UPND’s dictatorial traits condemned

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 08:55:55 +0000

 DICTATORIAL tendencies manifesting in the United Party for National Development (UPND) could have a national spillage if the party was to rule the country and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hakainde Hichilema clung to power and became a president for life, former Itezhi-Tezhi Member of Parliament Greyford Monde has said. A

nd the Evangelical Youth Alliance (EYA) said the Anglo-American should allegedly be ashamed of themselves for supporting an individual who was exhibiting dictatorial tendencies, yet they believed in democracy. Mr. Monde said there was a big disparity between the original and the current UPND because, contrary to the current situation where one person allegedly determined the direction of the party, the original UPND believed in progression and the quota system where power was equally across provinces among its membership.

He said the decision by the party to block other people from aspiring to party leadership and preserve the top most positions to a selected few was counter-productive and was the reason why the party was perpetually failing in elections. He wondered why party members found solace in Mr. Hichilema, an individual who had proven to be unsellable going by the number of times he had consecutively tumbled in all elections held since he took over the presidency of the party, yet there were people who could do better within the ranks. He said the only plausible way-forward was to go for a convention so that people could choose credible leaders who would deliver according to their expectations as the current crop had allegedly failed.

“There is no single politician who has beaten Mr. Hichilema’s records in politics in Zambia. He has failed in all the elections he has attempted in the 10 years he has been in leadership and on average, this means that he failed every two years on average, yet the party still wants him to remain president. What are they seeing in him? One thing you should understand is that the current UPND is very much different from the original UPND which allowed for progression where an individual who failed twice stepped aside to allow another person to contest. “There was also a quota system where top leadership evolved among provinces but this is no longer the case and this could be the reason why the party is perpetually failing. If a person can cling to power in a political party, what would happen if he is given instruments of power to lead the country? He will definitely stay in power forever!”

Mr. Monde said. He, however, said the developments in the UPND were good riddance for the PF as they were guaranteed of victory in 2021. And EYA executive director Moses Lungu said the Anglo-American should be ashamed of themselves for supporting an individual who was exhibiting dictatorial tendencies, yet they believed in democracy. Rev. Lungu said the UPND’s mentality of believing that only one man was able to deliver was very dangerous as it had allegedly made Mr. Hichilema a cult which could not be questioned on national leadership, hence the party’s dwindling fortunes.