New political alliance appoints Sikota, Kateka as chair, coordinator, seeks legal status

The newly announced opposition political alliance, comprising eight political parties, has appointed Lusaka lawyer, Sakwiba Sikota, and former banker, Chishala Kateka, as interim chairperson and national coordinator respectively.

Sikota is the President of the United Liberal Party (ULP) while Kateka heads the New Heritage Party (NHP).

In a joint media statement on Monday by Golden Party of Zambia (GPZ) president, Jackson Silavwe, and Saboi Imboela, the president of National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the two would facilitate the registration of the political movement with the Registrar of Societies.

“Following the coming together of political parties that held a press conference on the January 31, 2024, to call for a broad cross cutting national movement; the said political parties have agreed to have Sakwiba Sikota SC, the President of the United Liberal Party, to be the interim Chairperson of the grouping.

“The said opposition parties have also agreed to have Chishala Kateka, the President of the New Heritage Party, to be Coordinator of the group,” the statement said.

It stated that the first task for the interim Chairman and the interim Coordinator was to have the proposed name, for the group, to be cleared and seek registration with the Registrar of Societies.

“It is hoped that the Registrar of Societies will ensure quick processing of the documents that shall be filed and facilitate the clearing of any hurdles that may be there,” the statement said.

After the formal registration, it added that other political parties that had indicated willingness to work together, would be inducted into the group.

“It is after the bringing in of other parties that the substantive chairperson, coordinator and other office holders will be chosen and agreed upon,” it stated.

The People’s Movement alliance included the ULP, NHP, Harry Kalaba’s Citizens First (CF), Forum for Development and Democracy (FDD) led by Edith Nawakwi and Silavwe’s GPZ.

Others are Imboela’s NDC and the Patriotic Front (PF) led by Edgar Lungu, the former President who ruled Zambia for about seven years and is now staging a comeback.

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