LUNGU HATES HH – UPND – Scoop Newspaper

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Information and Publicity Secretary Francis Kope says former president Edgar Lungu started making irreconcilable and impassioned speeches against President Hakainde Hichilema after the death of fourth Republican Rupiah Banda who diplomatically meditated the handover of power in the post 2021 General Elections

But National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader SaboiImboela says the reconciliation of President Hichilema and Mr. Lungu is in the hands of the former being the Head of State.

Speaking in an interview, MrKope said Prof. Nkandu Luo was correct when she intimated that the booing of Mr. Lungu by UPND cadres at Heroes stadium during the inauguration ceremony of President Hichilema exacerbated the hatred between the duo which looked to have been mended after Mr. Banda diplomatically meditated on the handing over of power.

“The referee between the two was the godfather of Mr. Lungu in the name of late Rupiah Banda who meditated between the two and convinced the two to live in peace and in harmony. President Hichilema pledged that Mr. Lungu was safe and that there was nothing that was going to happen to him.

“After the demise of Mr. Banda, we saw that Mr. Lungu started bringing out these conversations, perhaps for lack of a better term, rantings or in other words, he started talking off the cuff and without putting much thought to it. Among some of the words that were coming out of him was ‘I think there is not much proper reconciliation’. He started talking a lot of things at every interaction including funerals where he was demeaning the authority. That showed that he had a grudge against President Hichilema,” Mr. Kope concluded.

He claimed everyone knew that President Hichilema had nothing against Mr Lungu such that even after issuing treasonous statements, Mr. Lungu was still freely looming the streets and holding political interactions.

He said it was Mr. Lungu who was obligating the law with impunity hence, he was the one who must reach out to President Hichilema for possible reconciliation.

He added that it was Mr. Lungu who u-turned and rejoined politics therefore the UPND will deal with him as a contender and not as an enemy.

“If there is reconciliation that is needed, I think the people that need to reconcile with themselves and re-correct their memories and come back to their senses is the sixth President, Mr. Lungu because President Hakainde Hichilema has always extended the olive branch,” he said

But Ms. Imboela said it was President Hichilema holding the instrument of power therefore must approach Mr. Lungu for serious reconciliation.

“I must be frank with you, not that I am in the opposition, but I think it is President Hichilema as Head of State who must approach Mr. Lungu for reconciliation,” she said.