114 UPND key cadres Defect to PF

114 UPND key cadres Defect to PF

Itezhi Tezhi,  March 12, 2013,ZANIS————–About 114 United Party For National Development-UPND influential cadres in Masemu ward in Itezhi Tezhi district in central province have defected to the ruling Patriotic Front(PF) in an angry protest against the expulsion of their area  Member of Parliament  Greyford Monde.

Recently President Michael Sata appointed Itezhi Tezhi Constituency Member of Parliament Greyford Monde as Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, a move which cheered Mr. Monde’s   constituents and other stakeholders who have since resolved to rally behind him.

Itezhi Tezhi District UPND publicity Chairman Emmanuel Biye who led the 114 UPND defectors said that UPND cadres feel belittled and disrespected by the UPND leadership’s move to expel their legislator without consulting them.

“Cadres are supreme in any political party and they must be consulted on issues to do with their Member of Parliament. We have not disapproved his appointment as Deputy Minister and we are happy and grateful that the President appointed him to a ministerial position. However, we are angry about the UPND’s drastic decision to expel him hence our decision to defect” Mr. Biye said.

Mr. Biye said that the UPND cadres have resolved to follow their legislator because they feel that he did well to accept the appointment and it is for the betterment of everyone.

“The President’s move to appoint some opposition UPND Members of Parliament should be supported because it is driving us towards the one Zambia one nation motto that our fore fathers encouraged very much” Mr. Biye said.

Meanwhile Itezhi Tezhi UPND Youth Chairperson Liberty Muchimba said that the UPND will regret their miscalculation on Monde’s appointment because he has a lot of support from his constituency.

He said that people of Itezhi Tezhi are not interested in by-elections but UPND has continued to expel MPs and causing by-elections that are costly to the nation.

“All the money going for these by-elections they are causing could even be used to reconstruct our D769 road which is in a terrible condition” Mr. Muchimba said.

Mr. Muchimba has urged the UPND leadership to swallow their pride and accept that the PF are the winners and wait for 2016 for another general election.

“It is important to read the mood of the constituency before taking drastic decision like the one they did on our MP. We are no longer blind followers of leaders who live in plush suburbs and yet want to make decisions for us here without knowing our feelings” Mr. Muchimba said.

“A good example is Zambian Football team, we were once soccer kings of Africa but during the Afcon 2013 we did very badly and what did we do?, we accepted the loss and we are back on the drawing board. Why can’t UPND learn this lesson” Mr. Muchimba wondered.

And Itezhi Tezhi UPND District Chairperson Harry Namaluba says that the expulsion of Greyford Monde from the party against their will is tantamount to expelling UPND cadres in Itezhi Tezhi from the party.

“We are no longer interested in politics that are not beneficial to our people. We want development and we think Monde’s appointment itself is a major step towards achieving the much needed development” Namaluba said.

And former Itezhi Tezhi MMD ward councilor Isaiah Kawina said that well-meaning Itezhi Tezhi residents should wholeheartedly support the appointment of Monde and ensure that they gave him another mandate.

Meanwhile UPND youth Vice Chairperson Biseck Banda said that people of Itezhi Tezhi voted for Monde and not UPND.

“We voted for Monde because of his personality and not the UPND party and we will follow our leader where he goes” Mr. Banda said.

And Mr. Monde’s 2011 Campaign Manager Chibandika Tembo  said  what is happening in Itezhi Tezhi is a clear sign that UPND is being obliterated.

“So far all the key officers who hold key party positions have defected. There is no more UPND in Itezhi Tezhi what is remaining is just a club which is not a threat to an election” Mr. Chibandika said.

He vowed that he will make sure that PF campaigns vigorously to ensure victory is attained.

“Already all Councillors and UPND cadres want to go with him” Mr. Chibandika said.