PF women were not blocked – Mweetwa
THE Patriotic Front (PF) was not blocked from commemorating the International Women’s Day and claims that police and the UPND cadres prevented the former ruling party from entering the venues of the event in some parts of the country a scheme by the opposition to malign government and the ruling party, Cornelius Mweetwa has said.
And Mr Mweetwa has dispelled speculation that political party regalia has been banned during the Youth Day celebrations and has encouraged the young across the country to turn out in numbers in their diverse uniforms and party regalia.
Mr Mweetwa, the Information and Media Minister says there was no such drama where the PF women were prevented from participating in the International Women’s Day as all political parties in their regalia took part in the celebrations in a serene political environment.
Mr Mweetwa who is also the UPND spokesperson said the ruling party was a civil organisation that would never engage in vices that were undemocratic.
He said President Hakainde Hichilema who was in Livingstone for the women’s day in fact saluted all the women including those from the opposition political parties such as the PF.
“There was no such drama as blocking any particular political party from participating in the International Women’s Day. In fact, President Hichilema who was in Livingstone saluted all the women including those from the opposition such as the PF. The President was happy with the serene environment that characterized the women’s day and he emphasized that, that was how it should be and that Zambia should never go back to the days of political violence,” Mr Mweetwa said.
He stated reports that the Police and the UPND cadres prevented the PF women were nothing but a scheme that was made up by the opposition in their attempt to portray the ruling party as being intolerant.
Mr Mweetwa said there was no limitation to the number of participants to national events and that it was not possible that the UPND cadres and the police could have prescribed or limit the number of PF during the Women’s Day celebration.
“There was way that President Hichilema was talking and encouraging peace and promoting co-existence among political parties and then have people purporting to be working for the head of State to do the opposite of what the President is desiring. It is not possible unless there is something fishy. There has never been any presicription that restricted the number of people wishing to participate in national events such as the Women’s Day,” Mr Mweetwa said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mweetwa says he is not aware of the banning of the political party regalia during tomorrow’s Youth Day commemoration.
“I will not respond to speculation and I am not aware of any government position banning political party regalia during the Youth Day commemoration. If there had been such a decision, I should have been in the know. The Youth Day is national and every year, we have put on our political party regalia and there can be no difference this time around,” Mr Mweetwa said.