STOP THE VIOLENCE OR WE WILL REACT, MTAYACHALO WARNS UPND

IF the UPND leadership will not stop its cadres from engaging in political violence against the Patriotic Front (PF) we will have to option but defend ourselves because we have restrained ourselves for far too long, Yatam Mtayachalo has warned.

Mr Mtayachalo, the PF Chama South Member of Parliament (MP) said the UPND was courting political chaos by their continued violence against the former ruling party and that the leadership of the ruling party would have itself to blame.

Mr. Mtayachalo said it had become crystal clear that President Hakainde Hichilema’s denunciation of cadrerism was a mere public relations stunt meant to project him as a man who hated violence when he was actually condoning the vice.

He said in an interview that the worst would happen in the next five years if the UPND failed to tame their cadres one year in office which he said was worrying.

Mr. Mtayachalo said cadrerism had resurfaced because it was either the UPND members who had disobeyed their leadership or the leadership was playing double standards on ending the vice.

“We want to warn that in Chama North, the majority are PF so if they (UPND) continue to behave in this manner, our people may be unleashed, I think we have the right to defend ourselves.

So if that happens the UPND should not blame the PF,” Mr Mtaychalo said. Mr. Mtayachalo said he and his campaign team were over the weekend attacked by suspected UPND members in Lumezi ward in Chama North constituency when they were addressing a meeting ahead of the by-election on November 4, 2022.

He said the alleged UPND cadres attacked and injured some of the PF members in Ntembazani village shortly after conducting their campaigns.

Mr. Mtayachalo said the alleged UPND cadres started throwing stones and in the process damaged a vehicle belonging to Chama South MP Davison Mung’andu.

He said the matter was reported to the police at Chama police station and the injured PF members were issued with medical reports and taken to the hospital for treatment.

Mr. Mtayachalo said the UPND has resorted to violence because they have sensed that they would suffer a heavy defeat in the coming by-elections which was unfortunate.