Another new party courts Kalaba

A NEWLY registered political party, United for Better Zambia (UBZ) has invited former Foreign Affairs minister and PF Bahati Member of Parliament Harry Kalaba to be its sole candidate in the 2021 Presidential election.

Mr Kalaba also received an invitation from the Democratic Party which also wants him to be their candidate for the same election.

UBZ president, Hector Soondo said that despite him being the current party leader, their Central Committee settled for Mr Kalaba as the preferred candidate in the general election if he accepted the invitation. Mr Soondo explained that the Republican constitution provided for political parties to sponsor candidates in an election or nomination to a state office in respect of which elections were required to be held.

He however said that he would take up the candidature for 2021 general election if Mr Kalaba turned down the offer.

“We are also joining calls to invite Hon Kalaba to consider joining our party so that we field him as our party Presidential candidate for the 2021 general election if he does not accept that invitation from Democratic Party,” said Mr Soondo.

Meanwhile, Mr Soondo said that the registration of UBZ came as a result of unsatisfactory leadership by the current government and failure by existing opposition parties to offer credible checks and balances with solutions.

He reiterated that there was need for policy direction in Zambia, which he claimed was lacking in the country.

Mr Soondo said that once ushered into office, UBZ would ensure that citizens participated in the decision making process and implementation.

He also pledged that his party would fight violence which he said had escalated to alarming levels in the country.

And Mr Soondo said that UBZ fully recognised the Presidency of President Edgar Lungu as the dully elected Head of State.