Stop violence, tribal politics, UPND told
By NATION REPORTER THE UPND has made Southern Province a semi-autonomous state by endorsing violence and peddling tribal sentiments, says Patriotic front deputy spokesperson Antonio Mwanza.
During a meeting to drum up support for the PF candidate for Mwanza East ward by- election, Boniface Chaambwa in Monze, PF Provincial Secretary, Brenda Shabantu and the aspiring candidate Boniface Chaambwa’s wife Mary Chaambwa were attacked and badly injured.
And Mr Mwanza who called for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators said the incident should be condemned.
He told the Daily Nation in an interview that the UPND made Southern Province a semiautonomous state by attacking those who had divergent political views.
Mr Mwanza said five UPND Members of Parliament were present when the two PF members were attacked and the vehicle that was used to ferry the UPND cadres belonged to one of the MPs.
He said UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema endorsed the violence that characterised the event as he had decided to keep quiet instead of condemning the violence and counselling his l cadres.
Mr Mwanza said that it was unwise for a person who aspired to lead a country to tolerate and encourage violence.
He said it was not the first time Mr Hichilema had used his support in the province to intimidate PF sympathisers.
Mr Mwanza said the people of Southern Province were peace loving Zambians but Mr Hichilema through the UPND was trying to brainwash them into believing that the province was a no-go area for multi-party politics.
The PF in Luapula has said UPND’s violent activities are well-calculated and aimed at creating a crisis in Zambia to attract international intervention because that is their only hope of getting power through the back door.
Provincial youth chairperson Jacob Chilufya has however said his party would not avenge for the atrocities committed against its members in Southern Province because it wanted to show the world that it was a peaceful party which was above politics of hooliganism.