United Party for NAtional Development President Hakainde Hichilema has urged his party members to remain peace and vigilant during the voting period. In a statement released to the media, the UPND President urged his members to stand strong in the face of intimidation and not be afraid to speak out despite the threats that are made against.
Below is the full statement
HH Statement on Upcoming By-elections
23 September 2015
As we come to the end of our by-election campaigns in Solwezi West and Lubansenshi I would like to thank our teams and supporters who have worked hard to spread our message of economic deliverance and public service and sacrifice over the past few weeks. Together, we can take back control of our economy and deliver sustainable improvements in the standard of living. Not just for a few Zambians, but across all areas of the country, across all age groups, gender and sector.
I would now like to call on our supporters for peace and vigilance during the voting period. We must stand strong in the face of intimidation and not be afraid to speak out despite the threats that are made against us. If we remain united and determined then democracy will prevail.
These by-elections, while a distraction from our economic and electricity challenges, should at least serve as a reminder to those watching that now is the time to get their NRC and voters cards. Let us take this opportunity to remind friends and family of this fact. Without them you will be unable to vote in next years general elections and the time for obtaining them in each area is limited so please contact your local representative and officials to confirm the details. You can also check the current register online at http://www.elections.org.zm/provisional_regsearch.php.
After these elections we need to return to focusing on preparations for next year, including the NRC and voter card registration process. We need to have an honest and open conversation about what free and fair elections mean. For us as an opposition party we have seen a trend of increasing intimidation in the run up to voting day, whereby officials arrest our candidates on dubious grounds and threaten to expel us from the area if we continue our campaigns. The level of intimidation and harassment, as well as the spreading of false media reports and unsubstantiated allegations is compromising the freedom of the vote and undermining our highly prized peace and stability. At this time of economic turmoil we can ill afford to fight each other.
All the best to our candidates at both parliamentary and local government level. I know we have picked the best candidates that will deliver selfless service to the voters, and I would like to urge all the voters in those areas to turn up in numbers to vote and ensure that the vote is protected after the polls close.
Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President
Your statements always makes a lot of sense and gives hope for a better tomorrow. Long live HH
There are alot of economic messages in that HH statement. Truly he might be the right guy to change what Edgar and Chikwanda has failed.
Thanks HH, this country could be so much better if all focused on doing the right thing. The place for gun firing PF cadres is prison. Davies Chama in Mulobezi , now Kaizer…Lord have mercy
Iwe Obatala, what is about Kaiser shooting…. where did he do that.
Peace above all. Llfe is precious. May the best candidate win.
Even a vegetable seller knows things are gettin worse and we need more than a prayer.
Ba UPND mwawa again ! The ground work we have done while you were busy on social media is substantial. PF till i die
Hahahaha!! No problem at all – you are dying very soon anyway so it makes not much difference mate!!
a loompen with no message for the people HH leave Upnd and let others take over. this chap is a mini dictator
No satanist will govern me.
What has killed HH all this while is lack of strategy. HH should know by now that it is not about the number of people you go to war with but rather strategy. HH is losing again in 2016.
Mature message Mr. President.
All well meaning Zambiams should attach a lot of meaning of the message and support Zambia’s economic deliverance through UPND.
@Kudos and Men of Peace: no wonder the country is in this state because it is full of people without brains like you. Is it not strange that Zambia with so much natural resources could be so poor while countries like Singapore with no resources could be so rich?
LuLungu should take a leaf from VW chief executive officer and resign for his responsibility for the plamenting of the Kwacha.
@Kudos-nonsensical compulsion,you are a declasse!
kuwayawafye ninshi tamutendwa nama loose kushiilako bambi ichipuna baeshako,tefyo bakachema?
Even if Zambia is facing a lot of problem it better to PF to continue than putting UPND the southern based party.HH is useless let him concentrate on animals
I know you did it deliberately, it is fine for me. You are also protecting your platform. All the same, HH is right and people of Zambia may not continue waiting for some thing that is not forthcoming. The HOW to find solutions to all challenges that LUNGU alluded to in his parliament speech still remains a mistry. Pf always good at promises, but fail to deliver. Up to now Civil servants are still yawning no salaries.
VIVA HH VIVA! VIVA UPND VIVA! HH IS SECOND FROM NONE. ZAMBIA NEEDS THIS MAN SO WE CAN COME OUT OF THIS MESS LUNGU HAS PLUNGED US INTO. LUNGU BECAME TOO EXCITED WHEN HE BECAME PRESIDENT, AND STARTED MESSING UP ALL THINGS. ABASH LUNGU! ABASH PF!
Am seeing some civility in HH for the 1st time.
HH will eat your children.kikikikikikikikikiki!!!!