INspire

The Pact on Record  - Lest we forget

by mazuba mwiinga

Lest we forget; let’s put it on record. The 2011 general elections near; and what we see now in the UPND/ PF Pact is nothing but hide and seek games.

If media reports about UPND joining hands with MMD are to go by, then one thing need to be noted; and noted in bold for the UPND membership to realize the fouls they are committing in this game.

This is the time truth has to be told; and told without any reservations for us to set records straight. If UPND fears to be treated as second class partners in the Pact, and therefore wants to embrace MMD, then they aren’t solving their fears at all, but if anything they are exacerbating them by a large percentage.

In the Pact, the UPND are clearly a junior partner, and they have to accept this fact if the pact is to work. Can someone who knows much about business partnership acquaint me? My little knowledge on this matter is that, there can never be a 50 – 50 share ownership in a business venture that has share holders. One has to have control of the business for the business to run effectively. And that majority share holding is calculated on how much buying power one has. And in this political sense, the buying power is in the number of majority populace the Party claims.

If the UPND’s move to MMD is based on acquiring majority share holding; then all their dreams are never going to be attained because which -ever way they take now, they will still be a junior partner. If they remain in the Pact, PF will still be the preferred Party to field a candidate next year; and if they join hands with MMD; MMD will still treat them as renegade faction and give them a seat at the holy table full of promissory notes of power but never allow them any chance to dip a finger in the sweet power of MMD.

UPND’s claim that they are trying to harmonize the two Parties’ manifestos is nothing but just stage talks to hood wink people. No such meetings have been heard taking place and no time line is given as to when they are going to be done with such, so that they plan for the elections. This fear of facing issues head on and lashes their anger on reporters, is just a show of a frustrated people who are un able to get what they thought they would, without working for it. The get rich quick credo doesn’t work well in politics driven by people because a lot of considerations need to be accounted for.

UPND should therefore swallow their un- called for pride and get back behind Sata’s candidature so that they sit down and devise a government in waiting with properly shared portfolios. Dragging their feet as we have seen them doing, just shows us how un- repentant they are to losing an election and how un serious they are to heed people’s wishes.