The Losing Socialist Party Presidential Candidate Fred M’membe has said that promised to be a loyal opposition party that will provide strong check and balances to the new ruling UPND Government.
In a statement released to the media, Dr M’membe said that losing an election will not shut him up nor temper his resolve to call out the wrongs in our society, adding that for the sake of the Zambian people, he implored UPND to prove to Zambians that UPND and PF are not siamese twins.
Dr M’membe further said that he hoped that this will be the beginning of the abolition of Ministries that can be government departments Zambia can be run effectively and efficiently by reducing the number of ministers from 22 to 10.
Below is the full statement
The day after the elections, I wished our President-elect and his party well, I do so again. Socialists are patriots and we wish to see our country succeed, with or without us. We wish to see the economy and the living conditions of our people improve.
There has been a lot of talk about national unity. And the focus has mainly been on tribalism and regionalism. The ultimate strength of our country will lie not in the power of our security and defence forces or financial resources, but will lie in the unity of our people.
Speaking of Kwa and Ku, I am absolutely convinced that as long as there is enormous inequality among the people of our country, there can’t be any meaningful unity. A country that has enormous social differences, inequality and social injustice or one where millions of people are unemployed, lack medical attention or have no schools, have no food cannot have meaningful national unity.
The existence of a glaring disparity in income levels indicates an intolerable imbalance in the way wealth and resources are distributed. Our reality is such that poverty levels in some of our provinces are above 80 per cent and rural poverty averages 76.6 per cent.
History abounds with instances where the rich and powerful have brought about their own downfall by refusing to recognize in good time the legitimate demands of the majority. And as long as this gap remains at its current scandalous level, the future of our country is at risk and our people will look for alternative leadership.
By tolerating such high levels of poverty, the Zambian economy undermines the common good, and fails to demonstrate the solidarity that our shared human dignity demands and consequently undermines national unity.
Politicians can ask, plead for national unity, but unity comes only from the hearts of people, from establishing a system of governance anchored on honesty, equity, humility and solidarity. And we should never forget that this country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it is a good place for all of us to live in.
To our new government – as you are ushered in we urge you to remember the cries of the Zambian people. The cries that the previous government ignored to their own peril.
You will soon be appointing your cabinet. This must be the beginning of a different trajectory for this country. A lean cabinet must be a priority. We hope this will be the beginning of the abolition of Ministries that can be government departments. As the Socialist party, we have stated that this country can be run effectively and efficiently by reducing the number of ministers from 22 to 10.
We promise to be a loyal opposition party – We will provide very strong checks and balances. It won’t be a one party state but we do recognize, that the journey to recovery will not be easy. Our voice will be heard loud and clear on all important national issues. For us, to see wrongs being committed, and not to speak will be a great betrayal to the Zambian people. Losing an election will not shut us up nor temper our resolve to call out the wrongs in our society.
For the sake of the Zambian people, we implore you to prove to us that you and the PF are not siamese twins.
Well spoken Fred! When is The Post coming back to life?
People dont buy in your socialism ideology and your history or profile doesnt show any socialist practices …wearing a cotton army fatigue hat doesnt make you a socialist Fred.
Utopia.
Utopia. Here comes a dreamer. Maybe like Joseph in Genesis, it may come to pass.
Mr Mmembe is it grapes are sour?
If you could not make it let others.
This lean cabinet business is nothing but a myth. Last time Sata tried to merge ministries, it failed as the minister would get held up by genuine concerns on one part while the other would wait. Lungu ran the country with no deputy ministers and 22 ministries effectively. Appeasing these critics who have no GRZ experience will work against hh.
Let’s give current government five years to
Deliver the promises they made
Mmembe, Why did you not tell that to you friend Sata? Now you want to appear to be clever when you are the one who advised Sata to take the route he took. Hypocrite full of envy and jealous.
No one will stop you Fred. This new Government respects freedom of speech, freedom of assembly , freedom of religion etc …human rights and liberties. You are even free to re open your Post Newspaper but please remember to pay your Taxes. We have zero tolerance against Tax evaders.
I am with Fred on this one. After removing minister of religious Affairs, I ended with 9 ministers. I have already submitted to Nalumango office.
Use1ess man
Musokotwani for Minister of Finance does not just add-up. My foot!!!!! This habit of recycling people will never take us anywhere. There are plenty of great young men and women out there who can work better with new technologies that can propel this country forward financially.
What a disaster!!!! Yes we need fewer than 10 Ministries after all they are just a drain on our meagre resources. We can as well do without them. PSs can run ministries better. Anyway they are just a political presence in a Ministry and nothing else.
The problem in Zambia is political interference in the civil service. The last 3 months the Zambian government has handled the third wave of Covid ten times better than when there was a minister of Health. Civil servants are the power of ministries. In the UK a civil servant can tell off a minister but in Zambia it is the other way round. A minister is like a software program. Civil servants are the operating system. They run the software programs. In 1964, the UNIP cabinet was lean because they inherited a colonial civil service that was very efficient. Ministers LEARNED from the civil servants, but as time went on, tables were turned. That is where we are today.
Imwe ba UPND Tarino what what get off social media and go and work to realized the dreams your sold to the people
Lets start with what cabinet you expect.. remember this wasnt a tribal vote
Improve your zero votes tally so that you can be a force with purpose not just barking out opinions.
every thing has got time even yours will surely come . for now stick to checks and balance. we have only one position for presidency and only goes for 5 years . i hope we can also introduce mid voting of vote of confidence or not after 18 months in office so that it can help these people we voted for to sit up. the other thing is also those who lost be brought back on media to say where they went wrong . it does help for them to learn and understand the people better. not dishing out money ,when you loss then come back to people and start claiming. let us grow to unders the system , analyse the whole process not just time of voting where we will be cheated by the same candidates next time they come pa podia
Please stop ministry of religious affairs
Indeed a hypocrite full of envy and jealous. Why didn’t you give that advise to your party PF under Sata? We don`t need your advise…..after all you said it openly that you will make sure that HH does not enter State House.
Did HH promise to appoint 10 ministers? You want HH to implement your manifesto which was rejected by millions of Zambian s ? Mmembe just sit down, even a UPND councillor in Northern province got more votes than you! What a joke of a party leader !
Blago my true brother
Where is Kaiser zulu, can somebody please tell us his residential address we want to effect a citizen arrest.
We mean business no jokes these thugs need to pay for thier crimes.