GOVERNMENT has dismissed predictions that this year’s general elections would be the bloodiest ever, describing the prophecy as an attempt to threaten peace and security.
And Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has described the statement from Colonel Panji Kaunda as irresponsible and alarming.
Minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu said in an interview on Janaury 3 that political leaders predicting doom are only trying to frighten voters and the international community.
“It is unbelievable that Col Kaunda can issue such frightening statements when other leaders are denouncing violence,” Mr Lungu said.
Col. Kaunda was on January 3 quoted saying Zambia will experience bloody violence if Government does not put measures in place to stop it.
Mr Lungu said he did not expect political leaders like Col. Kaunda to promulgate violence and anarchy.
Mr Lungu said all political leaders should start preaching peace to their followers instead of threatening violence.
He said Col. Kaunda as a former member of the defence and security wing of the country should have known better about the implications of his statement.
Mr Lungu said the police has been preparing for the elections and is ready to ensure that voting is conducted in a free atmosphere.
“I think the statement from Col. Kaunda puts the security and peace of the country at risk. Political leaders should not predict doom but urge their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during campaigns and voting,” Mr Lungu said.
He said the statement has the potential to frighten voters from exercising their right to vote.
He said as Minister of Home Affairs, he would ensure that a peaceful atmosphere is guaranteed so that all political players can conduct their political campaigns without fear of intimidation and violence.
Mr Lungu said that anyone predicting violence will be proved wrong during elections and that losers should be ready to accept the results of the poll.
“Politicians should not make the work of the police difficult. Col. Kaunda knows that the country should be protected from both internal and external threats,” Mr Lungu said.
Mr Lungu said he is pleased that some political leaders have joined President Banda in preaching peace and unity in Zambia.
He said he has heard Patriotic Front spokesperson Given Lubinda talking about the need to conduct the elections in a peaceful environment.
And FODEP president Stanley Mhango said it is not necessary for political leaders to resort to alarming the nation because Zambians have always been peaceful people.
[pullquote]“To say that the 2011 general elections will be the bloodiest is a very irresponsible statement coming from a senior security official. There is no need to alarm the nation. Zambians have been a peaceful people but this does not mean that law enforcement agencies will relax,” Mr Mhango said.[/pullquote]
Mr Mhango said on January 3 that the violence Zambia witnessed during last year’s by-elections could not be used as a barometer for what is to come.
He said in instances where there have been pockets of violence, it has been concentrated within political parties and not the general public.
“To say that the 2011 general elections will be the bloodiest is a very irresponsible statement coming from a senior security official. There is no need to alarm the nation. Zambians have been a peaceful people but this does not mean that law enforcement agencies will relax,” Mr Mhango said.
“We have made economic strides and it will be irresponsible for any leader to endanger the gains because of political ambitions. The biggest challenge is for the media to be responsible and exercise restraint to avoid unnecessary tension,” Mr Mhango said.
Meanwhile, ZANGOSE CHAMBWA reports that MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has condemned Col. Kaunda’s statement.
Ms Siliya said yesterday that Zambians have no time for violence.
She said Zambians are not interested in politics of doom because they do not add value to the wellbeing of the economy.
Ms Siliya said Zambians have become more discerning and the only thing that matters to them is what the future holds in terms of their welfare.
She said politicians should not utter words which are not healthy to the democracy of the country.
“Politicians should engage in issue-based campaigns, not careless talk because we only have one Zambia and no one wants to see bloodshed,” she said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Zambia Daily Mail should be called Zondwe Dogs Maniacs. Lies all the time
panji should just shut up. his chance of a political career died with his father’s unip.
eish apala awisi Panji.Anyway that was the man’s opinion he he cant be crucified for that.As as good as saying Zambia will have a Tsunami this season.This is a wake up call to the police & Nothing Going On (NGOs)
With all thugs like Chungu, Chiluba out campaigning for RB, and these are well known riggers, how can we expect peace?
Now why telling me…? I know what i know!
His comments are based on past happenings by-elections inclusive. Too early to condemn him, Just leave him alone his has the right to say what he thinks as expression of speech is free for all.
