By Mubanga Mubanga
New Heritage Party (NHP) leader Chishala Kateka says NDC president Saboi Imboela is used to operating in divisive environments.
And Kateka says Imboela is no longer a member of United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) because she was expelled.
But Imboela said whoever claimed that she was being used by the UPND to destabilise the opposition was an idiot.
Daily Revelation contacted Kateka on Imboela’s claims that the NHP leader was not part of UKA and that she was a boardroom politician, as she was rarely on the ground.
In response, Kateka said, “Now, you are a person with your own ability to analyse. If one person is expelled by a group, then that person expels the chairman by herself, who is expelled?”
Kateka said she had no time to discuss Imboela’s issues and was not available for gutter politics.
“She is used to operating in divisive environments. I have way more important things to occupy my mind and time, so, if you could indulge me, please stop pushing this conversation. I am not available to do gutter politics,” Kateka said.
Asked on the wrangles in UKA, where one group was supporting CF and the other was supporting the other opposition political parties, Kateka said Saboi was expelled from UKA and was now supporting CF.
‘So there are no wrangles within UKA itself,” said Kateka.
Factions are emerging in UKA, with one group being led by lmboela and backing the CF in the upcoming Lumezi by-elections, while the other faction was being led by chairperson Sakwiba Sikota and supporting opposition parties who have taken a decision to field one candidate.
Contacted for comment on allegations that she was being used by the UPND to destabilise the opposition, Imboela said whoever said that was an idiot.
Asked about the infighting and Kateka’s remarks that UKA would not support CF in the Lumezi by-elections, Imboela asked whether anyone had ever seen seen Kateka campaigning in any by-election
“Those are boardroom politicians who spend all their time in Lusaka attending meetings and writing minutes. You will see UKA on the ground supporting and campaigning for CF while she will be in Lusaka in her high heels giving you journalists funny interviews like this one,” Imboela said.
She insisted that UKA would certainly support the CF candidate.
Meanwhile, Zambia We Want (ZWW) spokesperson Muhabi Lungu said the opposition was aware that some of their colleagues were being used by the UPND to cause confusion.
“The problem is those who don’t want to be a part of the collective say things that are untruthful in order to justify their unwillingness to cooperate and work with others,” Lungu said. “That is why certain members of the opposition have reacted and we do have evidence that some people are being used by the UPND. This is not dreaming … Those who do not want to be part of consolidation are most free to walk away and try it on their own, nobody has chained them to the pole.”
Lungu said there were a handful of traitors who were being used to fight a united opposition.
However, Lungu said those who were being used were delusional individuals who thought they were going to win on their own.
“Apart from UPND and PF, all other opposition parties received less than 1 percent four years ago. There is absolutely no empirical evidence that they would do significantly better next year, apart for their own boastfulness, conjecture and self promotion through social media,” Lungu said.
He said likes and view times on social media did not translate into guaranteed votes as they could be faked
