Africa-Press – Zambia. THE UPND says it seems PF have not learnt lessons from their humiliating 2021 electoral defeat. Deputy national chairman Collins Maoma says if members of the former ruling party had learnt any lessons they would have stopped championing tribalism in the country.
Prior to the 2021 general election, tribalism was tramp card the PF tried to use to lure voters. The party even hired their former bitter rival Chishimba Kambwili and Geoffrey Mwamba to propagate hate speech against fellow citizens from Southern Province.
‘’It seems, however, that the PF did not learn a lesson from their defeat even as they try to re-brand.
They seem to be tightly wedded to their tribal ways. They seem to view everything through the tribal lenses. Because they are inherently tribal, they see nothing but tribe in everything.
What kind of people are these,’’ he wondered. ‘’Despite Zambia having seventy-three (73) known ethnic groupings, tribalism is still and has always been part of the Patriotic Front (PF)’s political obnoxious and divisive strategy.
It is a pity that the PF can’t seem to learn from history and the fact that Zambians loathe tribalism in all its forms. We would like to remind the PF party and their High Priests of tribalism that Zambia is a unitary state exemplified by our unity in diversity.
It is against this background that when building our National Assembly, as a symbol of national unity, materials were drawn from all parts of the country.
’’ Maoma advised the PF to devise a better strategy of coming back to government. He added that modern politics do not support tribalism as a strategy. ‘’The PF should give Zambians a break.
Over the years Zambians have inter married and it is therefore folly for any politician to preach tribalism. It is not uncommon to have names such as Mulenga Banda, Sikota Lungu, Chishimba Hatontola and many more.
We advise the PF to devise other strategies if their political fortunes are to be reversed, which we doubt given how they abused public trust when they were privileged to manage or rather mismanage State affairs,’’ Maoma said.
‘’Modern opposition politics entails providing alternative solutions and not preaching tribalism. We look forward to a time when our colleagues in opposition will start practicing issue-based politics.
We are, however, not surprised with the PF strategy and the reason they view everything through tribal eyes. It is because the party itself is inherently tribal.
One just needs to look at PF’s cabinet and their appointments to key government positions while in government. What could be more tribal than that? Merit was never in the equation during the PF reign.
It was just political patronage and tribe that would qualify anyone for any government position. Their tribalism explains why certain regions were excluded during their reign.
’’ And Maoma accused former ruling party members of still serving personal over national interests even when they are out of government. He said there is no sane Zambian who will entertain tribalism no matter how much it is sugarcoated.
‘’Just like in the run-up to the 2021 elections when they hired all sorts of charlatans to champion their sick agendas, they are now using political prostitutes, who, for a few pieces of silver or for a few morsels of bread are willing to sell their souls to the devil.
These political mercenaries, born out of the PF’s reckless, harum-scarum and selfish kind of politics, are a menace, a cancer to our national unity and cohesion.
Such irresponsible and greedy elements think only about their stomachs,’’ said Maoma. ‘’The national interest is far from their minds as they engage in politics for hire as they push their political masters’ agenda.
The PF want power not to serve Zambians but to borrow loans from the open commercial markets for their pockets. What is sad about the PF’s tribalism is that other political leaders have bought into it for their own political advancement at the expense of national unity.
But Zambians know better. They were resolute in their rejection of tribalism when they voted the PF out in 2021. They saw through their narrow, selfish agenda and rejected it. And they will not allow anyone to erode their national cohesion and divide them based on tribe. ’’
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