UPND is using violence to achieve its political agenda

UPND members live under an illusion that the police will not arrest them for fear of being blamed for not respecting human rights, what a joke.

The party has a tendency of perpetuating violence

(both physical and verbal) towards those with opposing views and cry police brutality when they are brought forward to account for their actions.

We can only hope our judicial system will deal with such case firmly without fear or favour, more so as to send a message to all those would-be offenders. As we get closer to our next general elections, absolute peace is of paramount importance and must be guaranteed by everyone.

No one in his or her right frame of mind should glorify violence and criminality in the name of exercising any right or freedom, be it the right to assemble or freedom of speech.

UPND’s Romeo Kang’ombe is not the only young politician we have in Zambia, we have a lot of respected young people today in leadership but they are well versed with the law and know their boundaries when it comes to the confinement of the law.

Mr Kang’ombe being an elected law marker should have known the consequences of his action and must not blame the police or the PF for his luck of a better judgement but must blame his party, the UPND that used him as a tool of violence.

Abducting people, especially law enforcement officers in the name of exercising any rights or freedoms is a criminal offence, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; such is the magnitude of this offence.

Whether he is UPND,

PF, FDD, MMD or UNIP, the bottom line is that Mr Kang’ombe broke the law; you can’t abduct police officers in any part of the civilised world and get away with it. In rough places like Sudan or Somalia, he would immediately be beheaded publicly.

The police represent the President (The Commander- in-Chief) and the President represents the power of the people, which he holds temporarily for a fixed term of office.

Anyone who disrespects that power must be made to suffer the consequences of their offence, because without laws there is no order or peace.

HH and the current crop of UPND members must learn to campaign with a convincing message and sell their manifesto (if they have any) to win the hearts of voters like the founder of UPND Anderson Mazoka did who had a message that gave hope and won the hearts of people across the country.

Those engaging in criminal activities to please their leader will have themselves to blame; Mr Kang’ombe is now in cells, while HH is busy enjoying his coffee in the comfort of his mansion in New Kasama.

We are tired of having opposition politicians using violence to win elections.

This is actually the right time for Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo and his police officers to sort this political violence problem once and for all before it gets out of hand.

Why is it that every time there are elections in UPND’s strongholds, there is always bloodshed and death?

If the UPND now feel they were acting in self-defence, did they report any acts of violence against them to the relevant authorities, NO?

Why then claim self-defence after you have already been cited for an offence of violence? That is the childishness the police have to deal with in the UPND and its leadership.