By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
A PARARELL UNIP structure opposed to UNIP leader Tilyenji Kaunda was yesterday launched in Lusaka under the tag ‘UNIP Active’.
But UNIP Lusaka Province information and publicity secretary Charles Mwelwa has described the wing as illegal and that there is no such structure in UNIP.
UNIP Active has a goal of taking UNIP to the national congress within six months to bring legality to the party’s Central Committee, Provincial Committees and District Committees which it claims are currently dead.
It has also been formed with a view to gather all factions and members to address the current leadership crisis in the party.
UNIP Active, which boosts of having structures countrywide, said it would embark on a massive membership recruitment to prepare the party for the 2016 general elections.
Speaking at the launch in Lusaka yesterday, UNIP Active publicity secretary Stanley Chinoi said the structure does not support Mr Kaunda’s candidacy in the upcoming Presidential elections of January
20, 2015.
Mr Chinoi said that UNIP Active was in support of a Government of national unity because it is the only available solution for Zambia.
He said that political parties would be invited to take up key positions in the Government of national unity which was being proposed by his structure.
Mr Chinoi said the wing would engage members, leaders, council of veterans and any member frustrated and unjustly exiled from UNIP and bring vibrancy back into the party.
He said that UNIP Active would also ensure that the party remained relevant to the current political landscape of Zambian, African and global political landscape.
Mr Chinoi who was flanked by his secretary Beatrice Kayuni said that UNIP Active would not support the academic exercise by Mr Kaunda to participate in the January 2015 election but instead would propose a Government of national unity with a broad inclusion of all political players for it to achieve national character.
He, however, said that UNIP Active has not settled for any single presidential candidate to drive the Government of national unity but consultations were underway.
But Mr Mwelwa has warned those expelled from the party not to go against the law by bringing the name of the party into ridicule by forming illegal structures which were not recognised by the party constitution.
He said that the UNIP youth league would not allow people like Mr Chinoi to form structures which were against the legal binding political party UNIP.
Mr Mwelwa said that the only structures that recognized in UNIP were the youth, women and veteran leagues.
He said that UNIP Active was a disgruntled group of people who have been expelled from the party and now wanted to bring confusion.