UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says he will only hold talks with President Edgar Lungu if he stops joking.
This statement comes a week after the opposition leader expressed willingness to meet President Lungu.
This followed the President’s statement that he was ready to meet Mr Hicilema without conditions attached.
However, Mr Hichilema said in Kitwe before drumming up support for UPND candidate in the Lubwa ward by-election, Brian Mwewa, that the dialogue between himself and President Lungu must be led by the Church.
“We are ready and have always stated that we need serious talk. We have made it clear that let the three Church mother bodies lead this process. The Zambia Catholic Bishops, Council of Churches in Zambia and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia. We will talk to Mr Lungu if he stops joking because if we meet the two of us, then someone will spread lies about what we have not said. And you know that. So let the Church led us in a respectful and serious manner. We need to talk and restore the rule of law,” Mr Hichilema said.
“The Zambian people, our people can’t continue to be led in poverty by the PF. We need to rest the PF because they have reached saturation level. A party that is leading people to poverty! Thieves are living like rich people.”
He said he sympathises with the youths that keep protesting in Kitwe.
“We sympathise with the young people that are suffering. The demonstrations in Wusakile is as a result of thieves that are running away with our money. Fake promises to the youths,” said Hichilema.
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