UPND brand Sata ‘dictator’

By ALEX NJOVU
 
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) national youth chairman Joe Kalusa has described Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata as a dictator who should not be entrusted with leadership and has warned Zambians against voting for him in the 2011 tripartite elections.
Mr Kalusa urged Zambians to forget about the existence of the PF-UPND pact.
“As far as we are concerned in UPND, the PF-UPND pact is dead and it is a closed chapter for now. Our people must forget about the pact. Mr Sata and his men like Wynter Kabimba have destroyed the pact,” he said.
Mr Kalusa said in an interview in Ndola on February 23 that Mr Sata does not like working with morally upright people like PF Kabwata member of Parliament Given Lubinda.
He said Mr Sata has no capacity to manage the affairs of the nation and warned Zambians against voting for him in this year’s elections.
Mr Kalusa said Mr Sata allegedly failed to initiate meaningful development when he served in various Cabinet portfolios.
He wondered why the PF leader has continued attacking Government on the development projects it is undertaking countrywide.
He described Mr Sata as a political joker who should not be trusted with the governance of the country.
“This is what we are saying that if the PF-UPND pact formed Government, we would all be fired in 10 seconds because Mr Sata is a dictator. These people in PF have sidelined Mr Lubinda, who is a hard-working man,” he said.
Mr Kalusa said Zambians will be making a big mistake if they vote for Mr Sata in this year’s general elections.
He said the UPND does not take Mr Sata seriously because he does not have leadership qualities.
“In the few months we have worked with the PF in the so-called pact, we have seen for ourselves the behaviour of these people in PF. Some of these people are dictators who will ruin the country if they are to be given an opportunity to be in office,” Mr Kalusa said.
Meanwhile, former Patriotic Front (PF) spokesperson Given Lubinda says Mr Sata has the right to appoint or drop anyone in the party, ZANGOSE CHAMBWA, reports.
Mr Sata has dropped Mr Lubinda as party spokesperson in preference to Wynter Kabimba in a move believed to be aimed at scuttling the pact between the PF and United Party for National Development.
Mr Lubinda confirmed to Radio Phoenix on February 23 that he has been dropped, but that he could not question the decision because Mr Sata has powers to make such changes.
Mr Sata and Mr Lubinda are said to have fallen out after the latter expressed interest to challenge for the party presidency, which is believed to be a preserve of the incumbent who is considered a patriarchal figure in PF.