By KETRA KALUNGA
ZAMBIA will never lack strong opposition to offer necessary checks and balances and alternative solutions to national affairs, opposition political parties have said. There have been concerns from some quarters of society the country risks lacking a formidable opposition party to hold the UPND-led government accountable.
But the Party for National Unity (PNUP) and Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) assured of a strong opposition capable of offering oversight to the UPND led-government. PNUP President, Highvie Hamududu, said in an interview that opposition parties were ready to provide productive checks and balances and support the growth of democracy in the country.
Mr Hamududu assured Zambians of a strong opposition that would provide checks and balances to the ruling UPND in an objective manner devoid of politics of hatred.“We are ready, will not let the Zambian people down and I hope Zambians will not let us down.
They must support the opposition just as they must support the government because we need each other to play our roles,” he said. PeP President Sean Tembo said the fact that the UPND which was perceived to be the strongest opposition political party was now ruling does not mean change in the ability of the opposition to offer checks and balances.
Mr Tembo said even when the PF was in government, the UPND was not at the forefront of holding it accountable but it was the small political parties and civil society activities that were proactive.
“We have always been equal to the task, we undertook a lot of judicial activism, we took the government under PF to court on about five occasions and we won three of those, we provided alternative solutions to the national problems through the national budget,” he said. Mr Tembo assured the nation of productive politics to keep the UPND led-government in check to keep the newly formed government in focus,” he said.
