. SINKAMBA

By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

THE opposition Green Party has elected to go it alone in this year’s elections being held under a new Constitution amendment that has brought on board the 50 per cent plus one vote for a presidential candidate to emerge victorious.

Party president Peter Sinkamba said Green Party was not going into a political alliance or pact because it had an ideology to protect.

Mr Sinkamba said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that the Green Party was resolved in contesting the elections on its own premised on the party agenda which he said was unique.

“We have a good agenda which no other political party has of ensuring that we sustainably manage our environment, to make sure we sustainably manage our economy, our politics and social affairs,” Mr Sinkamba said.

He said because of that, the party felt it could not afford to compromise its green ideology on account of political expedience.

Mr Sinkamba said the decision was based on the fact that the party did not subscribe to what he termed ‘politics of bandwagon’ where people just joined for the sake of it.

It was his belief that every party should have an ideology which should not be compromised and it was for this reason that the Green Party had opted to contest the elections on its own as a party premised on its agenda.

Mr Sinkamba meanwhile, declared his candidature for the presidency in the forthcoming general elections slated for August 11, this year.

He said his party would not be deterred by anything including the hiked nomination fees in contesting for the presidency as it had the capacity.

Mr Sinkamba, however, said the nomination fees were exorbitant particularly for councillors and Members of Parliament (MPs).

He felt the hiked nomination fees were contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, which did not allow discrimination on account of wealth.