Sun, 20 Aug 2017 09:17:29 +0000
By SANDRA MACHIMA
THE opposition UPND must apologize and assure the nation that they will not engage in politics of vengeance or insults if real reconciliation is to be realised, National Congress party leader Pastor Peter Chanda has said.
Pastor Chanda said the release of Mr Hichilema should translate into politics of maturity and ensure his party changed the manner it was handling politics.
He urged Mr Hichilema’s advisors not to mislead him but help him stop politics of hate.
He said some leaders must emulate President Lungu’s way of handling matters of national interest to embrace everyone regardless to political affiliation.
“People must not do politics of hate in the name of impressing their master and that is the reason why it is not working for Mr Hichilema. His advisors have been advising him wrongly,” he said.
Pastor Chanda charged that any negative statements would not help, but instead might worsen the situation on the ground.
He also cautioned the opposition leader that t being released on nolle prosequi did not guarantee total freedom as one could be re-arrested.
He said it was disappointing that some sympathizers of the UPND leader had continued to portray a bad picture with their misleading statements against the State, instead of opening a new chapter that would contribute to the country’s development.
“I wish to caution the Mr Hichilema’s sympathizers to tone down in the manner they would wish to show sympathy without defaming those in government, because government has done its part and the onus remains on them to show leadership and ensure all the past mistakes are buried to move the country forward,” he said.
Pastor Chanda said a grateful heart was the beginning of greatness, adding that an expression of humility was key and a foundation for well-being.
He reminded Zambians to note that President Edgar Lungu’s humility and humbleness was what had put him where he was, adding that reconciliation talks should be a platform to bury all the past mistakes and develop the nation.
Pastor Chanda said it was encouraging to see how the President was handling matters of nation interest with full realization of certain important values among them democratic governance, constitutionalism and national unity.
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