Opposition leaders ‘chicken out’

SIX opposition political parties spearheaded by the Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM) are in talks for a merger ahead of the 2016 elections with a view of putting their resources together and field one presidential candidate.

ZDDM vice president Charles Kafumbo told the Daily Nation yesterday that the six political parties were in talks ahead of the 2016 elections because they were convinced that no political party in Zambia had the strength to attain the 50 percent +1 majority vote alone.
Mr. Kafumbo lambasted 4th Revolution party president Eric Chanda over his statement that political parties which were opposed to the 1,000 registered voters clause in support of a presidential candidate should be dissolved.
He said the six parties, which would be named in due course after the talks were concluded, had so far agreed to field one presidential candidate because they realised that the 50 percent +1 vote clause in the Constitution needed them to work together.
“The six political parties have agreed to field one candidate next year and as soon as other talks are concluded, we shall name them so that people know us and what our intentions are. For us, we mean well for the people of Zambia because we are not selfish like those who claim that they are big and can work alone.
“The truth is that there is no political party right now in Zambia that can claim that it can get the 50%+1 of the votes, that is a lie. We don’t want to go for a re-run and that is why we want to work together so that we attain the 50%+1 majority vote,” Mr. Kafumbo said. He explained that political parties which did not want to work together were in for a rude shock because the six parties would give them a good run in next year’s election.Mr. Kafumbo charged that Mr. Chanda’s statement that political parties opposed to the 1000 registered voters to support a presidential candidate should be dissolved was misdirected because he did not have any powers to bar anyone from participating in politics.
He said Mr. Chanda should not fantasize politics by overrating himself because his party was nowhere near the big political parties in Zambia, adding that the united force that would be provided by the six parties contemplating a coalition would be no match for the 4th Revolution.