'UPND’s in self  destructive mode’

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 09:57:47 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

THE UPND has taken a path of self-destruction because of selfish people surrounding and wrongly advising Hakainde Hichilema, says former UPND presidential spokesperson Edward Mumbi.

Mr. Mumbi said all the problems the opposition party faced could be attributed to a few selfish individuals who surround and offer wrong advice to the UPND incarcerated leader Mr Hichilema because they stood to benefit whenever he was in trouble.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Mumbi said it was unfortunate that the UPND was destroying itself through what he described as a self-destructive approach to politics.

He said that the party needed to work extra hard if it was to redeem its political fortunes because even newly formed political parties would perform better.

Mr Mumbi said the UPND was the next party of hope but that with the recent past happenings, it had shattered its possibilities of being a viable contender in the next general elections.

‘‘We are watching the way UPND is destroying itself, there is a serious destructive approach towards politics. They were the next hope but now they really have to work extremely hard because even newly formed political parties will do better than them,’’ he said.

He warned the UPND top officials not to extend their arrogance to efforts being made by the Catholic Bishops to intervene and help bring about healing and to foster unity in the country.

Mr Mumbi said the Catholic Bishops needed to be commended for having a change of heart and expressed hope that people who had continued to mismanage Mr Hichilema would not stand in the way of a noble approach.

Recently, 12 Catholic Bishops and a priest met President Edgar Lungu at State House to be allowed to meet Mr Hichilema on the need for dialogue and national unity.