MMD vice-president Reverend Reuben Sambo says as things stand, Bill 10 is a power button.
Rev Sambo said at the close of Bill 10 business, it would not be the nation that would be celebrating but either the PF and its supporters or UPND and its supporters.
He said the PF had just found out that it was not so easy to outwit the challengers in a matter of parliamentary process where they need them.
“The PF is now caught in a scenario whereby, if they force it, it could still hurt them sooner than later because so many people have become suspicious of their actions,” he said.
“They have neglected to act decisively before in order for the public to trust them as having the nation’s best interest at heart. They did not act when the 48 houses were revealed. They did not act when the bizarre $42 million was blown. They did not act when the ambulance ‘scandal’ was highlighted. They have not acted when the quality of life of the people has been degenerating. They have not acted when the cost of living is getting higher and higher. They don’t act when the whistleblowers shout ‘corruption’. They do not act in defence of the poor and weak.”
Rev Sambo said mere passing of Bill 10 was not enough for the PF.
“As a matter of fact, it could spell disaster for them. If I was a principal advisor to the PF, I would say ‘okay guys, it’s time to redeem ourselves…withdraw the bill, let the President deal with all these perceived scandals once for all and fire who he should fire from his cabinet and give the party a real fighting chance’. We in the MMD know this too well. There comes a time when it’s no longer about what you do, but what people think about what you are doing. In 2001, we expelled people who were opposed to a third term for FTJ, which included the Republican vice-president and the party vice-president and several others,” he said.
“We went and changed out party constitution at the convention to allow Dr FTJ Chiluba to have a 3rd term but the Zambians had become convinced that we were corrupt and not good to be trusted. They made it clear that FTJ was no longer welcome. We found ourselves in late night activities to save ourselves and the rest is history to learn from.”
Rev Sambo said Bill 10 and how PF had gone about it had just succeeded in entangling the ruling party.
He said the PF had carelessly gone into a tight corner from which it was difficult to come out without injuries.
“On the other hand, the UPND have now convinced themselves that this is it. They cannot let Bill 10 pass no matter what. If they do, it will rob them of an already apparent open door to power. So they will not easily give in. If somehow some of their MPs cave, then such MPs better be sure never to return to the House on UPND ticket,” he said.
“But they also are hoping this resolve to resist Bill 10 is a way to convince the masses that they are the hope for Zambia. Through the resistance to Bill 10, they are becoming stronger and hoping that they will be the ‘Robin-hood’ Party.”
Rev Sambo said UPND were hoping that for the first time in a long time, they could truly have a debate about PFs mismanagement and corruption and not the other, usual side shows on the road to 2021.
“Again we in the MMD recognise this. All that president Michael Sata needed to do to unseat us was to appear to be resistant. We had carelessly gifted him with a constitution making process, and in there we included things like repealing the ‘leadership code of conduct’ clause and some other things. He jumped on it like a bloodthirsty tick and resisted. He used it to highlight our corruption and abuses,” he said.
“He expelled over 20 MPs who did not tow the party line but chose to attend the National Constitution Conference (the equivalent of the NDF). And the masses hailed him as tough and therefore their saviour. He spoke viciously about RB’s Chinese and the people celebrated him. He called out corruption in our cabinet, but we instead summoned him to DEC and teargased him. All this was paving a clear path to State House for him.”
Rev Sambo said that was how PF, without much effort, beat a well resourced Rupiah Banda campaign.
He said with a simple slogan and a song, it was all over for the MMD.
Rev Sambo said Bill 10 was a power button as things stand.
He said in the process, the issues that really matter were not being attended to.
Rev Sambo said the nation was not even “hearing the rest of us”.
“Listen Zambia, we in the New Hope MMD are clear on all these issues and we embody the most realistic Hope for this nation. Soon we shall return from our convention and we shall share with you all our proposals for changing the prospects for our nation. Our zero tolerance to corruption. Our very clear approach to education, agriculture, health, employment, industrialisation, tourism, infrastructure, energy, security, mining etc,” said Rev Sambo.
“For now let’s see who gets the bigger piece of the Bill 10 rope. Clearly, the onus is with the men and women in that copper encased chamber. Fwebashala, we have said our bit. Kwalinsoke, takwafwile muntu… (To be forewarned is to be forearmed).”