UPND Shun National Dialogue Summit

In a statement issued yesterday, the UPND has alleged that the dialogue had been “organised in bad faith” by the PF.

“We wish to inform the nation that the UPND is not participating in the national dialogue summit taking place in Lusaka today. This national dialogue has been organised by the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID). This dialogue process has been organised in bad faith as it is being pushed by the PF government in order to circumvent the Commonwealth dialogue talks in Zambia.

The UPND believes that the ZCID has no capacity to lead the dialogue process in Zambia and would not like to be used to legitimise President Edgar Lungu’s agenda of manipulating the constitution, electoral system and politics in this country. What soft spot has the PF government seen in the ZCID for it to insist on using it?” the UPND wondered in a statement issued by party spokesperson Charles Kakoma.

“We would like to warn the PF government that if it insists to go ahead and hold the dialogue talks using the ZCID, its outcomes will not be binding on the UPND and its resolutions will not see the light of day in Parliament. The PF government should remember that they do not have two-thirds majority in Parliament to bulldoze its way.”

He suggested that the Church should instead be left to handle the dialogue process.

“If the PF and its government are seriously opposed to the commonwealth dialogue talks in Zambia, we propose that as a compromise, the Church Mother Bodies should lead the dialogue process in Zambia. The Church has a record of facilitating dialogue and resolving conflicts in Zambia. UPND will be comfortable to dialogue under the auspices of the Church Mother Bodies who are neutral and guided by the will of God,” stated Kakoma.