Friday, March 29, 2024

UPND makes amends to Statement about HH not moving into State House

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The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary-General Batuke Imenda has retracted the statement attributed to him that newly Elected President Hakainde Hichilema was not going to move into Statehouse, but only work from there and continue to live in at his private residence.

Yesterday the Zambia Daily Mail quoted Mr Imenda saying that president Hichilema will not shift from Community House in New Kasama to State House because he is comfortable staying in his private residence.

Mr Imenda said in an interview that President Hichilema will continue living at his private residence but that he will be working from State House.

“Just like he said before he was sworn in, our President will continue living at his house in New Kasama. He is more comfortable at Community House. When you compare the two places, his house is better,” Mr. Imenda said.

He said President Hichilema’s residence is bigger than Nkwazi House at State House.

However, Mr. Imenda has instead said that the statement attributed to him that Mr. HH has the right to stay in the place he believes is safe is a party position and not a statehouse position.

There has been a backlash on the statement that the president will not move into the State House. Lusaka Lawyer and former State House Press Secretary Dickson Jere expressed alarm that newly elected President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema wished to live in his own private residence.

Mr. Jere said both State House residences at Nkwazi and State Lodge were the only facilities in the country designed to secure the Head of State from known and unknown threats. He has advised people around Mr. Hichilema not to mislead him but help persuade him to begin to trust state infrastructure and State institutions.

“The President should move to State House. That is a security installation for the Head of State and it has things that his private house does not have. Zambian President has two places – Nkwazi and State Lodge – heavily equipped for the Head of State. My humble view is that he should move.”

Below is Mr Imenda’s full statement

As UPND, we wish to guide that there is a difference between President Hakainde Hichilema as President of the Republic of Zambia, and Mr . Hichilema as President of the Party.

Under the circumstances, no party official has the right to speak on behalf of His Excellency Mr . Hakainde Hichilema as President of the Republic of Zambia.

This said, the statement attributed to me that Mr. HH has the right to stay in the place he believes is safe is a party position and not a statehouse position.

Our view is that, in the absence of any appointed State House spokesperson or indeed any appointed legal person for state house, only the Secretary to the Cabinet has the right to comment on statehouse-related matters and the President.

All-Party members are guided accordingly.

Further, I wish to put it on record that my statement regarding Mr. HH’s residence was picked out of context, as such I wish to clarify the following :

  1. President Hakainde Hichilema is free to choose his own ADCs as a general practice ;
  2. Former Presidents equally did the same, and our view is that statehouse reserves the right to ascertain whether President Hakainde Hichilema should occupy Nkwazi House at state house or not; this is not a UPND mandate;
  3. Mr. Hichilema is now President of the Republic of Zambia, as such, any statement from my office represents the position of the party and not statehouse;
  4. No party official or party-appointed person has the right to represent state house in any capacity;
  5. As regards to all UPND related matters, the party has a spokesperson who is Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, including other party constitutional office bearers mandated to speak on behalf of the party; and
  6. We advise media houses to realize that our party officials are a wrong source to comment on statehouse unless they want to get the party view…as such my view represents the party view and not the President of the Republic of Zambia’s office.

Lastly, my office has an open door policy to all media houses for all clarification.

Issued by:
Hon Batuke Imenda
UPND SECRETARY GENERAL

49 COMMENTS

  1. If you are not sure please just respond to the media no comment so that you are not misquoted in future. Why cant people value silence? It is not every-time you are to comment when asked to?

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  2. The UPND confusion whilst taking over the reigns of power has just started. Zambia cannot afford to have an insecure Commander-in-Chief -of-the -Armed-Forces! If you thought leading a country was the same as working for an accounting firm then you must have underestimated what it is to be Presido. All that nonsense of what appears to be a traditional medicine man being a body guard of the Presido should come to an end in Zambia’s Christian nation. Just as putting the Eagle 1 flag on a personal vehicle. There must be a complete separation between personal resources and institutional resources in the running of the affairs of the state. Otherwise, there is conflict of interest.

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  3. Hahahahahah under 5 government with no clue of what they are doing. Any one can make statements because they have no structure in place. How can these guys deliver? Enjoy Zambian.

    Kz
    Blogging from dubai

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  4. Welcome to the real world…..no superstitions please. By the way what does the Constitution say about the Republican President’s residential address?

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  5. What’s the big deal? Is there actually anybody who cares where HH spends the night? I don’t

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  6. Can HEHH pleas sort out the media spokesperson for UPND ………

    We can not have anyone just saying what they feel and as if speaking for the whole HH GRZ and UPND party…..

