Milupi Says No to Political Pact

27 May 2011

ALLIANCE for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi has said he will not waste his time to enter into an electoral alliance with either Patriotic Front (PF) or United Party for National Development (UPND) and has declared that he will contest this year’s presidential elections.

He said the two opposition parties were the best example of failed alliances in Zambia.

Mr Milupi’s remarks come in the wake of reports of failed talks with the UPND and suggestions that PF leader Michael Sata was quoting the ADD to boost his popularity in Western Province.

“I am not going to waste my time to enter into an alliance. I am standing as a presidential candidate this year.

“The PF and the UPND are the best example of how political party alliances fail in Zambia, so how would I go and work with such parties?” he said.

Some UPND sources yesterday said the party had failed to enter into an electoral alliance with ADD because Mr Milupi was unrealistic as he wanted all the seats in Western Province.

They told the Times that the two parties met two weeks ago to try and form an electoral pact.

“We met but we failed to agree because demands from the ADD were unrealistic. For instance, they wanted to be the ones to field parliamentary candidates in all the constituencies in Western Province but as UPND we felt that we are equally as strong in the province,” they said.

However, Mr Milupi accused UPND of trying to destabilise his party.”How can they say that I am unrealistic and that I want the entire seats in Western Province if we are to form an alliance?

“That is the worst insult because we want all the seats in Zambia and not just Western Province. We are fielding candidates in all the 150 constituencies,” he said.

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