Opposition flexes muscles

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:36:03 +0000

Opposition MPs have threatened to derail the approval of the 2013 national budget in Parliament and consequently call for general elections, MMD vice president Michael Kaingu has warned.

Dr Kaingu has further warned that the MMD will not sit idle and watch democracy being destroyed.

He explained that the opposition MPs have the power to stop the passing of the budget in Parliament and consequently call for a general election for a new government.

He told the Daily Nation that the behaviour exhibited by President Sata did not depict the values of democracy and it was a clear that the president did not support the growth of the rule of law.

He said the continued poaching of MMD MPs by Mr Sata was one such practice which ripped the practice of democracy in the House.

Meanwhile Dr Kaingu confirmed that police in Livingstone have allowed him to go ahead with his meeting for party members Victoria Hall.

He had earlier threatened to hold party meetings at police stations if government continued to deny opposition political parties permits for such gatherings.

It was a pity that the democracy that was founded on good principles in 1991 was slowly dying out to be replaced by dictatorship.

Dr Kaingu said that a part from being involved in development of the nation opposition political parties had the power to push the agenda of the country forward.

He said the recent happenings in Parliament where opposition MPs have repeatedly walked out of the House because of lack of

seriousness in the manner business was being handled, was a warning sign of things to come.

“How do you push for a motion and then you fail to be present in the House when the motion is being debated.

“It is time the PF leader knew that we can stop the passing of the budget and this will earn them a vote of no confidence, a situation which will not augur well with  the sitting government,” he said.

Dr Kaingu said that MMD as a mother of democracy would continue to fight for the growth of democracy and the injustices inflicted on the Zambian people.

“For democracy to thrive people must meet and discuss issues that will help in the development of this nation. I hope it will be the order of the day by police to allow opposition political parties to meet and move Zambia forward.