UPND Kasama District vice chairman Paul Mulenga says the opposition is still intact in the district despite the wrangles that have engulfed the party in the area after former vice-president GBM supported the suspension of provincial chairperson Nathan Illunga.

And Mulenga has urged party members in the area not to follow individuals who are leaving the party.

In a statement, Mulenga stated that party members in the area could not give up on the UPND after working hard to organise it.

“I want to respond to sentiments that were uttered on Radio Mano that all officials in the district committee have resigned. The truth is that we have not stopped; we are still intact and very strong because when others go, there are always others who will remain. I am urging all UPND colleagues that we should be strong and take the party forward; we cannot not give up at this moment after all the things we have gone through. People are suffering, look at the hunger in the country, we want to end this suffering once we are elected,” Mulenga stated.

“Those who followed an individual in the party can leave, but let them leave us in peace because UPND is still strong in Northern Province and it won’t go down because we are here, we are strong people! I am not speaking alone; I am representing all the members in the district, we are still very strong and we shall never go backwards!”

And UPND Kasama District youth treasurer Joseph Lumpa urged the party’s youths not to follow those who were planning to leave the party.

“I want to urge all the UPND members that we must continue being strong as always! Don’t follow people who are saying: ‘we are going to another party’ let us be strong as always; we have passed through a lot to reach where we are. We are almost at the end of the journey; very soon, we will be reaping the fruits of our hard work. Don’t follow people who are leaving the party blindly, let us continue working together with our president, Hakainde Hichilema,” Lumpa appealed.

Meanwhile, Lukashya constituency chairman Vincent Mulenga asked UPND members in the constituency to wait for the party’s top leadership for direction.

“I am appealing to all the youths in Lukashya that at his particular time, when elephants are fighting, it is the grass that suffers. So, if we won’t be wise enough it will be us who will suffer! Look at how you are suffering, the people who are disturbing you are elderly people and they won’t work anywhere! So, let us be wise as youths, let us wait for our elders in the party to give us the direction after all these happenings,” urged Mulenga.