Stop recruiting militia grouping - Mundubile

POLITICAL party leaders must stop recruiting militia grouping in the name of political cadres to avoid unprecedented levels of violence and loss of lives during campaigns, PF Mporokoso Member of Parliament (MP) Brian Mundubile has said.

Mr Mundubile who is leader of the opposition said many families were heartbroken and still mourning the loss of their beloved ones due to the violence that occurred during the August 12 general elections.

He said no decent society could cast a blind eye towards what transpired before, during and after elections where many lives were lost.

Speaking when he delivered his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Mundubile said it was difficult for him to congratulate the elected MPs when some families were still mourning their departed loved ones due to electoral violence.

“It is very difficult to congratulate MPs when families are still mourning their departed loved ones, all because of electoral violence. No decent society can cast a blind eye towards what transpired before, during and after elections, and gross over the loss of lives of fellow citizens who were merely exercising their democratic rights of belonging to political parties of their choice," Mr Mundubile said.

He added, "The death of one Jackson Kungo, a PF member of the Central Committee and many other citizens whose lives were lost during the past elections, including the killing of our two members in Kanyama cast a dark spell on our democracy," Mr Mundubile said.

He said there was no political position that was worth dying for, neither was there any position that was worth killing for whatsoever.

Mr Mundubile challenged his fellow political leaders to set a standard that was based on Christian values even as they conduct their political activities.

"We must set a standard that will allow Zambians to choose their leaders without fear or favour, a standard that will not include militia grouping in the name of political cadres."

He said Zambians expected President Hakainde Hichilema to put an end to electoral violence.

“When the President delivered his speech to this house, Zambians expected him to condemn political violence. We also expected him to comment on what exactly transpired during these elections, including the killing of those members of our political party," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mundubile thanked former president Edgar Lungu for being magnanimous in conceding defeat and allowing the smooth transfer of power even when he had every reason to petition the elections given the unprecedented levels of violence that characterised them.