UPND CADRES PLEAD FOR MARKETS, BUS STATIONS

By SANFROSSA MANYINDA
GIVE us the power that our friends in the former ruling Patriotic Party (PF) had in markets and bus stations, UPND Kabushi Constituency chairperson Henry Bwalya has said.
UPND Secretary general, Batuke Imenda however said there was no way a Presidential decree could be ignored, saying that party youths should take advantage of empowerment programmes to better their lives.
Mr Bwalya complained that the members of the UPND in the constituency were still living like people that belonged to a party that was not in power.
He said in most instances, the opposition PF still had the power to run markets on grounds that the new dawn government did not allow its members to get involved in such matters.
Mr Bwalya was speaking at Masala Cultural Village in Ndola when Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo was receiving defectors from the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy.
“Our friends in the opposition PF openly tell us that they will continue running markets because our President does not allow cadrerism.
“They tell us that since the new dawn government does not allow cadrerism, they will continue running such institutions without involving us the UPND members,” he said
Mr Bwalya complained that the UPND members were still being stepped on by the PF because of the pronouncement from the higher office.
He also complained that PF members told the UPND members that they would not find space in markets because President Hakainde Hichilema banned cadrerism.
Mr Bwalya said that if things were left unchecked, big markets such as the Kapalala and Main Masala markets would only benefit the PF at the expense of the UPND.
He called on Mr Matambo to intervene and give guidance in the matter.
Meanwhile, Mr Imenda said UPND would not allow the resurfacing of cadres in markets and bus stations as that caused chaos during the previous regime.
He said the ruling party had set up an empowerment programme that would ensure that youths own businesses that would sustain their lives.
“So we are not going to allow the situation whereby we begin a temporal relief of our youths like the previous government did and at the end of the day youths end up being miserable , therefore youths should just accept the party position that no cadres will be allowed in public places,” said Mr Imenda .