By JULIUS PHIRI and NORMA SIAME –
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to unite the country once elected Republican president in the January 20, 2015 presidential election.
The opposition leader said, when he featured on a live Breeze FM Radio programme in Chipata on Monday evening, that Zambians under the Patriotic Front (PF) Government had been divided.
Mr Hichilema said once ushered into office, he would ensure that people from the 10 provinces were united.
“The Zambian people are divided under the PF Government and let me assure the people of Zambia that once we form government after the January 20, 2015 presidential by-election, we will unite the people from all tribes and races,” he said.
The situation in the UPND showed that the party was the most united and stable in the country.
Although some people were claiming that UPND was a tribal party, it was not true because it had officials from various tribal groupings across the country.
Mr Hichilema is from Southern, while Canisius Banda and Richard Kapita, who are his vice-presidents for administration and politics, respectively, are from Eastern and North-Western Provinces, respectively.
He said UPND chairperson Mutale Nalumango was from Northern, while secretary general Winstone Chibwe was from Central Province.
Mr Hichilema said people should not talk about tribalism in the UPND because it was non-existent.
“Tribalism will not take us anywhere and as far as I am concerned UPND is not tribal,” Mr Hichilema said.
He said he would appoint his Cabinet from all the 10 provinces and that UPND had gained managerial experience to govern the country.
Once elected, Zambia would go to the 2016 general elections under a new Constitution.
He said as a member of the grand coalition on the Constitution-making process, UPND understood how important the new Constitution was to Zambians.
He also promised to reduce the water and sanitation challenges that most districts in Eastern Province were facing.
Mr Hichilema maintained that he would not need a salary if voted Republican President, stating that he would donate it to education support for underprivileged people.
Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema, who arrived yesterday at Kasama Airport around 17:30 from Isoka, was met by local party officials before proceeding to Mungwi for a scheduled meeting with Paramount Chief Chitimukulu-designate Henry Sosala.
He is expected to begin his campaign in the town today with a tour of markets.