UPND using National Dialogue for regime change- Nawakwi

The opposition UPND and its Alliance parties have been accused of using the National Dialogue as a vehicle to foster regime change in Zambia.

On the 1st of February the Opposition Alliance issued a statement in which it implied that it sees the success of the National Dialogue as a complement to its winning the 2021 general elections.

But FDD president Edith Nawakwi says given such a statement it is clear that once in power the UPND would see no need for dialogue.

Ms. Nawakwi has also alleged that this agenda of regime change by the UPND has many players as evidenced by the speeches delivered during the launch of the National Dialogue on the 18th of January.

She says this explains why the proposal to open a transparent bank account and an independent secretariat for the National Dialogue has met strong resistance from the Opposition Alliance.

Ms. Nawakwi said this in Lusaka during a media briefing jointly held with her MMD, ULP and Rainbow Party counterparts Felix Mutati, Sakwiba Sikota and Wynter Kabimba respectively.

And  Ms. Nawakwi has disclosed that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema allegedly caused the meeting on  the MoU for the National Dialogue, held on Tuesday the 29th of January, to collapse.

Ms. Nawakwi  says Mr. Hichilema threatened to walk out of the meeting if verbatim recording on the text agreed upon in the MoU on the 25th of January was played in the meeting.

She says this is was after the UPND and its alliance parties reneged on almost every clause agreed to in the MoU, arguing that the document did not reflect the spirit of the discussion.

The FDD leader states that the verbatim script of the January 25th meeting however indicates that all political parties agreed that the ZCCB, EFZ and CCZ will lead and chair the National Dialogue.

She has told journalists that all political parties equally agreed that there shall be a joint secretariat which will not be situated at either Kapingila House or the Zambia Center for Interparty Dialogue.

Mr. Mutati, Mr. Sikota and Mr. Kabimba also spoke during the media briefing.