The Daily mail giving a sensored news. Twalema nabo!!!!!!!!!
Panji is a concerned citizen and his views are based on what we all know and have seen in the recent past. We have seen violence and death in simple bye elections and it is a recipe for bloody general elections if the leaders choose to do nothing. This is all Panji is saying and he is by no means wishing such to happen. Seriously do you expect peace and civility when you appoint William Banda to be campaign manager? Party leaders must reflect and search themselves and not to quickly dismiss and ignore Panji’s concerns. As we speak Ivory Coast is in turmoil and remember what happened in Kenya.
With what’s happened pa Zim, kenya and now Sierra Leone I wouldn’t bet against a bloody election at home.
they have finally found out the problem with RB, his brain is like an old PC. It just says not responding. Doctors recommended adding more memory but still no progress he keeps hanging.
“Mr Lungu said the police has been preparing for the elections and is ready to ensure that voting is conducted in a free atmosphere. ”
Does Mr .Lungu understand English ? Simple such thing might happen if at all this is not controlled.He did not say ‘lets go fight” Why do you have to change his language.
Why not just say you will do everything possible to avoid violence? Did you learn English from Kapoto compound?
I really don’t see anything wrong with what col. Kaunda has said.if anything his statement should be taken seriously.measures should be put in place to avoid bloody violence.ms. Siliya,there’s nothing alarming about the statement.
If he had said MMD is a peaceful, party you should have Dora jumping like a Chicken without a head praising Panji.
Before mufumbwe by elections, we say hundreds of police men taken their and there were all sorts of assurance that there will be peace, what happend in the end? you saw it. this time we are talking about a general election where the police wont manage to be every where…Panji should be right in what he is saying. Our governemt is not responsible i blame them for mufumbwe and no amount of assurance from them can convince a logical person like me. who ever is saying Panji is wrong they are protecting their stomach we kno them.
On “Minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu said in an interview on Janaury 3 that political leaders predicting doom are only trying to frighten voters and the international community,” how about those predicting doom about the UPND-PF PACT?
Let reduce these troubles and wait for things to happen the way they will when time comes.
Be blest all.
_
Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
Number 8 you are spot on. Colonel Kaunda’s statement should not be deliberately misunderstood by those in government. Why do they not sit down and analyse issues before they speak. All the good Colonel is saying is for government to put measures that can forestall any violence which if not done can result into people hacking each other. Government ministers not all that is said is bad. This is why you are failing in governing the country. You do not have the monopoly of knowledge. All you could have said to the Colonel is ‘thank you very much point taken’. Period
A foolish man moved with hatrage can take your greeting for an insult. Look at how a timely caution from Col. Kaunda has been taken.
Today Panji is a hero. I remember how some people insulted him when he was protecting his father a year ago. As I remember, a lot of people were telling him to keep his mouth shut now the same people are applauding him because he is predicting violence and bloodshed in the country! Seems flip-flopping is a disease you can catch. What exactly has changed to make Panji a wise man now when only a year ago he was deemed to be a fool?
Leave Panji alone. He made the statement based on govt’s insatiable appetite for violence. Rupiah and his cronies have encouraged formation of militias in MMD, perpetuate and sustain violence for his continued stay in power.
Why is this govt always defensive on every thing? Do something to ensure that the 2011 elections are not only free and fair but are devoid of violence as well.
Panji merely made a statement of fact.
“Col. Kaunda was on January 3 quoted saying Zambia will experience bloody violence IF Government does not put measures in place to stop it.”
Be fare to Col Kaunda. His statement has what is called in the English language ‘a condition…IF’
The trouble with many Zambians today is that English has really gone from them. Col Panji is not advocating violence, he is simply saying that if things are left as they have been, there will be more violence. This is a logical assumption. We had only two bye elections to police and there was violence enough to cause nullification of a result, what would happen if 150 elections took place at the same time? This is a serious matter and Government should not ignore.
