22/01/2019 PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE.

docx

PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE, AT INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL IN

LUSAKA ON TUESDAY, 22ND JANUARY 2019.

1. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, Thank you for Coming for this Opposition
Alliance Media Briefing.

2. In Recognition of the Commonality of the Agenda of Various Opposition Political Parties in

Zambia, which is to Deliver a Better Zambia to Zambians, Ten Credible Opposition Political
Parties Decided to Come Together in November 2018, and Form the Opposition Alliance. As
Emphasized in Previous Media Engagements by Various Leaders of the Opposition Alliance, the
Ultimate Objective of the Opposition Alliance is to Deliver a Prosperous Zambia to the Citizens of
this Republic, after 2021. It Must be Noted that Excusing the PF from Mismanaging the Affairs of
this Republic is Not in itself an Objective of the Alliance, but it is Merely Incidental to Our Ultimate
Objective of Delivering a Better Zambia.

3. Since Our Formation, the Opposition Alliance has Grown by Leaps and Bounds and our
Membership is now Standing at 12 Political Parties after two more Political Parties Joined the
Alliance in the Past Few Weeks, being President Ludwig Sondashi’s Forum for Democratic
Alternatives (FDA) and President Jerry Sikazwe’s People’s Redemption Party (PRP). Other
Members of the Alliance include President Elias Chipimo’s National Restoration Party (Narep),
President Mike Mulongoti’s People’s Party (PP), Honourable Chishimba Kambwili’s National
Democratic Congress (NDC) and President Charles Milupi’s Alliance for Democracy and
Development (ADD). Others are President Hakainde Hichilema’s United Party for National
Development (UPND), President Andyford Banda’s People’s Alliance for Change (PAC),
President Mubita Wakumelo’s Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), President James Lukuku’s
Republican Progressive Party (RPP), President Fresher Siwale’s New Labour Party and
President Sean Tembo’s Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP). In addition to the 12 Political
Parties that Currently make up the Opposition Alliance, we are Currently Scrutinizing the Potential
Membership of Three Additional Political Parties to the Opposition Alliance. In Undertaking this
Scrutiny, Our Overriding Consideration is the Credibility of a Given Political Party.

4. Subsequent to the Launch of the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Process at the Anglican
Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Friday, 18th January 2019, the Opposition Alliance Decided to
Meet for the Purpose of Undertaking a Review of the Launch, as well as of Events Before, During
and After the Launch.

5. The Opposition Alliance took Special Note of the Dishonorable Conduct of the Zambia Centre for
Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID), and its Efforts to Undermine the National Dialogue Process by
Shamelessly Attempting to Disparage the Church, who are the Conveners of this National
Dialogue and Reconciliation Process. It Must be Noted that the Moral Standing and Capacity of
the Church in Dealing with these matters, is Beyond Reproach as it is Derived from the Almighty
God Above, as well as from Below, through the Church’s Unquestionable Track Record Over the
Years, to Broker Peace Between Warring Parties, Dating as Far Back as 1990 when Article 4 of
the Republican Constitution was revoked to Pave Way for Multi-Party Democracy.

6. The Opposition Alliance is Cognizant of the Fact that when the Political Luminaries of Yester
Year, that include the then MMD Leader, Late Former Republican President Levy Patrick
Mwanawasa, the then PF Leader, Late Former Republican President Michael Chilufya Sata, the
then UPND Leader, Late Anderson Kambela Mazoka, the then FDD Leader, Late General
Christon Tembo and the then ZRP Leader, Late Benard Yoram Mwila, May All Their Souls
Continue To Rest In Peace, Decided to Meet in 2005 and Form an Institution Called the Zambia
Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID), to Act as a Vent Valve for Political Tension, it Was Done
with Very Good Intentions.

chrome-extension://bpmcpldpdmajfigpchkicefoigmkfalc/views/app.html 1/2
 7. However, it is Apparent to All that the ZCID of Yester Year is Totally Different from the ZCID of
22/01/2019 Today. When ZCID was PRESS
initiallySTATEMENT
Formed, it ISSUED
DerivedBY
itsTHE
Funding from the
OPPOSITION Donor Community, who
ALLIANCE.docx
Allowed it to Operate Freely and Independently, Devoid of any Encumbrances. However, with the
Passage of Time, ZCID Began to Fail to Account for Donor Funds, and Subsequently the Donors
Decided to Cease their Funding to ZCID. With No Funding Available to ZCID, the Government
through the Ministry of Justice Decided to Start Funding ZCID through a Monthly Grant of
Approximately K100,000. However, the PF Decided to Take Advantage of the Fact that they
Determined the Remuneration of ZCID Board Members and Began to Use their Influence to
Dictate the Control ZCID and its Board.

8. As the Saying Goes; He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune. Indeed, the PF Pay the Sitting
Allowances of ZCID Board Members and in turn Determine What ZCID Can Say and Not Say.
This is the Situation that Led to the Resignation from the ZCID Board, sometime in June 2018, of
the Party President for Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), Mr. Sean Tembo, who was also the
Chairperson of the ZCID Board Finance Committee.

9. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, in the Premises above, ZCID cannot, in its
Current Form, be Reasonably Expected to Fairly and Equitably Represent the Interests of all
Political Parties, as intended When it was Initially Formed in 2005/6.

10. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, the Opposition Alliance further Wishes to
Register its Disappointment with the Conduct of Certain Arms of Government, including the
Judiciary and the Legislature Regarding the On-Going National Dialogue and Reconciliation
Process in General and the Launch that Was Held last Friday at the Anglican Cathedral of the
Holy Cross, in Particular. In Convening Last Weeks Launch, the Church Invited Representatives
of the Judiciary and the Legislature, in Addition to Representatives of the Ruling Patriotic Front
including President Lungu. The PF in General and President Lungu in Particular, Decided to Take
a Political Stance and Not Attend the Launch of the National Dialogue Process Last Friday, Which
is Understandable Because PF is a Political Party and President Lungu is a Politician. There is
Nothing Wrong When a Politician or Indeed a Political Party Takes a Political Stance.

11. However, we in the Opposition Alliance are at Pains to Understand How and Why the Judiciary
and the Legislature Also Decided to Take a Political Stance and Boycott the Launch of the
National Dialogue and Reconciliation Process, Despite Being Invited by the Church. From Our
Standpoint, Institutions Such as the Judiciary are Not Supposed to be Politically Aligned and Must
Never Take a Political Stance on National Matters.

12. All in All, the Opposition Alliance is Happy with the Progress Thus Far Made Regarding the
National Dialogue Process and We are Confident that this Process Shall Succeed and Create a
Level Praying Field for All Political Prayers Before the Next General Elections in 2021.

13. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, We Thank You All for Coming to this Press
Briefing.

…………………………………..
Charles Milupi
ADD PRESIDENT AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE

………………………
Sean E. Tembo
PeP PRESIDENT AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE MEDIA AND FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEES

chrome-extension://bpmcpldpdmajfigpchkicefoigmkfalc/views/app.html 2/2