Thu, 02 Mar 2017 10:09:53 +0000
By BENNIE MUNDANDO
The antagonism and hate speech spread by UPND President Hakainde Hichilema is a danger to national unity, peace and stability, Edward Mumbi, his former spokesperson has said.
It was impossible he said for HH to win a national election given the limited regional support that he commanded.
“You can’t have a party with membership from one region and you expect to win a national election. As long as UPND maintains its current status, it will be very difficult to win an election because you need a party with a national character,” he said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Hichilema told a Commonwealth delegation that there could have been mayhem in Zambia had the UPND allowed its supporters to go on the streets after his victory was stolen and challenged the international community to be proactive in the way it handled election matters as opposed to waiting until political situations became hostile in countries.
Mr. Mumbi said that the same institutions he was trying to hoodwink into believing that votes were taken away from him declared the 2016 polls free and fair.
He said in as much as losing an election was painful, it was important for Mr. Hichilema to exercise caution in the manner he was painting the country to the outside world.
He explained that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was the only institution mandated by law to preside over elections in Zambia and declare the winner contrary to Mr. Hichilema’s assertions that the ruling party doctored the outcome of the results.
He also said that it was insincerity of the highest order for Mr. Hichilema to allege that only the PF perpetuated violence during campaigns as both parties were at the receiving end of the scourge, a move which prompted President Edgar Lungu to institute a committee of inquiry so that Zambians could know who the real culprits were.
Instead of being antagonistic over losing the election, Mr. Hichilema would win kudos from Zambians if he could let by-gones be by-g0nes and come to terms with his loss rather than finding solace in complaining that UPND victory was stolen.
“It is disingenuous for Mr. Hichilema to lie to international communities such as the Commonwealth that his victory was stolen from him and that only the PF perpetuated violence when the same international organizations he is lying to observed the elections and declared them as free and fair.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is so economical with the truth about the 2016 election that he can afford to mislead the international community that victory was stolen from him, says his former spokesperson Edward Mumbi.
There was need for Mr. Hichilema to show leadership and civility in the manner he was articulating issues, said Mr. Mumbi.
