‘No political violence in Bahati, Roan’

POLICE will not tolerate anyone found perpetrating political violence in Bahati and Roan election campaigns as the case was in Sesheke parliamentary by-elections last month, Home Affairs Minister Steven Kampyongo warned yesterday.

Mr Kampyongo said in an interview yesterday that he expected all political parties taking part in the Bahati and Roan constituency parliamentary by-elections and in seven local government by-elections to maintain law and order and observe the electoral code of conduct.

He warned that the police would not spare anyone found perpetrating political violence like it happened in Sesheke.

He said enough police officers would be deployed in all the areas where elections would be held to secure people’s lives and property.

He called on political parties to respect security enforcers as government would not tolerate any verbal or physical abuse of men and women in uniform.

“I wish to appeal to all political parties participating in the ongoing parliamentary and local government seats (elections) across the country to refrain from any form of violence and ensure that you remain civil at all times," he said.

Mr Kampyongo, who is also PF national youth chairman, said it was unfortunate that members of some political parties had been disregarding and attacking police officers deployed to monitor election campaigns and conducting their routine patrols.

He said the campaign period was an opportunity for political parties to sell their party to the voters but not an opportunity to attack one another.

“Attacking police officers on duty is a direct attack on the whole service and government. Police officers are constitutionally mandated to provide security to people and property regardless of ones’ political affiliation, ethnicity, color or region, therefore, as Government we will not tolerate such situation to continue," Mr Kampyongo said.