STOP CADERISM IN MARKETS AND BUS STATIONS

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) political cadres are illegally controlling the markets and the bus stations despite President Hakainde Hichilema’s pronouncement that there will be no political cadres in the markets and in the bus stations.

President Hichilema made the pronouncement shortly after he was declared president following the August 12, 2021 general election.

However, people welcomed President Hichilema’s pronouncement regarding the removal of the cadres from the markets and the bus stations. It seems the idea was to remove the cadres from the former ruling Patriotic Front party.

The UPND cadres have indirectly taken control of the public markets and the public bus stations. These political cadres are harassing the marketeers and the bus drivers. Worse still, the cadres extort money from the marketeers and the bus drivers. This kind of lawlessness being exhibited by the cadres is uncalled for.

The maxim of the law states that no one is above the law. As such, the law enforcers should up their game by arresting the cadres who are interfering with the operations of the markets and the bus stations. This will bring sanity in the markets and the bus stations.

The local authority employees are the ones mandated to collect the market levies and the bus station levies and not the cadres.

There was pandemonium last month at Lilanda market when the UPND cadres almost beat the Lusaka City Council employees. The cadres further warned the council employees to stop collecting the levies from the marketeers and the bus drivers with immediate effect.

The cadres have taken control of the markets and the bus stations across the country.

This is a sad development which should not be condoned.

It is in public domain that the UPND cadres are extorting money from the marketeers and the bus drivers, an act which has no blessing of the law. In view of this, caderism should be stopped by arresting those involved.