AVOID WITCH-HUNT - MPEZENI
… Says prosecution will be deemed as persecution
PROSECUTING Patriotic Front (PF) officials now will be tantamount to a witch-hunt intended to demonise the previous government, Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni has said.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni said law enforcement agencies had been around all this time and that it would not make sense for them to pounce on PF officials now that they would be out of office.
He noted that law enforcement agencies still had a leeway to prosecute anyone even under the PF administration.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni urged the UPND administration not pay attention to people calling for the prosecution of PF officials for the perceived criminal activities as doing so would rob the nation of a focused leadership.
He said in an interview that the President-elect, Mr Hakainde Hichilema should stick to his assurance to focus on fostering development and improving the country’s economy.
The traditional leader said those calling for the prosecution of PF officials whom they think committed crimes should know that advising the UPND administration to hunt them down would derail the muchanticipated development.
“Mr. Hichilema’s focus should be building on what has been left behind by the PF administration and improve on where they didn't do well to improve the livelihood of Zambians.
“Focusing on hunting down PF officials and prosecuting them for alleged criminal activity will be taking the country backward in terms of development, the law is there to deal with such matters,” he said.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni said time waits for no one and if the UPND administration pays attention to calls to have PF officials prosecuted, they would lose out on delivering to the expectations of Zambians who have entrusted them with the mandate to improve their welfare. He commended Mr. Hichilema for the assurance that he would not take revenge on anyone who victimised and demonised him.
“It's good that the President-elect has said that he has forgiven those who victimised him, Zambia is a Christian nation, and forgiving one another for the wrongs done is a very good thing,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni said.