‘WE DID IT IN THE NATION’S INTEREST’

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:47:18 +0000

By Simon Muntemba

WE attended the official opening of the second session of 12th National Assembly addressed by President Edgar Lungu because our party management had issued us a communique directing us to do so in the interest of the nation and for the sake of dialogue, UPND Zambezi East Member of Parliament, Brian Kambita has disclosed.

Mr. Kambita said the UPND boycotted parliament last time not to show disrespect for the Head of state but to protest against things they were not happy with.

“It is mainly in the interest of the nation and making sure that the dialogue process is not disturbed,” Mr. Kambita stated.

Speaking when he was featured on the Muvi Televion’s Assignment on Sunday, the UPND Zambezi East law maker said dialogue was important for the betterment of the country.

He further disclosed that his party had made progress in ensuring that dialogue with the ruling PF was successful.

“Definitely, we are making progress towards dialogue. We have had a meeting…Our national management committee have met with the persons given the responsibility to negotiate the dialogue process and we have put our terms on the table.

“It is an on-going process but we have complied with every aspect of the dialogue,” he said.

And Mr. Kambita who declined to answer on behalf of the party on when the UPND will hold the national convention to elect new leaders said his party encouraged democracy adding that Mr. Hakainde Hichilema was their best candidate at the moment.

“I am not competent to answer questions that border on how the party is managed. We have got the national management committee to comment on that. Of course I am a senior party member but I am not party of the national management committee.

“But, yes we also encourage democracy in our party and the perception that there is an over stay of leadership and that kind is not correct because we choose what is best for us. We are a democratic party and HH is the best we have for now and we don’t want to lose the best that we have,” he said.

He added, “The reason you are hearing those insinuation that HH has overstayed is because they have felt his weight. For example who would substitutes the best player like Sakala (Fashion) in the national soccer team for a low class Lusaka Dynamos player?” he asked.

Mr. Kambita reiterated that his party was democratic and that the leadership was elected.