UPND is dead without HH-Lifwekelo

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:21:21 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

THE UPND, although it has young vibrant people who can steer it to greater heights, will not survive with the incarceration of its leader Hakainde Hichilema who was the main funder, says former UPND deputy spokesperson  Edwin Lifwekelo.

Mr Lifwekelo doubted the future of the party because HH ran it single-handedly, using his financial muscle.

He said Mr Hichilema was the ‘‘funder, brain and heart’’ of the party and made  all the decisions on his own.

Mr Lifwekelo said that Mr Hichilema was running the opposition party as a one-man entity, adding that going by the charge of treason slapped on him, the party would not survive.

He said that the party had capable and vibrant young people who could steer the party in the right direction but without Mr Hichilema it will be hard.

And commenting on the Mongu incident involving the presidential motorcade, Lifwekelo claimed that the behaviour of Mr Hichilema and his entourage had damaged the image of the party, saying it displayed thuggery and uncivilised conduct and that it would put off people contemplating of voting for them in the 2021 general elections.

“If going by the charge slapped on Mr Hichilema I do not see the party surviving this is because he runs the affairs of the party as a one man show but there are many young and vibrant people who can steer the UPND to greater heights,” he said.

Mr Lifwekelo said that the action by the UPND on the presidential motorcade was premediated and has called on the police to bring to book all culprits involved in the act.

He said that the UPND should learn to co-exist and desist from acts of provocation as well as arrogance saying they needed to be humble if they truly meant to serve the Zambian people.