A fractured UPND/NDC alliance not ready to govern

Dear Editor,

WHAT the future holds on the so-called UPND/NDC opposition alliance is certainly becoming more certain than ever. Like we predicted, the alleged alliance has never been formed out of principle or common ground save for the chronic hatred against President Edgar Lungu by the front runners.

In an audio that has gone viral, National Democratic Congress leader Chishimba Kambwili is heard out angrily admonishing members of one supposed NDC WhatsApp blog in which he confirmed that the negotiations on the alliance are ongoing. He is heard as having warned erring members of unknown consequences.

Recently, Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi, who happens to be the chairman of the Opposition Alliance could not confirm whether there were any negotiations save for what he termed as the “pact under his chairmanship.”

We wonder why Mr Kambwili and Mr Milupi could be at cross purpose on the matters that are of grave importance both to the alliance and the nation.

How could Mr Kambwili on one hand be disputing the existence of the alliance on one hand and Mr Milupi fragrantly dispute save for the pact whose objectives he could not enlighten what is the principle objective of what he opted to call as the pact?

As regards Mr Kambwili’s claims that negotiations were still ongoing, it is a clear revelation that the so-called UPND dominated alliance has never been based on consensus. It has taken UPND and NDC two years of protracted negotiations yet they have not reached consensus on what would be the basis of the alliance.

We wonder how the alliance could take this lengthy stretch of time without a broad consensus basis on what they would do for the people of Zambia. What would happen in an event such an inherent disoriented association was entrusted with state power? Will they re-initiate the so-called negotiations while they are in the corridors of power?

The lack of consensus on the alleged alliance after more than two years of being together resoundingly reveal that the alliance is not ready to govern.

If they could not agree on the terms of engagements at the initial stage, it is an eye opener that an alliance that is based on seizing state power as opposed to service to the Zambian people is not the viable alternative.

It is therefore politically suicide to trust a group of individuals who are undecided on the basis upon which they seek to be given state power. This is the fractured alliance that has struggled to build consensus since its inception.

THE Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia has advised large scale mining players to take advantage of the attractive prices of copper on the international market by increasing production.

Speaking in an interview the association’s president, Mr Kunda Chani said the current price of the copper on the international market is the highest since May 2012.

Mr. Kunda said the spring of electric vehicles has contributed to the adjustment of copper prices, hence the need for giant copper producing firms to increase production in order for them

to benefit from rising copper prices. He added that it is surprising that as the demand for the commodity is going up, copper production has remained low.

Mr. Kunda has since appealed to members to focus on copper production stating that the current copper prices on the market are attractive.

“We are excited to see that copper prices have kept increasing on the international market. This should give our giant copper producing companies the impetus to increase production so that we benefit as a country,” he said.Mr. Kunda said key mining players should actively increase their production, urging his members to also participate in the production of copper ore. - ZANIS