The United Party for National Development (UPND) says it has shunned the Zambia’s 53rd Independence Commemorations today because there is an outbreak of cholera in Lusaka.
Speaking in an interview, UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka says the opposition party has been informed that because of the pandemic in Lusaka all public gatherings should not be allowed hence the reason the UPND cannot be part of the celebrations.
Katuka says even if the Government has adequately prepared for the day and has extended invitations to Zambians via short messages on mobile phones, the UPND have turned down the invitation because it is not possible to have a public gathering in one area of Lusaka where there is a cholera pandemic and elsewhere in the city it is not allowed.
“We have been informed that because of the pandemic in Lusaka all public gatherings should not be allowed hence the reason the UPND cannot be part of the celebrations” Katuka said
But Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya has said the UPND should not think it is the PF that has organized today’s Independence Celebrations but the Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Bwalya told Pan African Radio News this morning that no one will succeed in underestimating the tradition of celebrating independence and the PF shall not encourage citizens to celebrate the day because people know it is their duty to observe it as an important day for Zambia.
“UPND should not think it is the PF that has organized the Independence Celebrations but the Government of the Republic of Zambia” Bwalya said
Meanwhile, third Liberation Movement President Enock Roosevelt Tonga is appealing to all Zambians regardless of their political affiliations to appear in the public to commemorate Zambia’s 53rd Independence Anniversary .
Mr Tonga said the celebrations of the Independence Day should not be politicized by a section of stakeholders in the political arena and the civil society because it is an obligation of every Zambian to celebrate and thank God for emancipating the nation from the yoke of colonialism in 1964.
“The celebrations of the Independence Day should not be politicized by a section of stakeholders in the political arena and the civil society because it is an obligation of every Zambian to celebrate and thank God for emancipating the nation from the yoke of colonialism in 1964” Tonga said
And an Advocate of Modern Political Change Erick Nsokolo has urged all Zambians to cherish and embrace Zambia’s Independence Day Celebrations because liberation did not come on a silver plate.
Mr. Nsokolo, one of the founders of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) said it took a lot of sacrifice for Zambia’s founding fathers to liberate the Africans in Northern Rhodesia from the imperialists.
Mr. Nsokolo also said Zambians should guard jealously the plural democracy being enjoyed today which was fought for by people who banded together to end the one-party-participatory democracy of Founding President Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party (UNIP).
And Mr. Nsokolo has called on the Government to recognize all freedom fighters who are alive because they died a little for Zambia as opposed to casting a blind eye on them.
“Government should recognize all freedom fighters who are alive because they died a little for Zambia as opposed to casting a blind eye on them” Nsokolo said
Some sort of Catch 22? …
Lies are now catching up with Lungu and his gang of thieves
UPND have chorela mouths already. What is this fake fear?
kikiki…
HEHEHEHEHEHEHE! INDEPENDENCE MAKES SENSE WITHOUT UPNDESTRUCTION
===========================================
IAN KAMA CAME, BWEZANI WAS THERE PLUS ECL WAS THERE. I WAS THERE TOO. WHO CARES THAT UNDER FIVES AND COMPATRIOTS WERE NOT THERE?
THE TREASON BOYS BETTER STAY AT HOME WERE THEY BELONG.
#PRESERVEZAMBIA
#ZAMBIAFORWARDNAECL
There you have it. PF issued a cholera epidemic scare to prevent UPND from holding a rally on Sunday and now when UPND follows its advice to avoid public gatherings it condemns it. This is why I say PF is full of id1ots who are so selfish and f00lish.
For sure people will not attend their Lungu glorifying celebrations in fear of cholera.
PF has no direction or acumen to run the country properly.
Shame on PF.
VIVA UPND.
