UPND WARNS M’MEMBE OVER TRIBAL RANT

…but the Socialist Party leader says ruling party is employing nepotism, tribalism in recruitment of civil servants

THE UPND has warned that it will deal severely with Fred M’membe for allegedly waging what it has termed as a tribal war against the Tonga people of Southern Province, describing the Socialist Party president as a misfit for the Zambian politics.

But Dr M’membe has accused the UPND of employing nepotism, tribalism and regionalism in the planned recruitment of teachers, nurses, the military personnel and the police.

The UPND has reacted angrily to Dr M’membe’s assertions warning that the Socialist Party president’s tribal statement on recruitment teachers, nurses and the military personnel was but tribal gymnastics meant to create disharmony in the country.

Stephen Chikota, the UPND deputy national youth chairman has warned that the ruling party was going to strongly deal with Dr M’membe for propagating nepotism and tribalism when President Hakainde Hichilema had been preaching unity and harmony.

Mr Chikota claimed that Zambians had not forgotten that it was Dr M’membe who had waged a tribal war against people from selected regions using the defunct Post Newspaper.

“Fred (Dr M’membe) is a dangerous seed which should never be allowed in Zambia’s politics where unity of purpose is an agenda. If Dr M’membe thinks we shall tolerate the Post tribal hegimony he waged against the people of Southern Province before and during President Michael Sata, he will meet the wrath of the law,” Mr Chikota said.

Mr Chikota said it was evil for Dr M’membe to divide the country at a time when the country had seen most united, balanced and peaceful nation under President Hichilema.

“The people of Luapula where I come from and my brothers and sisters in Northern Province are well-represented in the cabinet and State House. And many of them were recruited without the corruption,” Mr Chikopa said.

But in a short statement yesterday, Dr M’membe alleged that the UPND was under pressure to create jobs and was using the recruitment of teachers, nurses, military personnel and the police to create jobs for its cadres who had become disenchanted and were running out of patience. Dr M’membe said the UPND leadership was resorting to dangerous and desperate actions to convert government and state institutions into an apparatus for partisan favours and appeasement through nepotism because they wanted to pay back to their cadres.

“The recruitment under pressure for jobs and other benefits from their party cadres, the UPND leadership is resorting to very dangerous desperate actions to convert government and state institutions into apparatuses for partisan favours, nepotism and payback. The recruitment of teachers, nurses, and military and police personnel will follow the same pattern - partisan, nepotism regionalism” Dr M’membe said.

The Socialist Party leader alleged that the UPND was currently preparing a military base in Southern Province and that the ruling party leadership was asking their members to be patient because money would be coming from their well-wishers to be distributed among the cadres.

“They are telling their cadres to be patient as money will be coming from abroad for distribution. And they are telling them CDF rules will be changed by December to make it easy to channel money to UPND cadres. This is what they are promising their cadres. Where does this approach leave the rest of Zambians? What are the consequences of such an approach?” Dr M’membe wondered.