By ROGERS KALERO
THE UPND has warned the Patriotic Front (PF) against politicizing the Black Mountain as this is meant to empower everyone.
However, the PF has maintained that the Black Mountain project was initiated by them and should therefore embrace even its members instead of just empowering senior UPND members and government officials.
PF Copperbelt Media Director, Munalula Mooola, said under the PF administration, everyone benefitted from the black mountain unlike what was happening now when only UPND members and their leaders were beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, UPND Copperbelt Vice-Information and Publicity Secretary (IPS) for Politics, Sam Mwikisa, warned yesterday that UPND was aware that some Patriotic Front (PF) members were trying to sabotage the empowerment because they were ashamed that the New Dawn administration had done what they failed to do.
He said the UPND had implemented the empowerment and recruitment programmes without political inclination or corruption.
“The ruling UPND is aware that some self-centred PF members are ashamed of how the New Dawn administration is handling the empowerment and recruitment without political or corruption lenses. This has disturbed PF as they believed in segregative empowerment and corrupt-based recruitment programmes .
“We would like to request those politicising the black mountain empowerment program to refrain from such politics as it borders on frustrating Government efforts to empower Youths, Women and the Communities with such a program,’’ Mr Mwikisa said
Mr Mwikisa said the party had taken note of some individuals on the Copperbelt who were playing politics where it was not necessary, saying that, as a party, their focus was on assisting the Government to deliver on their manifesto which is the blue print of development on which Zambians gave them the mandate to govern the Nation for a term of five years.
“However, our colleagues have started playing politics where it’s not necessary while the Government is implementing various programmes , especially on the Copperbelt.
“As Copperbelt residents, we all know that the Black Mountain was just a preserve for two families and a few high ranked PF Cadres but now it’s an empowerment program for everyone on the Copperbelt without any form of segregation.
“The wild statements being made by PF leaders on the black mountain is meant to bring confusion and lead to stopping the operations at the Black Mountain and make Copperbelt residents poorer.’’
We ask PF Leaders with some civic positions or legislative positions to use such positions for the benefit of the electorates not for their political parties. We further want to remind them that this is no time to do politics but deliver for our people,’’ he said
Mr Mwikisa requested residents of Kitwe and indeed all Copperbelt residents to ignore selfish PF individuals and support the UPND Government under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema.
Lastly, to our Copperbelt residents especially in Kitwe, please be informed that the office of the DC, Copperbelt Minister and the Mines Minister are open for you at any time to engage with them for any queries and other programs that your Government has put in place,’’ he said.
Last week, Kitwe Mayor Mpasa Mwaya called for the suspension of the operations at the Black Mountain so that they can involve the local authority to re-design the process to protect human life and public property.
Ms Mpasa said during the tour of the Black Mountain and Central Street where dust emissions by the speeding Tipper Trucks were irritating and raising dust emissions that the immediate action was to halt the operations and involve the local authority in re-designing the operations.
Most Kitwe residents supported the Mayor on her calls to suspend the operations at the Black Mountain to save lives and public property like roads and other things, but unruly UPND cadres protested at the civic centre against the Mayor’s call and showered insults on her.