    Let’s have statements and positions cleared before trying to be famous

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  7. PF members used to support everything Lungu did whether bad or good. I see the same trend here from the pro Upnd posts. In short you have only changed the bottle but the water is the same.

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  8. For all I care, HH can live in a bucket full of mabisi. Let him live in a cattle kraal if he wants to.

    What matters is that he changes the lives of citizens, and sorts us the mess we are in. We don’t want cadres, we don’t want inadequate schools and hospitals.

    We just want to live.

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  9. What have they planted at State house which make them push for our beloved HH to move there immediately. Something is fishy

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  10. Presidency has got rules. Unless they are amended, they govern the rulership.
    It reminds me Michael Sata when he wanted to use a PSV minibus for transportation to feel more common than special. The rules and protocol refused him.

  11. Our president also said he won’t be drawing a salary from grz. Why refuse his pay? Can’t he get paid first, then he chooses how and when to use his monthly emoluments; he must utilise it in whichever way he wishes?

  12. The president should move to state house but first it must be checked for any chemicals or element which might be poisonous before our Eagle 1 moves in. To the people forcing to move now do you want to poison H.E you’re worried your poison won’t be effective if he delays? He’ll move in when he apoints his cabinet & when parliament is in session ?

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  13. HH our President is very smart. I would encourage him not to move into spooky State House. Turn State House into high class Children’s Hospital. And then embark on building a new modernized State House.

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  14. Kikikikikikikik ni ba UP and Down. Kawana says this today for the UPND alliance. Mweetwa says something else for UPND . Then Imenda talks for UPND and again KBF gives the position of the UPND alliance then Ba Milupi also says something else. Then comes Larry with his UK Version for the Tongas. Meantime Chella is taking pictures. Guys who is saying what?

  15. Imenda, relax. Now you should realize that your Party President is now Zambia’s property. In fact, the Defense forces of this country are now legitimately in charge of the safety of our President and not party functionaries. It is a wake up call, sir.

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  16. Trying to be relevant, when UPND was in opposition its was fine to issue statements any how. Can HH please guide the party and the Nation as to who speaks on his behalf. Patience is needed all promises made will not be fufiled because:
    1. Our country has Huge Debt burden, you can even see it yourself that they have backtracked from Free Education. Imagine UNZA and CBU have challenges in getting salaries when there no free education, what more if you introduce free Education.
    2. Its not possible provide employment to the youth because there are no companies, we need create or investors to create companies from scratch.
    3.Civil servants salaries come from borrowing. eg treasury bills and government bonds.

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  17. HH would not be the first president in the world to stay at a private home and work from state house. Am alarmed how much we do not do some research. For instance, Jose Mujica (“poorest president”) of Uruguay. Check out his vehicle he used.

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  18. Patiently waiting for the Dollar to fall to single digit, repealing of the Public Order Act and reversing the Cyber Security Law.

  19. Waiting patiently for the $ to hit single digit, Repeal of the Public Order Act and reversing of the cyber law.

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  20. @ Kaizar Zulu…..just wait very soon they will miss Lungu….so HH thought being a President is all kids play….now reality is finally catching up with him…please don’t divert the youths want Jobs….Cement still expensive….Food very very expensive and you’ve manipulated the Kwacha now diasporans will have to send tons of money to buy just a bag of melie meal

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  21. The residency has got rules. Unless they are amended, they govern the rulership.
    It reminds us of one of our past presidents who when he wanted to use a PSV minibus for transportation to feel more common than special, but protocol refused him so. The Action Man was humbled in 2011.

  22. @kikikikiki I feel Spaka and Tarino already getting frustrated…..hahahaha Nostradamus also is going bananas…Forward Forward Forwarded Bally this Bally that…muzadya oxygen…Bally now has some white surgical gloves on…he can’t shake your sweaty palms….hihihihi this will be an interesting 5 year period

  23. PETTY ISSUE NOT WORTH DISCUSSION, ITS JUST FOOD FOR KA.IZAR LUNGU TO USE WITH HIS TR>IBAL VIBE.
    HE IS LEARNING, AND ITS OKAY, SO WHY THIS FUZZY AROUND THIS TOPIC?

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  24. Turn it into an orphanage, you will see how quickly he will counter the move. A normal person would say state house needs to be renovated or improved at his expense rather than show off to the Zambian people ati kako ni ka’ngono ka nyumba. Respect cannot be bought, you have to earn it.

