Spokesperson Spuki Mulemwa says as the biggest opposition political party, the UPND should have allowed their women to take part in the event.
Speaking with ZNBC News, Mr Mulemwa said women’s day is a global event which celebrates the contributions that women have made to the advancement of humanity.
He said there is need for the opposition to look at such events from a broader perspective and not from a political view point.
But UPND Secretary General Steven Katuka said his party stayed away from the event because it did Not receive security guarantees.
However, Minister of Home Affairs Steven Kampyongo has labelled the UPND justification for their absence at the Women’s Day celebrations as baseless.
Mr Kampyongo said other political parties took part in the celebrations and were Not harassed by anyone.
He challenged women in the UPND to do self-introspection and value national days which are above partisan politics.
Mr Kampyongo said security was high at all events to mark women’s day and there was no way that UPND members could have been harassed.
Why do we always waste our energies debating non-issues? What value will such debates add to the wellbeing of the nation?
Just assembling people to say let’s celebrate this day does not make sense. It does not even bring about economic liberation which the women of Zambia so badly desire. Complete complete waste of time. I am a non partisan objective Zambian advising that these events don’t add any value to the women and indeed the general populace of Zambians.
Comment:
let them stay away in all National Events who cares at least the event was incident free for the first time in history of this country since independence. Actually,they did a recommendable job to be staying away from national events as a violent opposition political katemba . Please, stay away we are fade up of their negative behavior.
So now the UPND has a problem with the international community. As Jay jay would say, “This is laughable.”
One funny thing about being an ***** is that you pay nothing, you become one, free of charge but eventually you pay a price of becoming an irritant to the wise. Also let the i***** who is saying there was no harrasment of anyone ask akakunkubiti ku Luanshya if he is ignorant and incompetent to be minister.
The party of fires and arson in red!
It is good that the UPND women stayed away because they would have been provoked and blamed. It is time that we stop politiising all events. There should have been a call for women to participate but not in party regalia.
Experience has taught the UPND that the so called national cum international celebrations in honor of whatever expose party members to violence by the ruling party whose actions is acknowledgement that the UPND is the most likely party to unseat them! It is hypocritical of those that are condemning the boycott by the party as they only speak with tongue in cheek on guarantees of safety for all participants! The UPND knows that once maimed it will only be words and no restitution of dignity and at worst of loss to life! Better safe than try to seek justice from six feet under! After all what value is added showing up and just marching along the street with some privileged person standing on a platform when in outlying areas life goes on like any other day full of challenges!
The alarming levels of dullness in this country have reached an extremely dangerous level. Instead of focussing on the day and it’s objectives, people are being very petty and focussing on who attended the event and who did not. Okay, assuming UPND attended the event, how does it change the status of poor suffering Zambians. Can you wake up for once
Who cares, whether they stay or not, does not make a difference. That is their collective agreement and part of their choice.Maybe the women’s day will be attended when HH goes to plot one
The constitution allows for freedom of assembly and upnd, exercised their constitutional right not to be part of the celebration. This is a non issue, let’s talk about how women will be empowered to fight hunger and poverty. And how that day helps to improve the well-being of women. Why do we want the upnd women to assemble for one day but we do not allow them freedom to organize their party?
My cousin marched in Lusaka for her Company but told me of a bunch of cadres lurking about that made her feel very uneasy. She said – just as well UPND was not there because she was sure those hoodlums would not have spared them.
Please note for once, it is not who attends or does not attend that is going to lift this country out of its economic quagmire, I am sick and tired of these frightened little men who are always looking for attendees to these non value adding functions, as opposed to focussing on the objectives of the day
Does it mean in Zambia all cadres have uniform to show that this one sitted here is PF or UPND? Even UPND were there celebrating with others unless its written on their faces. After all it was an international day not Zambia’s day or PF’s day.
The difference is that their various had publicly ordered their members not to attend the celebrations. Meanwhile Odinga has decided to move forward and has made peace with kenyatta while your blue headed lizard is still whining and mourning.