UPND panics

FEARING looming deregistration for failure to uphold intra-party democracy, the UPND has instructed its structures to hold elections at all levels.

The move has been seen as a reaction to an application to the Constitutional Court to deregister political parties which have never held elections as demanded by the constitution.

UPND Secretary-General Steven Katuka has applied to be joined to the case indicating that he was an interested party acting on behalf of the party.

The party has already appointed electoral commissioners to foresee the elections in all the 10 provinces.

According to a memo by the party’s national chairperson for election and campaigns, Gary Nkombo addressed to all provincial, district, constituency and ward chairpersons, elections are expected to be held between this month and end of June, 2020. n“As you are aware, the party is now in the process of holding elections at all levels starting with wards in line with party and Republican constitution,” read part of the memo which was also copied to UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, Mr Katuta and the national chairperson, Mutale Nalumango.

And irate UPND youths from Western Province have accused Mr Nkombo of being tribal and asked him to stop targeting Lozis.

The youth said Mr Nkombo seemed to be silently executing a cleansing exercise to get rid of Lozis in the party and ensure an all Tonga executive is in place.

They said he had been agitating fellow leaders from the province to sideline them and replace them with Tongas in the executive council.

“We therefore would like to state that as youths in the province our raw force will be felt soon. We delivered Sesheke and can so deliver it to any party we choose,” they said.In the last few weeks, the UPND has lost 10 councillors in Western Province in defections to the ruling Patriotic Front.

The defections have also caused squabbles with the secretariat dissolving the provincial executive committee.

And in in a statement signed by UPND youths from Senanga, Nalolo, Kaoma led by their leader Micheal Ikachana of Mongu districts, youths in the province also expressed disappointment with the poor leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema who they said has not been to the region to provide leadership following the continued resignation of councillors.

They also stated that the people in the province were injured by the continued insults on UPND Nalikwanda Member of Parliament Geoffrey Lungwangwa by the Mazabuka law maker Gary Nkombo.