UPND ready to meet Lungu but…

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) has reiterated its resolve to meet President Edgar Lungu but wondered why Government wants it to write to State House over the matter.

UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said that there was no need for the party to write to State House when it was the Government which extended an olive branch for the two leaders to meet.

He said in an interview yesterday, there was no need for Government to put conditions for the two leaders who were willing to meet.

Recently while in Parliament, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said President Lungu was ready to meet the UPND leader to dialogue. Following this development Mr Kakoma told Journalists that Mr Hichilema was more than ready to meet the Head of

State.

But the Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac hipampe at a press briefing at tate ouse recently told Journalists that the UPND was supposed to officially write to the tate if they want to meet President Lungu.

But Mr Kakoma said it was prudent that the Government put aside conditionality so that the two leaders can meet and dialogue.

“Why should we start writing to the State when it was Government through Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo who was a bearer of good news that President Lungu was more than ready to dialogue with Mr Hichilema,” he said.

“We have not written to the State because our understanding is that Honourable Kampyongo was delivering a message from His Excellency to tell the nation that he was ready to dialogue and we responded to say if he is ready to dialogue we are also ready to meet him.

“Why should we start writing to the State when it was Government through Home A airs Minister Stephen Kampyongo who was a bearer of good news that President Lungu was more than ready to dialogue with Mr Hichilema.”