CHIPENZI IS UPND STOOGE - GBM
…unfit to be at the referee for country’s electoral process
IT is a blatant assault on democracy and an insult to the collective wisdom of Zambians for Mr Macdonald Chipenzi, a wellknown UPND stooge, to be appointed as Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Patriotic Front, PF, presidential aspirant, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, has said.
Mr. Mwamba said President Hichilema is daring the Zambians by openly desecrating the country’s democratic credentials, an act he says has been well noted and likely to sow seeds of despondency among voters.
The former Kasama lawmaker said he was at great pains to understand how President Hakainde Hichilema could proceed with such an appointment when Mr Chipenzi was an active member of the ruling party.
He wondered why the President thought Zambians were going to watch his nepotism and tribalism as bystanders as the Head of State was blazingly diving the country through his appointments.
“This Chipenzi man was all over the Kabushi and Kwacha constituencies ensuring that UPND violated every rule in the book to disadvantage PF with the assistance of ECZ. This is the guy you give the Zambian people to preside over an institution which is the nerve centre and heartbeat of electoral democracy,” Mr. Mwamba noted.
The former Defence Minister called on Zambians, civil society, and Members of Parliament to reject Mr Chipenzi’s appointment and use every legal means available to block his ratification.
Mr. Mwamba said President Hichilema had gone too far in his open contempt for the will of the Zambians and the country’s democratic institutions.
“If you feel so indebted to Mr Chipenzi, why can’t you appoint him in many other positions that have no implication for democracy?” he said
He said President Hichilema had targeted ECZ for purposes of entrenching himself so that the 2026 elections could be tilted in his favour.
“Shamelessly and desperately, Mr. Hichilema orchestrated the ouster of the former ECZ chief executive officer, an act that signified his underhand methods and failure to play by the rules of engagement,” Mr. Mwamba said.