bloggers. They see themselves winning online, haha. In your dreams fellas. PF is on self destroy, but you guys aren’t going anywhere either
No surprises there, otherwise he pulls off the plug on UPND financing. Anyway,Who cares, the man is unsellable outside the southern stretch. No charisma, no style, no appeal. Bring it on.
It’s time, it’s time, kinnako!! Go for it when the PF are running helter skelter.
Very bad mr C. BANDA.. H.H. will fail i tell u. why didnt u wait for 2016? pantu this 2015 is still for PF. you wil cut my fingers.
ba H.H. plse dont go on this race. am sure u are a failure……
@ Chilis, you kind of thinking is retarded. Do you honestly want the Zambian people, you and your relatives to continue with PF mediocrity? Zambian are now a laughing stalk in the region because we reduced the office of the presidency to jokes. Let us clean up and now….HH is the best alternative, if he and his UPND fail, lets kick them out in 2016….but for now please let HH be president> I actually get the feeling PF supporters are so scared of HH that his 18 months before the 2016 election will be exemplary
SOME OF YOU PEOPLE ARE A LET DOWN TO PROGRESS…WHAT HAS PF DONE..MAYBE IT HAS GIVEN YOU CONTRACTS…ANYWAY IF MOST ZAMBIANS THINK LIKE YOU THEN IT EXPLAINS WHY WE ARE IN A MESS AS A COUNTRY
hh the sole candidate, so , does it mean none of all upnd has what it takes to challange hh for upnd presidence????? upnd plz go convetion and let upnd members choose a president. thats the problem with hh ,he thinks he only alone can lead upnd. any im not bothered since hh will easily be defeated, mark my words.
WAS SATA NOT A SORO CANDIDATE AT THE LAST PF GATHERING? FOR SATA ITS OK FOR HH ITS BAD…WHAT DOUBLE STANDARDS.BECAUSE HH IS TONG? i guess so..by the way MWEENE SAVED ZAMBIA YESTERDAY AND MOST OF YOU BEMBAs did not complain??
Ba LT, all leaders on the Zambian scene have various pictures. For HH, this seems to be your only picture on file. Really? Please put up latest pictures. Even David Cameron who lives thousands of miles away has different pictures.
Is this news? Every one was as sure as eggs is eggs that HH will be the presidential candidate for UPND.
UPND should reflect on how many times this fellow has failed the elections and consider substituting him for a better selling candidate.
When and where was Hichibwamba Hichiipi tested? How can he continue where Sata left off when he is on record saying EVERYTHING Sata did was rubbish? Is there NO allowance for a convention in UPND? Years ago you said “Only a Tonga” Now you have developed to “He is the ONLY one” who can lead Zambia. Is he a god? You puff up that dwarf for nothing. Let a system lead, not an individual!!! On these bases, I vote for Edgar Lungu in advance.
HH & UPND will never rule Zambia as long as they cling to tribalistic embryos…
We the poor will vote for PF even when a ‘Dog’ was to stand!!!
We want Miles Sampa to rule this lovely nation Zambia as this man is hard working and has a heart for the poor…
HH is for the rich, the bussinessians, the Indians who just want to reep this nation.
We don’t want HH’s plans of revoking minimum wage, chasing people from the street, revoking the Christian nation close, all to the benefits of the Bokoz, Mwenyez…
HH’S plans are to benefit his businesses by reeping this nation like Clive Chirwa…
Let him not boast by having a masters in egonomics, Bingu Wa Mutharika of Malawi had a masters, a Doctorate and Professorship in economics, far much ahead of HH,
but he failed that nation…
Dear tribal voter,
Is your tribe able to give you shelter and generally provide for your well-being?
Please go in the booth come election day and vote wisely.
Do not vote for a party nor for a tribe, vote an individual who can take Zambia forward.
let us try be analytically, hh has being exampllelly every where.
People if you are not TRIBALISTS then vote for HH. People keep accusing HH of being TRIBALIST, so if you do not vote for him then your also being TRIBAL as well. Zambia can only develop if we have a leader who has a Degree, mind you people who have degrees work professionally and not on tribal grounds. Compare his qualities / CV with other contenders you’ll find him far better then the others. Don’t follow what Kaponya’s and Cadres , they are being used by politicians. VOTE WISELY THIS TIME ROUND. PS I’M NOT A TONGA but I have endorsed HH for plot 1