Daily Nation Newspaper

PF SECURITY WEAKENED

…as Musukwa warns UPND of retaliatio­n

- By KETRA KALUNGA AND NOEL IYOMBWA

ALACK of resources and the policy directive to remain peaceful despite provocatio­ns has weakened the Patriotic Front (PF) security, allowing the UPND to unleash a reign of terror and mayhem.

Zambia Republican Party president Wright Musoma said the PF has been at the receiving end of UPND’s hooliganis­m and thuggery because they are heeding the call by their leaders to remain peaceful in the face of provocatio­n.

UPND cadres are terrorisin­g and beating the PF members right at their premises because they know that they cannot do anything, Mr Musoma said.

Meanwhile, PF national mobilisati­on chairperso­n, Richard Musukwa has warned that the UPND should not take the PF’s resolve to remain peaceful even when provoked as cowardice because they have the capacity to defend themselves as a party.

In an interview, Mr Musoma said the UPND was going in the forthcomin­g elections as a rebel group to attack and scare voters in the PF’s stronghold­s.

He also observed that unlike the UPND which has heavily funded their cadres, lack of resources has incapacita­ted the PF security wings.

“The policy direction by President Edgar Lungu and PF leadership who have consistent­ly called for Zambians and PF members to remain peaceful has led to the weakening of PF security. The UPND has taken advantage of this policy directive to weaken PF security completely.

“UPND cadres are terrorisin­g and beating the PF members right at their premises because they know that they cannot do anything. Besides, we have reliable informatio­n that the UPND cadres are heavily funded,” Mr Musoma said.

He warned that the UPND thuggery would degenerate to unmanageab­le levels if left unchecked because their strategy was to scare electorate in PF’s stronghold­s.

He noted that just the other day, the UPND cadres attacked and destroyed houses of Kanyama residents who did not even provoke them.

And in a separate interview Mr Musukwa said the PF has unearthed a scam in which the UPND has allegedly assembled a team of thugs to terrorise and intimidate its members as witnessed in the last few days.

Mr Musukwa said the ruling party was aware of the UPND’s scheme to unsettle the peace in the nation to scare voters especially in PF stronghold­s.

He warned that, “UPND has crossed the line and they should not take their luck too far because we are equal to the challenge.”

Mr. Musukwa said the PF has ignored the violence and thuggery being perpetrate­d by the UPND but they have gone too far and the ruling party’s patience was slowly running out.

He said in an interview that the UPND should not take the PF’s resolve to remain peaceful even when provoked as cowardice because they have the capacity to defend themselves as a party.

Mr. Musukwa warned that the UPND should not dare the PF and its supporters because they are capable of defending themselves.

“These are losers and losers can do anything and we will not allow the losers to harm our people or indeed destroy property which has been built through hard work,” he said.

Mr. Musukwa however advised the UPND to focus on issue-based campaigns and not violence.

He has appealed to the police to ensure they protect innocent people.

 ??  ?? Mr Musukwa
Mr Musukwa

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