UPND cries foul
…G12 certificate clause knocked out loyal members
THE UPND claims that it was forced to pick councilors who have turned out to be treacherous because of the Grade 12 clause that knocked out loyal members.
THE Grade 12 certificate clause has contributed to UPND’s failure to adopt loyal members seeking elective office, says party secretary general Stephen Katuka.
Mr Katuka said that the grade 12 certificate requirements had forced the party to adopt councillors and parliamentary candidates who were not loyal to the party at the expense of the loyal ones.
In an interview, Mr Kakoma said because of the grade 12 certificate clause, UPND has ended up adopting “traitors” who were defecting to the ruling party after being promised a few tokens and jobs.
Mr Katuka disclosed that UPND loyal members aspiring for parliamentary and various local government positions of late have been knocked out of the race due to lack of Grade 12 certificates.
“Some of them (defectors) are offered jobs to become drivers to the DCs as opposed to be an elected councilor and they think that is a pensionable job and they go for it.
“And some of them are just being given money. Imagine some body in the village who has not seen a K1, 000 in his entire life and is told he is going to be given a K20, 000, he thinks that he has become an instant millionaire,” Mr Katuta claimed.
Mr Katuka, however, expressed optimism that the opposition UPND would emerge stronger and win the general elections in 2021.
“But I can assure you that come 2021, you will come to me and you will prove me right, the party will emerge victorious,” he said.
He said the party shoulders the blame for the mass exodus of its members as most councillors adopted were not based on loyalty but merely on academic qualification.