UPND prepares for 2011

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hikainde Hichilema, says his party is strengthening its structures so that it can be ready for the 2011 tripartite elections.

Mr Hichilema who did not state clearly whether UPND would abandon the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) if he was not elected as presidential candidate in 2011 said his party wanted to avoid the predicament of 2006.

The other members of the UDA are Forum for Democracy and Development and the United National Independence Party.

“The UDA’s strength is dependant on the coalition of the three political parties but UPND is putting its resources together starting from the grassroots for the elections in 2011,” Mr Hichilema said in Ndola after a card renewal meeting and fundraising braii at Shalom Park.

“The party has embarked on campaigns for the 2011 tripartite elections in time for it to be a strong party with a strong candidate,” he said.

Mr Hichilema earlier said there were a lot of mistakes made under the UDA, which resulted into the coalition losing last year’s tripartite elections.

“There were a lot of arguments in the selection of the UDA president, members of parliament and mayors, resulting into loss of time for campaign.

“I was elected UPND in July and I was chosen as UDA presidential candidate in August after arguing so much among stakeholders,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said UDA had only 45 days for its campaign, while MMD had an advantage as it campaigned for almost two to four years.

And Mr Hichilema said since democracy had been achieved in Zambia, what was required was economic and social development.

He said the opposition and the ruling party should concentrate on the agenda of social and economic development.

Daily Mail.