By Isaac Zulu
PF presidential aspirant Greyford Monde says it’s ironic that a government that claims to be allergic to corruption has failed to suspend ministers Sylvia Masebo and Stanley Kakubo to pave way for investigations over corruption allegations.
And Monde has said that he was motivated to vy for the position of PF president out of the realisation that Zambians now want young people to take up leadership positions
“It is now 15 months since they formed government and they have continued talking about the corruption in the PF, arresting former ministers, directors and other senior government officials,” Monde, who is also former Itezhi-tezhi member of parliament told Daily Revelation media. “Meanwhile, there are corrupt related allegations in the UPND administration involving the minister of health and another allegation against the foreign affairs minister. None of them has been suspended in order to pave way for investigations. So this fight against corruption is selective and a mere political rhetoric.”
Monde said that prior to the 2021 general elections the UPND leadership used to label the Patriot Front as a violent and corrupt party, as opposed to engaging in politics of progressive ideas.
He explained that it is such propaganda that made majority Zambians to start losing confidence in the Patriot Front administration.
“Our colleagues that took power from us continuously labeled the Patriot Front as a violent and corrupt government in the run up to the 2021 general elections. For one reason or another, majority citizens were made to believe these falsehoods and started losing confidence in the PF government. So the UPND came into power through cheap political propaganda,” Monde said. “To the contrary it is the UPND which is a violent political party. During the MMD regime the UPND were engaging in political violence and coined the famous Mapatizya formula. They were a violent political party when the PF was in government and now they are in government and have continued perpetuating violence. Not too long ago our party members were whipped and beaten up by the UPND members in Mkushi and Lusangazi during the filing in of nominations for the council chairpersons by-elections. Have they arrested any of those UPND members that were involved in violent activities? The answer is no! They claim to denounce violence, but what is obtaining on the ground is the complete opposite.”
Monde said that the UPND government’s fight against corruption is selective and “a mere political rhetoric.”
He also charged that the democratic space has started shrinking under the UPND government.
Monde said that there is no true commitment from the UPND administration to promoting multiple party democracy.
“Because of that we were compelled to replace our candidate in Lusangazi. It’s the same machinations they wanted to apply in Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections… they did not want our preferred candidates because they were scared of Bulldozer and Mr Joe Malanji,” he said. “The UPND administration does not want political opponents to take part in the democratic dispensation of this country. Our democratic space is shrinking under the UPND government at a fast rate. Members of opposition political parties that alleged to have committed crimes are now being bundled in vehicles and ferried from Province to another. Zambians are now being subjected to this primitive way of treating people, which used to happen before independence. There is no democracy anymore in this country.”
And Monde said that he was motivated to vy for the position of PF president out of the realisation that Zambians now want young people in leadership positions.
“So far there are eight that are vying for the position of party president of the PF, which is a clear demonstration that the Patriot Front leadership and the general membership believe in intra party democracy. The PF members have been given a variety from the eight people that have declared interest to contest for that position. And I am one of them, ready to take the mantle of party president of the Patriot Front. This is purely out of my conviction that Zambians now want young people to take up leadership positions. I am ready for the challenge,” said Monde.
