UPND leaders ‘endorse’ Kitwe violence …stakeholders want answers

FAILURE by the UPND leadership to condemn acts of Armageddon by their cadres on the Copperbelt attests that the ‘criminals’ had the blessing of the party, the Advocates For National Development And Democracy has said.

Organisation executive director, Samuel Banda, it was sad the UPND leadership had not taken any decisive action against the ‘ dangerous’ trend of violence.

Mr Banda said the attack on innocent police officers who were carrying out their legal mandate was barbaric.

“We wish to condemn in the strongest terms, the violence that was exhibited by the UPND against the Zambia Police on youth day,” he said.

Mr Banda said the thuggery behaviour of UPND cadres was setting a very bad precedent and needed to be checked urgently.

He said if this was not urgently addressed, it would give cadres the impetuous to commit more crimes.

“We are therefore calling on all political parties to reign in their cadres during this emotive period. We would further like to urge the police service to ensure all perpetrators of political violence are brought to book so as to deter further incidents as we head into the campaign period for 2021,” said Mr Banda.

And the Zambian DNA has strongly condemned the violent conduct by UPND cadres who attacked police officers on Youth Day on the Copperbelt.

Zambia DNA spokesperson, Spuki Mulemwa, called on all political party leaders to advise cadres not to get involved in violence as it had the potential to disrupt the peace the country.

Mr Mulemwa commended Zambia Police Service Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja for instructing his Police officers to bring to book all perpetrators of violence.