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Zambian Opposition Leader Accuses Ruling Party of Campaign to Discredit Him

   Peter Clottey 28 September 2010

   The leader of Zambiaâs opposition Patriotic Front (PF) said the ruling
   Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has been spending millions of
   Kwacha to discredit him ahead of next yearâs election.

   Veteran  opposition leader Michael Sata expressed confidence to VOA he
   is  growing in popularity despite the ruling partyâs repeated attempts
   to thwart his presidential ambitions.

   âMMD,  in  the  last  two  years,  has  spent lots of money to try and
   discredit me, but they have failed. And, every attempt they make, they
   make  me much stronger. Now they are using renegades from UPND (United
   Party for National Development) who are going round trying to show the
   people that the pact is cracking when the pact is not cracking.â

   Sata has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hakainde Hichilema,
   leader  of  the  (UPND)  ahead  of next yearâs election. But, the UPND
   national  youth  organizer  accused Sata of being a âtired old man who
   should never be allowed to rule Zambia.â

   Michael Sata, Zambia's veteran opposition leader

   Sata  said  the  ongoing accusation and insults are part of the ruling
   partyâs plan to undermine the confidence Zambians have in him.

   âWhat  about the young men in Zambia who have been ruling Zambia? What
   do  we  have?  Plunder, corruption. For example now, the young men are
   diluting the Anti-Corruption Commission where they are saying an abuse
   of  office  is not an offense. Itâs the young men who have sold ZAMTEL
   (communications   giant),   who   have   increased  fuel  and  without
   considering the people.â

   The 73-year old Sata also said the reason âyou find all the malaise in
   Africa today, and Zambia in particular, is because of the young rulers
   because  the young men, all they enjoy is to be in the aeroplane every
   day.â

   Political  observers  have questioned the stability of the pact signed
   between   the  two  opposition  parties  after  recent  spats  between
   supporters of the UPND and the PF.

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