Typical Under 5 mentality….now can UPND also shun Zambia because of chorela…please feel free to leave us in peace…go find another country somewhere….Zambia belongs to PF….period
Anyway
2021 vote PF (Edgar)
I thank you
There is nothing like under 5 or under 14 or under 40. Just treat the opposition with respect. I am not UPND but you go and break the UPND Leaders home in the night, incarcerate him for four months and enter a nolle after all that torture and then you say come and feast with us at independence, it is a national day. He must be a very f0olish man to go and attend. I don’t belong to his party but being a very sensible person, I support his non attendance under such circumstances
Well, this is a good response by UPND. No one can blame the opposition party after MoH advised UPND against holding its rally in Kanyama for the same reason that UPND has given. What is sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander, as they say.
As usual UPND exercising its human rights of under 5 politics. Another opportunity to show maturity rather than vindictiveness and childishness has been missed by UPND. They even lie about it, instead of being candid and straightforward that they do not want to associate themselves with the majority of well meaning patriotic Zambians. I really find it harder and harder to have any confidence that if ever UPND came to power Zambia will be better than all other ruling parties. Pa Zed kuwayawaya fye.
Everyone knows that whether cholera or no cholera UPND has always shunned National or Government functions since PF came into office because of ICHIFUKUSHI
iwe cholera shut up.
MCS did not attend any national event when he was in opposition…!
A lame excuse. Upnd is known for shunning functions. Nothing has changed since they started shunning functions. Zambians enjoy absence of upnd donkeys anywhere upnd has boycotted. Continue boycotting until we forget about upnd.
Shut up iwe ka army worm.
UPND must be given some respect, you torture them and you expect them to come to your feast. It never works that way. Whether you call them under 5 or whatever you desire. Learn to respect the opposition and treat the opposition as stakeholders. lets be civilised for once
PF and UPND are both very useless parties, how Zambia ended up with both is a mystery. kikikikiki they are both very childish.
I am not PF but following UPND,s political participation as an opposition I can see the worst and useless opposition we have ever had since Multi-Partism started. I had hope that this party was going to bring constructive participation and then form a reliable government when they form government but I am starting to some fears. In any case, we will wait and see. I am just wondering if they form government whether they are going to concentrate on fixing the economy or they will be there to fix people- SETTLING SCORES
You are just an *****
Will HH and UPND ever mature? Zambia has always existed and celebrated its Independence without UPND. The country can now see who is the problem and they know it is hh. I am very sure they now understand why and how he ended up in prison. Next time they will not dare nor care to help him because they have proof that the chap is crazy. However, this is good for PF in the next elections. They defeat this unpatriotic hh and his party again. Continue with this behaviour and people’s confidence is being lost for your hh and his tribal upnd.
Is there cholera also in magoye choma bwengwa? What I head was that cholera was only in one suburb of lusaka and it’s under control. Celebrations are national wide and hope the tribalist party participated in other parts of country.
Exactly my thoughts. Hope they gathered in their kraals.
I always advise our friends in tribal upnd that sometimes,its better to just keep quiet.Charles Katuka,the dull upnd SG should not think that Zambians are dull like him-no.since 2011 upnd refuse to participate in national events due to bitterness!!we had prayer’s day just last week but upnd never participated,african freedom day on 25/05/2017,upnd boycotted because HH was in mukobeko,etc.upnd shall ever give useless excuses as long as they remain in opposition.SO BO KATUKA , EXCUSE US PLEASE.MOREOVER,MAJORITY ZAMBIANS DO NOT CARE WHETHER UPND ATTEND OR NOT BECAUSE INVITED GUESTS ATTEND TOGETHER WITH DR.KK AND RB,SO WHO IS HH,A MAN WHO HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN A COUNCILLOR?
Use your common sense.
You lock up the leader of the UPND on unsubstantiated charges for four months and you expect him and his party to come to your independence celebrations. You conveniently even say this is a national day. What national day when the opposition are not even allowed to hold raliies in the country despite freedom of assembly being guaranteed in the constitution. You mistreat the Opposition and you still want them to attend your events and sugar coat them as government events
Fi upnd,watch on ZNBC TV how thousands and thousands of Zambians celebrated independence day today across the country.WATCH NOW OR AT 22HRS.THE SAME ZAMBIANS WHO ATTEND SUCH EVENTS ARE THE ONES WHO VOTE.SO IF UPND CANT MIX WITH THOSE PEOPLE,HOW CAN A PARTY BE FAMOUS OR BE KNOWN?upnd told his supporters to boycott today’s celebrations,but the huge crowds we are watching on TV have embarrassed HH!!!
