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Zambia’s opposition has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of instigating by-elections by inciting councilors to resign.
It is disheartening that the Hichilema led new dawn government can cause of expensive by-elections by inciting councilors to resign amidst the economic hardships the country is grappling with.
This is according to Patriotic Front (PF) presidential hopeful Brian Mundubile.
Mundubile said the money which would be channeled to the by- elections should have been used to buy medicines for public hospitals and to sort out other issues of national importance such as rehabilitation of roads in rural areas.
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He alleged that government did not care about the welfare of the Zambian people, the more reason they see it fit to spend colossal sums of money on by-elections at a time public hospitals have no drugs.
“They don’t care that there are no medicines in hospitals, they don’t care that the roads are not in good condition. If you look at the cost of these by elections, they can buy medicines in hospitals.
Mr Mundubile reminded President Hichilema that while in opposition, he spoke against the idea of holding by elections as they were a strain on the treasury.
He wondered why Mr Hichilema has now u-turned and now championing the same things he detested while in opposition.
“The UPND petitioned all the Parliamentary seats apart from four when they formed government, they also petitioned over 200 councilors, the same thing they spoke against not too long ago,” he said.
He said he was aware that the UPND are using District Commissioners and others to manipulate councilors into resigning by promising and offering them jobs.
“They advertise about recruiting in the correctional and police service, and then send the DCs and others to manipulate councilors to resign by promising them jobs.
“The corruption that is in the UPND is the sophisticated,” he said.
The ECZ has set January 20, 2023, as date for holding local government by-elections in four wards in Luapula, Northern and North-Western Provinces.
The by-elections have arisen due to resignations of councilors in the respective areas.
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