STALLED DIALOGUE

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) leaders should have themselves to blame for the stalled dialogue process because of their unpredictability and penchant for shifting goal posts on the matter. Since the issue of national dialogue started, it is not a secret that UPND leaders have done nothing but deliberately put spokes at every stage of the process to paralyse progress and at the same time complain the loudest about the delays in the process. It is undeniable that the party has continued to change goal posts each time stakeholders involved in the process have agreed on a way forward. Just when citizens are made to believe all contentious issue have been ironed out by stakeholders and all is set for the dialogue process, the UNPD always has something up its sleeve to derail progress. In this case or sorts of lame excuses and complaints. Thus far, the party has succeeded, thanks to the leaders’ double standards and divisive tactics which have indubitably made it impossible for stakeholders to make any headway. It is now obvious that the opposition party does not want the long-awaited and talked about dialogue to proceed given their excuses, unreasonable demands pertaining to who facilitates the talks. We would have thought that the question as to who facilities the talks was unanimously agreed upon recently by all stakeholders including UPND itself following the indaba of political party general secretaries held in the tourist resort town of Siavonga earlier this year. Other outstanding issues which political parties and other stakeholders raised such as the need to include the Church were equally ironed out and it was hoped that moving forward, the process would proceed smoothly. But nay, not for the UPND. The party, even after being party to agreement on these issues, decided to backpedal – as usual needlessly whining and crying foul. Surprisingly, the party is still not satisfied even after the inclusion of prominent individuals such as of Senior Chief Madzimawe, Mr Chifumu Banda, Mr Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika and Chief Ngabwe to the committee. Question is what do UPND leaders want now? These are not elections where the party would fear to lose. Evidently the party has nothing to cry about except to create chaos and attract sympathy from its dwindling followers and the public. This is why we are in total support of Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) national secretary Raphael Nakachinda that dialogue must now proceed with or without the UPND. As Mr Nakachinda observes, it is disappointing and unfair for the party could to continue hold the nation at ransom. Enough is enough, the talks must go ahead. “We all know that the political atmosphere is the reason the dialogue has been called and therefore we all know the issues each party is having and the progress has been made. So there is no way we can stop the process because one party wants everyone to dance to its tune,” observes Mr Nakachinda. We agree with Mr Nakachinda, dialogue should not fail because of one party. But UPND should must not forget that the nation is watching closely the happenings. The opposition party should be ready to take responsibility of whatever happens in the already politically charged and divided nation should dialogue fail. The impending dialogue is not aimed at appeasing one political party to bring about reconciliation and a spirit of oneness among political parties and the nation at large. Unfortunately, the UPND does not see it that way. It wouldn’t be wrong to conclude that its leaders have a different political agenda, which is, getting into power at all costs – even at the expense of the nation if need be. If this is not true, the party should justify its propensity to shamelessly continue changing goal posts each time stakeholders agreed to move forward. Political parties and the UPND should know by now that for dialogue to succeed, there is need for stakeholders to embrace the spirit of give and take, otherwise the process will just be a sheer waste of time and resources. We therefore urge UPND to come to its senses and put national interest first. If not, dialogue must go ahead without the party.