Election 2021 - Political violence never wins an election!

POLITICAL Iprovide timely support for and the vaccination process. the rapid deployment of the Mr Young commended the Covid-19 vaccine plans, in- Zambian government on the cluding the coordination of approval of its Covid-19 vac- various stakeholders and im- cination programme. plementation of the vaccina- He said Covid-19 vaccina- tion process. tions are critical to controlling

"These funds will also sup- the pandemic, slowing the port supply chain logistics emergence of new variants, of the Covid- 19 vaccination Mr Mulambia made the ap- and helping to restart the

peal when al Congress Commerce, (ANC) Trade led by the campaign, including assis- global were economy. killed for an offence tance in maintaining the cold they never committed. and Industry “Old Lion” Permanent Harry Sec- Mwaanga

"In support of the global chain, which is vital for safe The chief planner of the retary Mushuma Nkumbula Mulenga from paid the south.

vaccination effort, the Unit- delivery of the vaccine" Mr Chachacha uprising Lewis a courtesy This call on inter the Northern party violence Young said. ed States recently announced

Mutale Changufu refused Province to continued Administration. after indepenMr Young said he was look- an initial receive K42 billion any honours ($2 bil- from Mr Mulambia dence. said First the prov- Republican ing forward to continuing lion) UNIP obligation as - well out of as a the to- MMD ince was President endowed with Dr Kenneth various David support STILL throughout have violence faint Zambia’s mem- is tal planned governments K84 billion as ($4 a protest minerals Kaunda which gave small-scale the eradication vaccination not ories rollout. a of new that distant phenomeaf- billion) over - to the Gavi, wrongful the Vaccine hanging miners of could inter exploit, party political once vioThe non ternoon American of Zambian in govern- Mufulira’s polAlliance of John to support Chanda, the CO- 26, Robin they acquired lence mining as one licences. of the reasons ment, itics. he Central During said, would Street the contin- fight in the for VAX Kamima, Advance Market 18, Edward Com- Ngebe, He said why small-scale he declared min- Zambia a ue independence, late to work 1950s. with I was the the Ministry a little United kid mitment, 27, and making James the Paikani United Phiri, ing had One not been Party fully State. tapped, of National when Health Mr. on Independence the Harry nationwide Mwaanga ParStates 20. the single largest con- largely due Under to lack the of informa- One Party State communication ty Nkumbula (UNIP) launched came activities back a to from brief tributor Mr to Changufu global COVID-19 believed that tion, which regime, could violence be provided continued ensure violent England; citizens struggle he have was received accurate known by as vaccine the access," four should Mr Young have been if a bureau on a was limited established scale. in It was information the a large Chachacha. crowd about as he vaccines rode in a said. honoured as freedom fightthe province. mostly UNIP youths terrorconvertible. There were People unfortunate marched ers. He strongly believed that According ising to those Mr Mulambia, who dared to victims alongside of that the violent motorcade strugthe colonial government licensing speak offices out were against only in its poli

won't contest Choma seat gle and who they included were singing Ms to Lillian the hanged them to scare other Lusaka, cies. Mansa The and Mkushi. unfortunate vicMargaret praise of the Burton, Old Lion. a white youths from involvement in He also tims appealed were lifted to Govern- “by air.” jani settler “Ba and bwela three killed others eee, in Ndola. ba to bwela, court ba pearance the of freedom Pheluna struggle and Mil- rather ment to The provide reintroduction small-scale of on bwela April Equally 13. eee considered ba Nkumbula, as vicba ton Hatembo than the of quest Choma. of justice miners for multiparty in Northern politics Province saw the tims bwela He explained were eee ba four bwela, that youths ba the bwela acMr Ms Mweetwa Burton. alleged that with mineral rise of political identification violence with

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UPND cused uko baile” legal of killing (He team has Ms come applied Burton. back, the detention There of were the four also was incidents equipment. mostly UNIP youths led by for The Mr. habeas Nkumbula four corpus known has following as come the back Livin an of effort inter to party implicate violence Mr beThe Gem one North William Mining “Tekere” and Banthe ingstone from detention where Four he of went). the were four hanged for Hichilema tween in the the matter followers when Lapidary of da is attacking a private organisa- known MMD over by I the a was week colonial barely without six government years being old police tion based in Northern Prov-

UNIP had failed led by to Kenneth get the David followers. But at the end charged. ince whose main objective is and but that some day UNIP remains leaders a silhou- beHatembos Kaunda from from where the they north and of the day, the people’s will

to promote and support small- lieved ette They stuck that were in the being my wrong memory. held people in At residing those despite of the being African availed Nationprevailed through the ballot connection that time, there with the was disap- only one with the details. scale mining.

African political party, the box.

Post-independence political violence in Africa has mostly been motivated by selfish interests. Jonas Savimbi in Angola fought the MPLA Government because of Angola’s diamond riches.

Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor in Liberia fought a bloody civil war over diamonds, Pierre Biemba and General Laurent Nkundabatware Mihigo in DR Congo and Rwanda fought violent political wars over Congolese cottan and gold.

The motivation for political power through violence differs from situation to situation, but the bottom line is always money, big money. A nation is bound to see more violence when business people seek political power.

In many cases, business people turn to politics when their businesses are distressed. They bid for power in the hope that they will have access to state power and block any potential claims on their businesses. They also hope to raid state coffers to settle their private liabilities.

The business people may also have entered into agreements with powerful multinational companies to sell off national assets and resources for their own personal gain.

Under such circumstances, the business people will sponsor violence and cause despondence in a nation. If the other political players fall prey to such tactics, then the entire nation could blow up into violence; then the people will not enjoy their civil rights.

This is what the ruling Patriotic Front should avoid at all cost. The party should engage with the public with total civility. It should not be too difficult for the PF to get rid of any violent cadres. Violence can work in favour of a very unpopular candidate.

The ruling party must raise its standards to higher levels so that violence is not used to distort the many achievements it may have made in government.

Zambians should not see videos of violence or audios of insults each time they open their WhatsApp messages. Let them see inspirational pictures and listen to motivational speeches.

Violence never wins an election. Ask Donald Trump.

Yours truly,

THE UPND A REINCARNATION OF THE ANC?