I SIMPLY CANT SEE HOW PF CAN LOSE 2021 ELECTIONS AT THE HANDS OF HH’S UPND!!!
I greatly applaud the UPND for staying away from such events, until such a time that there is respect for the opposition in the country. The Political independence that you attended today, I hope you told your leaders to bring Economic independence, not just being told ati bana mayo utupundu
i thot this country has millions
Daniel, I agree, the way PF cheated people that we will improve your lives just to end up flat battery. Poverty is every where you step. Unfortunately there is no alternative. PF is full of rhetoric, I cant stand this party. Today celebrating government food, tomorrow back to square one. Yaba
Sata in his 10 years of being in opposition never attended any national event.chiwamila galu kuluma mbuzi.i m upset with freedom fighters like sikota wina for condemning HH for not attending rubbish national event,when hh was incarncerated he never even stepped his foot at mukobeko to see him.today he is busy trying to please his mulamu inonge.pls freedom fighters lets respect ourselves
The most demonic party to hit the streets of Zambia! We can do without it! In fact the more it is absent the better! Go Zambia, go!
Kikikikiki….okay Mr Stephen Katuka. Yes there is cholera in Kanyama, are you saying that there is cholera also in Dundumwezi?
And a few Donheys here have revealed the real for the boycott, that it is because under5 was incarcerated . In the same vein there should be no dialogue because under5 was locked up, right Mr Katuka?6
WE DID NOT MISS YOUR VIOLENCE ANYWAY……….IT MAKES MORE SENSE WITHOUT YOU
Both PF & UPND are childish, selfish and need Jesus.
We had a great day,very well organised.Keep it up Boma. Lets give our friends time to heal,they are severely bruised.
Yes all of us in Zambia we need Jesus seriously: Mushota well said, people are not taking Judgment to come very seriously. When Judgment comes there will be no such things like I was PRESIDENT OF THIS PARTY, THAT PARTY, I was the chief spokes person of the party, I was a soldier, Policeman, Pastor, Prophet, Teacher DR. Professor, IT WILL BE WHAT YOU DID WHILE OF EARTH, BAD OR GOOD. PLEASING OR UNPLEASING. Yesterday in Lusaka Rev Matifeo preached on a very strong and nice book of Galatians 5:1 . Many of us are still living in yoke of bondage. Hatred in Particular
Was there chlorea last year? and the year before and the other years? Lies are catching up with UPND ALSO @1.1 It is my sincere hope that they don’t attend any function,i dont like seeing them.My body freezes when i see: HH , his ministers and Mama Womens Chairperson fimo fimo .
UPND had a valid point not to join chorela camps to celebrate independence because couple of days ago, it was advised not to go ahead with a political rally due to outbreak of chorela. Surprisingly, PF Ministry of Health did not see the danger of bringing multitudes together some of whom might be from the affected shanties. It was going to be contegious at UPND rally not PF independence. In their wisdom, police and Mimistry of health allowed independence gathering. Kudos UPND for refusing to put your health in danger!!
@22 Yes Kudos UPND for refusing as their party is diminishing only you who can manage on social media knows that UPND is still there but for the masses it is dead. That is the reason why it has to show it self to the masses.
Even Late Sata when in opposition used to shun such events. What is good for the Gander should also be good for the Goose. Cholera is what cancelled the Kanyama rally and MoH were at pains to justify the public gatherings of independence day. Mwanawasa was too intelligent to allow such foolish mistakes.
1.why do these leaders fail to dialogue?
2. who invited who, pf or G.R.Z?
3.. why a political Rally this time and to preach what message?
4.how do you slap somebody and wish to eat with them?
5. was it confirmed that kanyama has chorella and is it just in kanyama and how many cases?