UPND on verge of collapse
…as party faithful disappointed with HH self-importance, arrogance
By NATION REPORTER REBELLION by UPND party faithful is on the horizon as people have become increasingly disappointed by the unsellable persona of its leader Hakainde Hichilema which is trickling down to anyone standing on its ticket in elections at any level, former UPND vice president for politics Canisius Banda has charged.
Speaking to the Daily Nation in the aftermath of UPND’s defeat to the PF in the Chilanga parliamentary by-election, Dr Banda said the result had signaled the downfall of UPND and that soon, more voices chorusing “the crucifixion” of Mr Hichilema would arise across the country because people were fed up with his stiff necked attitude and immunity to advice.
He said supporting the UPND had become among “the one thousand ways to die”, adding that many UPND followers had suffered depression because of just one man and that come 2021, people would again reject him because he had not only succeeded in bulldozing everyone in the party but also destroying what he never laboured for.
“The citizens countrywide were waiting for the signal. Now it has come and it is clear. There is no alternative to the PF, now and in the near foreseeable future.
“Ni PF chabe manje! Many citizens who were on the fence now are convinced that backing the UPND is a sure way of developing stress, losing weight, suffering hypertension, remaining poor and possibly dying early,’’ Dr Banda said.
He said soon many in the UPND would take out their suffering, frustration and bitterness on Mr Hichilema. “They will rebel, initially quietly. This is what I predicted, this is what happens when leaders are too full of themselves that they become deaf to the wise voices and advice of their members,” he added. He said the autocratic tendencies deeply rooted in the UPND was the cancer responsible for its problems.
And former Nampundwe UPND youth branch chairperson Jackson Hambulo says the opposition political party had lost the Chilanga by-election because it has become “blind” to the country’s political landscape.
Mr Hambulo said he had decided to leave the party because Chilanga was a-must win for the opposition party but it failed to live up to the expectation.
He said it was now evident that the ruling party was gaining ground in the UPND’s strongholds. Mr Hambulo told the Daily Nation in Kitwe in an interview that the UPND was fast fading because it was surrounded by selfish people who only wanted to drive their personal agenda. “The past three months have been the worst period in my life as a youth branch chairman for Nampundwe explaining to the community what is happening in UPND.
“My councillor for Nampundwe, Eucridy Mwiinga, defected to the PF and his entire family together with half the ward. This is sad. I too thought I could not remain,” Mr Hambulo said.
He said the PF was the party to reckon with because the UPND under Hakainde Hichilema has lost direction.
“I have asked several councillors on WhatsApp groups if they have met with Mr Hichilema, but I was shocked to learn that they haven’t and yet we have great UPND councillors like Kapalushi Kapata Moyo councillor in Solwezi who can contribute to the party but none of them have met the president,” he said.