Socialist Party urges President Hichilema to refrain from tribal utterances

The Socialist Party (SP) leader, Fred M’membe, claims President Hakainde Hichilema feels threatened politically and has resorted to tribalism.

M’membe alleged that Hichilema made some tribal remarks during the end of year media briefing at Mulungushi International Conference Center and at the new year rally held in Choma, Southern Province.

Addressing journalists in Lusaka on Thursday, M’membe advised Hichilema to unite Zambians and not seek to divide people based on where they come from.

He stated that those that liberated Zambia united its people under the mantra – One Zambia One Nation but that today, Zambians were being divided more and more by the current government.

“Even when Hichilema feels threatened, we urge him to refrain from retreating to tribal utterances,” M’membe advised.

The SP leader said that Zambians had told Hichilema’s administration what needed to be done to address the challenges the country was facing, but that this had fallen on deaf ears.

He further accused the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) of lacking respect for the laws of the country and had allegedly destroyed Parliament including the judiciary.

“The executive is in shambles. It has become very tribalistic and very regional. The governance system has been weakened,” M’membe alleged.

He observed that there was a breakdown of order in society and that the UPND government was trying hard to move this country to a de facto one-party dictatorship.

“For us in the political arena, we closed the year on a very sad note. The liberties that our forefathers fought for were eroded,” the SP leader lamented.

M’membe alleged that the freedoms of assembly, association and expression were being denied opposition political parties, citing insecurity or security reasons.

He said the insecurity had gone on for two and a half years of the UPND government and that the rule of law required that every decision and action of the government should be backed by a law.

“There is no law that states that if those in government feel insecure, the rights of citizens are suspended,” M’membe stated.

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