UPND will disintegrate under GBM, says Lifwekelo

Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:57:42 +0000

THE UPND will disintegrate if they settle for Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba as UPND acting president following the incarceration of Hakainde Hichilema as he is emotional and a divisive leader, says former UPND deputy spokesperson Edwin Lifwekelo. 

In an interview yesterday, Mr Lifwekelo said that according to the UPND constitution it was not automatic for Mr Mwamba to be acting party president.

He said the opposition party would have agree through an internal arrangement of an appropriate candidate.

He said the UPND needed a focused and humble leader who would help calm down its supporters while Mr Hichilema was in custody.

Mr Lifwekelo said Mr Mwamba was unqualified as he was ‘uncontrollable’, ‘emotional’ and a loose cannon who would erupt at any time.

In his view, Mr Lifwekelo said party national chairperson Mutale Nalumango was better placed to take charge of the affairs of the party,

“The UPND needs a focused and humble leader who will calm down supporters and unify the party; in my view Mutale Nalumango is better placed to provide leadership but if its mediocrity and thuggery that they want then the best person is GBM as he is a divisive leader,” he said.

He said accused Mr Mwamba of having used his wealth to ascend to UPND vice presidency position, but stated that in today’s era of politics it was no longer about money but ideas and leadership qualities.

Mr Lifwekelo said the opposition leader would have performed better in the general elections had they settled for former UPND vice president for politics Canisius Banda as presidential running mate but observed that he was side-lined because he did not have the financial muscle.

He has urged the opposition party to exhibit humbleness and not to display ‘a know it all attitude’ ,saying it was unacceptable for the party to criticise all the good work that the Government was doing.