STOP HOOLIGANISM
NOT long ago, the UPND accused the PF of being a violent and brutal regime because of the hooliganism that was happening at the time.
The UPND did accuse the PF of being a panga and gun regime and promised to end the acts once elected in 2021.
Things seem to have turned around with the UPND now being caught red handed, as people can see that it does not mean well for the country. Zambians trusted UPND because of sweet talks but things are different now.
Just recently the Ndola Mayor and two councillors in Kitwe were arrested to bar them from participating in the deputy mayoral elections.
Now, the UPND appeared to have turned their attention to the two ward by-elections which will be held in the next few months using unorthodox tricks to stop their opponents from taking part.
The UPND has resorted to abducting opposition candidates so that they can go unopposed, begging the question if it claims to be popular on the ground why not allow others to participate freely so that they can lose on the ballot?
The candidates for the Patriotic Front were beaten away and could not fine the nomination papers.
It makes sad reading that the Socialist Party candidates in Chikenge ward in Kabompo and Kaunga ward in Luangwa were on Thursday allegedly abducted by the ruling UPND to stop them from filling their nominations.
Those implicated in the alleged abduction of the Chikenge ward candidate is Kabompo District Commissioner Hubert Chinyanga while in Kaunga ward in Luangwa, the UPND Lusaka Province chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta and provincial youth chairperson Anderson Banda have been implicated.
According to the Socialist Party first vice president, Dr Cosmas Musumali, in the case of Kaunga ward, Mr Mwaliteta organised a group of hooligans to abduct the female candidate, Ms Maneya Mwale, aged 22, and pointed a pistol in her face forcing her to assure them that she was withdrawing from the race.
Dr Musumali said when Ms Mwale insisted that she was not about to withdraw from the election, Mr Mwaliteta is alleged to have ordered that she should be thrown in Luangwa River.
He said in the case of Chikenge ward, Mr Chinyanga engaged the SP candidate not to contest, promising that he would be compensated handsomely.
He said upon refusal, the candidate was abducted and that the party and the family did not know his whereabouts.
Dr Musumali said it is unfortunate that Mr Mwaliteta and Mr Banda could reach an extent of threatening to kill a young lady because of a ward by-election.
He noted that Mr Mwaliteta was arrested during the PF government for a similar offence and it was not surprising that he was repeating his violent and criminal conduct because he had refused to repent from his evil political behaviour.
We are glad that the Socialist Party has officially reported the incidents to the police, with Dr Musumali urging them to ensure Mr Mwaliteta is arrested as there is enough evidence that he was involved in electoral violence. He said should the police refuse to arrest Mr Mwaliteta, the Socialist Party would not be free to campaign in the ward as violence was likely to escalate.
Although the UPND claims by-elections have been free of violence since it came into the government, it is common knowledge that they have been marred by irregularities in which rival parties have found it hard to file nominations for their candidates.
The hooliganism that people are experiencing particularly during by-elections involving the ruling party is an affront to democratic principles.
The country can only enjoy political stability when elections are not viewed as a “win or die” affair. Citizens ought to elect people without intimidation lest they become silent inactive spectators, detached from the government.