SHUN MOCKERY CONVENTION
…UPND members with ambitions have been unfairly sidelined
UPND members should shun the “mockery” general assembly as several members with Presidential ambitions are already intimidated by the undemocratic warning not to challenge leader, Hakainde Hichilema, 3rd Liberation Movement (3rd LM) president Enock Tonga has observed.
Mr Tonga said that the planned UPND general assembly was just a mockery as those with presidential ambitions have been undemocratically sidelined.
He advised well-meaning UPND members not to attend the general assembly as it was a ploy to fool the membership following public outcry that the party had not gone for convention in a long time.
Mr Tonga was reacting to UPND national chairperson, Mutale Nalumango’s recent warning to members not to challenge party president, Mr Hichilema at the general assembly.
He said that the UPND general assembly was no longer necessary as the main purpose of holding the meeting was already jeopardised.
Mr Tonga pointed out that UPND members with presidential ambitions were obviously intimidated and were silently hurting.
“That warning is undemocratic, they should have let those with presidential ambitions challenge Mr Hichilema fairly. Now those people are intimidated and will just be hurting silently not knowing when their time will come. I advise UPND members to even shun this general assembly because it is just meant to fool them,” he said.
Mr Tonga said that the UPND should emulate the ruling Patriotic Front, who had made it clear that other members were free to contest intra party elections, even if the party had a preferred candidate.
Meanwhile, Mr Tonga said that Mr Hichilema should consider giving someone else a chance to be at the helm of the party as he had failed to win an election several times.
He reiterated that Mr Hichilema had done his part and that it was now time for him to give chance to another person.
And Mr Tonga said that those who were screaming the loudest about Mr Hichilema being the sole candidate, were the ones directly benefiting and hoping to benefit more once he was in power.
He said that the bootlickers did not care about the party and the people of Zambia because of their selfish gains.