MPS at NCC question PF's double standards

Patriotic Front (PF) Members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) have questioned the party leadership's double standards for embracing MPs from the United Party for National Development (UPND) who are also attending the conference while rejecting them.

Spokesperson for the MPs and councillors, Peter Machungwa says it is surprising that the PF has entered into a pact with the UPND when that party's MPs are attending the NCC which the PF leadership has opposed to. Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka June 11 Machungwa said his group sees a contradiction in the move by the PF leadership to denounce its own MPs for attending the conference when on the other hand it embraces the UPND MPs.

And Machungwa said his group had distanced themselves from the brutal attack on two members of the party who were expressing their views at Court Yard Hotel in Lusaka by some PF cadres. He said the MPs had taken this position because they had waited silently and patiently for the party leadership to distance the party from the violent attacks on Samson Zulu and Mubanga Chileshe.

“We are convinced that in our democratic dispensation, the right to freely express ourselves and air our opinions no matter how divergent is absolute. The culture of violence must be condemned by all progressive party members. Dr Machungwa said it was unacceptable to beat up people because they held different views.