By Mwansa Kaumba
The Citizens First (CF) has told Zambians that they offered themselves as an alternative to the UPND in the August 13 general elections, but citizens decided to back the NRPUP, which they said has now chosen to ‘surrender’ to the UPND by staying away from the forthcoming by-elections.
In a statement issued today, CF spokesperson Stanley Mhango stated that in the just ended elections, CF told Zambians the ‘truth’ that the Tonse Alliance was a fluke and a marriage of “convenience with no ideology, no constitution and no plan for Zambia.”
”Today, Zambians have seen it with their own eyes. The special purpose vehicle, NRUPU, has technically joined the UPND Government by refusing to contest the by-elections. When Zambians expected opposition, they stayed home. When Zambians expected a fight, they surrendered. That is not opposition, that is collusion. That is surrendering the opposition vote through the backdoor,” Mhango stated. “We came to you and urged you to back us as a stable party. We assured you that a vote for Citizens First and our candidates would never be voluntarily surrendered. You would have the confidence that the MPs, Mayors and Councillors you elect on our ticket would be there from day one to represent your interests, rather than living with the uncertainty of having the people you voted for being surrendered to the ruling party under some silent pact or alliance, whatever you may call it.”
Mhango stated that Zambians were not sure today whether the opposition MPs they voted for under NRUPU would ever speak them as the leadership of the party they were elected on appeared to have been cowed into submission.
”Today, after you gave them millions of votes, they have decided to voluntarily surrender to the same ruling party you expected them to provide checks and balances against. They have shattered the little confidence you had that they would continue on the path you desired,” Mhango stated. ” But we urge you not to despair, because there is already an alternative in Harry Kalaba and Citizens First. Even today, we are coming to you to say we are still available. Give us your support to hold the government to account and provide the strong opposition Zambians deserve.”
Mhango argued that Kalaba foresaw the inconsistency that NRUPU had now exhibited, and that was why they refused to join Tonse.
”We refused to be part of a confused alliance that would end up abandoning its voters while Zambians are still grappling with high mealie-meal prices, lack of medicines in hospitals and lack of jobs for the youths,” stated Mhango. “Zambia still has an alternative, and that alternative is Citizens First.”
