Democracy and Motherland Defenders Coalition (DMDC) has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to disqualify UPND Parliamentary Candidate for Kanyama Constituency for perpetrating violence.
This comes following the murder of two members of the Patriotic Front (PF) by thugs believed to be UPND cadres.
Andrew Ntewewe, who is also Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) president said during a briefing in Lusaka today that the banning of campaigns by the Commission if not enough to curb violence.
“We call on ECZ to disqualify candidates where violence is taking place. It is sad that ECZ would just ban campaigns in Nkeyema and Sioma without any appropriate action being taken,” he said.
“Today, we have woken up to the gruesome murders for PF members in Kanyama Constituency. These individuals were seated at their campsite and unfortunately, they were murdered in cold blood. We wonder what ECZ is going to say today given the escalated levels of violence.“
Mr Ntewewe further mentioned that criminals behind the said murders must be brought to book without further delay. He said ECZ cannot sit back and simply ban campaigns and watch while citizens are being killed in cold blood.
“But for us we want to appeal to ECZ and put it on recorded that is it important that criminals of these gruesome murders must be brought to book without any further delay and that candidates who have turned themselves into warlords, threatening the lives of our citizens, must be disqualified,” he said.
“So we call on ECZ directly to disqualify the Kanyama UPND candidate. We cannot sit back and talk about violence and simply condemn violence without any action. ECZ cannot sit back and simply ban campaigns and watch while citizens are being killed in cold blood, that is unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, PF Member of Central Committee (MCC) Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba is disappointed with United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema for not condemning the brutal murder of two PF cadres by UPND cadres in Lusaka’s Kanyama township.
The PF cadres were murdered in cold blood using axes and machetes at a command centre in Ward 13 of Kanyama Constituency in Lusaka.
Mr Mwamba said it was unfortunate that Mr Hichilema is on record as having encouraged his supporters to use violence as a guise of defending themselves.
Sensing an imminent sixth election loss in the forthcoming general elections , Mr Hichilema’s supporters have been instructed to create chaos and havoc through indiscriminate attacks and macabre killings of innocent citizens,Mr Mwamba alleged.
Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have condemned Mr Hichilema and his leadership for not raising concerns among its flock.
Mr Mwamba pointed out that the UPND is known for shifting the blame on PF and other opposition political have clearly exposed their inadequacies politically and administratively.
Oh yeah, NOW we hear one half of the Obese Brothers GBM! Didn’t hear you when two innocent citizens were shot and killed a couple of months ago! And that the responsible officers still have not been charged!
Perhaps our reporters here should have made an attempt to reach out to the said candidate first instead, there is just wild allegations and finger pointing because we know what the main objective is. if they are his people they he needs to
Rushing to asking for banning this and that does not resolved what is becoming a growing trend that these politicians are creating, hate for each other among its people for political gains.
Let the investigation be concluded and lets see what motivated these people to do what they did lets not conclude just for politics, this can be one way to ensure even these cadres know they will be individually held accountable.
Sad, I have no comment.
SAD ?? WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT FROM THIS PF GOVERNMENT ??
YOU HAVENT SEEN THE HALF OF IT WAIT YOU WILL SEE
People are now coming to find out who the violent a.s.s.h.o.l.e.s are
Separate criminality from political affiliations. These monsters are criminal and the police should respond. UPND and the candidate are clean. Stop inciting civil disobedience.
U cannot just suspend a Candidate without evidence. What if the killings are from Rival PF Cadres and Militias? These PF Militias should be disbanded. The Commander in Chief of these PF Militias is ECL and he has failed to reign in these Militias. The fish rots from the head downwards.
Believed to be UPND cadres! So how can the ECZ disqualify an opposition candidate when even the police haven’t arrested him or charged him. We need to stop making conclusions without facts.
Lusakatime be non political news media. You are bias the way you report!
The Freemason trash talk is back. PF are really on the back foot.
What evidence is there that the UPND killed those people? PF are capable of going to any lengths to discredit other parties. Let the police investigate and apprehend the culprits. This is what the President says when other people are killed. HH condemns the violence but he has only told his people to defend themselves because Zambia Police abdicated their responsibility to protect lives long time ago. The ZP only protect one man and his party. Kagame in Rwanda is more likely to be killed, but look at how small his protection unit is compared to Lungu’s in a country that has never had war. Lungu carries a battalion of police officers. So all resources are tied up with his security.
Very disjointed statements, maybe it’s because they rushed to issue press briefings before a through investigation. The same police that will detain individuals for weeks with charge as they claim to conduct “through ” investigations , this was so fast and unsure for to start accusations and finger point.
It is not right…done so much damage to the country and you still want only fools will give you a vote
Ntewewe you are an hypocrite and one sided. You cannot conclude that UPND are the guys who killed those two guy. Mature up. Let the law take it cause and the individuals responsible for killing should face the punishment. Ntewewe you are a coward. If you were brave enough you can request the president of Zambia to stop violence.
Could this be common criminals?The offensive weapons shown on TV looked like kitchen knives!!
What about the Chawama group caught with clubs caught with Kalimanshi?PF or UPND or criminals?
When Ntewewe opens his mouth to speak just know that theliz no bwino bwino
This guy needs to be talking about private cargo on plane carrying ballot papers,?shameful
If it was the other way round UPND could have been calling for retaliation and more violence…but PF is quite just calling for the culprits to be brought to justice…so who is more dangerous…..I think UPND is an evil cult and tribal grouping
PF IS JUST AFRAID OF LOSING THAT IS WHY THEY ARE NOW RESORTING TO UNORTHODOX METHODS SUCH AS LYING AND PILING UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON ECZ TO DISQUALIFY OR POLICE ARREST ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH UPND. JUST CONVINCE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CORRECT ALL THE WRONGS THEY ARE SEEING, SUCH AS VIOLENCE, HIGH ELECTRICITY TARIFF, OVERPRICED PROJECTS, ETC. THEY WILL VOTE FOR YOU.
At this stage these are mere allegations. The Police should impartially investigate these murders. How does Ntewewe know that the 2 PF supporters were murdered by genuine UPND Alliance Supporters? What if they were murdered by fellow PF Cadres wearing UPND Alliance Regalia? PF Cadres shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Let ZPS investigate this murder case thoroughly and charge the culprits and prosecute them via the Courts.