  25. Corruption scandals: 48 Houses Social Security Cash Luxury Presidential Jet Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans Honeybee Corruption scandals: 48 Houses Social Security Cash Luxury Presidential Jet Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans Honeybee

    We can’t have Chipante-pante approach to national governance. UPND were very disciplined even during their time in opposition so how come this dude pops out of nowhere to start commenting on national security issues? I haven’t heard from Batuke Imenda in a very long time so is he now trying to be the PF wannabe SG?
    And please learn to just apologise and move on… instead of going round in circles trying to be clever.

  26. Corruption scandals: 48 Houses Social Security Cash Luxury Presidential Jet Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans Honeybee Corruption scandals: 48 Houses Social Security Cash Luxury Presidential Jet Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans Honeybee

    By the HH can request that the State House be renovated if he thinks it is not good. Obviously he thinks the Chinese may have boobtrapped it and made it unsafe.

  27. @ Joshua Moonga
    Already sane Zambians have realized that it was just hot air…..remember how we used to lie to girls back in the days just to win her….sometimes we used to borrow our friends clothes just to impress a girl…same as HH…he just wanted to become President of Zambia at all cost…even if it meant promising Zambians that when he becomes President Jesus will come to Zambia…..the fake Kwacha manipulation…Zambian Diasporans are feeling it now…small businesses are feeling it….the youths woke up on Wednesday still no jobs in sight…no hope Just HH enjoying now….Forward Forward Forwarded

  28. This is not the leadership Zambians voted for….UPND is dead on arrival…they made too many deals…and we haven’t even heard anything from the mines yet….Lungu warned you and you thought he was just campaigning….failure to come up with Cabinet is a sign of failure to govern…

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  29. For all those waiting for HH to create jobs for them…the story has now changed…HH is now saying go out and hustle…go out and look for job for yourself kikikikikikiki Bally is now fixing you big time

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  30. Vice President Kamala Harris waited months as their official residence was refurbished and sanitized. Ivanka and husband Jared refused to use the digs at work until the furniture and especially the Commodes had been replaced. lol ! Black magic and White magic abound universally! Stop shaking Mr Prez , eastern province has reknowed Witch doctors to allay your fears!

  31. With all the rats, lice, tampan ticks, COVID viruses, AIDS and God knows what else, I would be scared stuff to move into that hellish den before it’s deep cleaned ?. Maybe HH must also ask Miyanda to bring his Sangoma to exorcise that house of the ghosts of kachase etc ?

  32. IndigoTyrol is 100% right .PF goofed/vascillated on the economy bigtime and now HH ‘s inconsequencial place of abode is all the big talk? Some Zambian fulus have their priorities twisted.

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  33. Many countries head of State live else where at night, example the Canadian Governor General and Prime Minister currently don’t live in their Gov’t Homes, its cheaper for the tax payers. Sure hold State functions and work there in the Day after all this Zambian state house was left from colonial days and built for the Governor of Northern Rhodesia and he would live there for his term before returning back to the UK, in fact it was KK that put up the brick fence around it before it was a open area ( check out photos at the Archives)

  34. People saying in other ‘countries this, in other countries that’, please, realize that the security situation for each president is unique to the politics they practice. HH7 is a symbol of what a good number of influential Africans hate, democracy. Who knows what they can do to destroy him. His safety is paramount. Foreign agents have been known to cause havoc to presidents even in poor countries. Take the example of the recent assassination of a president in Haiti. The president should let people trained for the job, and use facilities designed for the job to protect him. Will he be using his personal plane when on international trips? Will he be sleeping in his own house when visiting the electorates around the country? Will that unarmored luxury white car stand the terrain of…

  35. …the terrain of Shong’ombo, or is it agile enough, will it sprint fast enough if need arises? HH7 should currently be the most highly and efficiently protected living Zambian. No jokes or ‘party cadreing’ about it. Can ‘Community House’ stand or repel an armed sustained onslaught. Think about it.

  36. People saying in other ‘countries this, in other countries that’, please, realize that the security situation for each president is unique to the politics they practice. HH7 is a symbol of what a good number of influential Africans hate, democracy. Who knows what they can do to destroy him. His safety is paramount. Foreign agents have been known to cause havoc to presidents even in poor countries. Take the example of the recent assassination of a president in Haiti. The president should let people trained for the job, and use facilities designed for the job to protect him. Will he be using his personal plane when on international trips? Will he be sleeping in his own house when visiting the electorates around the country? Will that unarmored luxury white car stand…

  37. …the terrain of Shong’ombo, or is it agile enough, will it sprint fast enough if need arises? HH7 should currently be the most highly and efficiently protected living Zambian. No jokes or ‘party cadreing’ about it. Can ‘Community House’ stand or repel an armed sustained onslaught. Think about it.

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