The man is merely warning us. If all you emotional people have red the story then you can tell that his statement is conditional. We can’t burry our heads in the sand and pretend the mmd will play clean politics. Let’s speak out to make sure the mmd know people are tired of their dirty politics. Having said that I want to say there will be no violence and mmd will pave way for hh’s Reign in peace
#20 Totally agree and the cowardly party leaders should instead be thanking him instead of berating the MESSENGER. That said, I am sure most independent observers are not surprised as, inherently, politics is riven with vociferous opportunists whose only contribution to the human cause is to echo others. I confess I have no clue who Ms. Siliya is, but I do truly hope she has an idea or two about the real issues afflicting her constituents. Cheers!
What this trained officer is saying prevention is better than cure. Its not nomal for GRZ0 to attack people saying “wash your hands or cholera will kill you!”
Zikomo a kaunda. Zikomo
The Col. is a peace loving Zambian who is trying to encourage this careless current regime to do there best to tighten security.Who knew that churches will be burnt in Mufumbwe?To prove right or wrong lets wait for MMD Lusaka Provincial meeting and their convention .God bless Zambia.
If the Mufumbwe by election and the Lusaka MMD provincial conference is anything to go by, Colonel Kaunda is spot on. The MMD can only ignore his advise at their own peril and that of the nation.
#20 you have nailed it right on the head. Some chaps are IFIKOPO and cannot digest simple English condition articles like “IF”. Here is Mkhondo failing as a minister to articulate the Queen’s language and look at the outbursts of one shikapwasha and sillier silliest! bushe isukulu from grade1 to form5 ilyabulutu nalyo mwali lalaba? surely we cannot crucify Panji just because he said his opinion and all the nincompoops have ONLY managed to pick the word violence. Any way they eat, dream and shit violence so what do you expect them to say?
shikatwasha and the fat pig FIKOPO.
Iwe no.20 and 27 walasa that’s the way it should read. Its alarming pa zed to see that most of these stupid *****s dont know English at all. The issue is IF ba *****s. We know how you create propaganda ba koswe from simple english. Mwaba Fimafumo kwati mwalimita.
People dont become *****s because they dont know a colonial master’s language! Unfortunately what has become the criteria for intelligence in Africa is how well you can imitate a white man. If you speak in a fake British accent, you immediately become clever to a lot of shallow people. A workmate of mine in Lusaka was told to go for a certain job just because he had an American accent.He told me he knew nothing about the job but everybody persuaded him to go do it. Notice how many bloggers are trying to tell us about the problem being our failure to understand English? What has that got to do with intelligence?
Daily mail and times of zambia are useless papers twanaka na ma propaganda yenu.
People become *****s when they twist the truth for their own benefit to mislead others. Oh yes your failure to understand such a simple conditional sentence is deliberate bullshit for selfish interests. This cheap propanganda can only come from the desperate dull mmd cadres who have used this man to sway the truth.
#30, read the original statements made by panji either in english or in nyanja or any language you can pick up. If at all you fail to correctly interpret panjis messege, then you are a nincompoop
I perfectly understand #30. One may have an argument about understaning an argument but on this blog people are joining up a failure to understand English with ifikopo. Pipo are judging those who don’t know english as *****s. That is foolish. U can tell sum1 that he is foolish because he can’t follow an argument but when u say he is foolish bcoz he can’t understand a foreign llanguage u should be the *****!
#33 I haven’t failed to interpret Panji’s statement. Neither am I for him or against him. My issue with you is your glorification of colonial vestiges in the process of arguing for Panji. You need to understand that Che Guevara whose name you are misusing wouldn’t be proud of your subservient stance. You glorify the imperialist as if everyone of us has to pay homage to him/her as can be seen in your original blog where you tell all if they cant understand English they are Ifikopo. You are expecting a Minister to be conversant with what you glorify as the Queen’s language.
As an African my queens are Bansah of Ghana, Nnabagareka of Uganda, Modjaji of South Africa etc but because you have been brainwashed by the British you feel there is no need to qualify your Queen in your statement because you were brought up to think of one person in England as The Queen. You assume all of us should know who this Queen is and her language. Bob Marley says “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery none but ourselves can free our minds.”