UPND bans members from attending State functions

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 09:42:15 +0000

THE opposition UPND has banned all its Members of Parliament and Councillors from attending State functions until all the election petitions cases are decided by the courts of law.

According to social media, UPND secretary general Stephen Kakuta said in an interview that the party would not tolerate any of its officials to be seen at State functions.

Mr Kakuta said UPND officials seen mingling with government officials at state functions could easily be misunderstood by the party and the general public.

He said the UPND had a number of undecided cases regarding the outcomes of the August general elections adding that attending State functions amounted to accepting that the PF won the elections fairly.

Mr Kakuta’s comments follows the controversy that has surrounded Keembe UPND MP Princess Kasune Zulu’s attendance of the launch of the 2016/2017 planting season at Chisamba’s Zambeef Farms.

Mr Katuka said Mrs Zulu’s presence at the event which was officiated by President Edgar Zulu could be misunderstood because she was new to African politics.

He said Mrs Zulu did not consult the party before accepting the invitation to attend the event which he said had put her in bad light with some members of the party.

But Mrs Zulu said in a statement on Sunday that the warning from the UPND that she would be punished for attending the event was a displacement.

“My posture in the photo circulating on social media was purely a case of paying courtesy arising from me being invited to the seat. I remain a loyal and committed members of the UPND. At no time did I say or do I intend to leave the UPND and go to the PF,” Mrs Zulu said.

She added: “My attendance at the launch of the 2016/2017 Planting Season was purely an invitation by the National Framers Union in conjunction with ZAMBEEF. To which all the 10 planters were from my constituency Keembe which had the approval of both the whip and leader of the UPND in the House. As it was an official function for me to support the farmers and key stakeholders of Keembe. I therefore stand to clarify and correct any misconstrued allegations in the social media.” Mrs Kasune said.