Patriotic Front Milanzi Constituency Member of Parliament Melesiana Phiri has condemned the growing culture of violence that is promoted and perpetuated by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) across the country to silence anyone offering checks and balances.
“The lip service leadership of President Hichilema should be made to account for all these atrocities that known UPND cadres have been committing since their ascendancy to power” She said.
Melesiana vehemently castigated the UPND leadership who recently allowed it’s cadres to launch attacks on the PF’s campaign entourage led by the party’s Vice President Hon Given Lubinda.
“It is a known fact that UPND is losing in both Kaumbwe and Lusangazi by-elections and their resolve to beating up people and destroying property should be condemned by all well meaning Zambians”.
She added that Zambians needed to stop taking anything serious that comes from the UPND leadership because it was now clear that their plan was to say one thing in the morning and do the complete opposite in the night.
The Milanzi parliamentarian said that the PF will not be moved or shaken by any amount of violence from the UPND and promised more qualitative criticism from the Patriotic Front on all vital issues that concern the country.
Upon noticing signs of defeat in Eastern Province, the UPND recently caused an illegal arrest of the PF candidate in Lusangazi.
In panic, the UPND has in the last five days sent both it’s Vice President and the President to go and campaign in both Kaumbwe and Lusangazi.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission of Zambia issued the following statement regarding violence
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA STRONGLY CONDEMNS CAMPAIGN VIOLENCE IN KAUMBWE CONSTITUENCY
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has noted with serious concern the electoral violence ahead of the 21st October 2021 election, particularly in Kaumbwe Constituency, Petauke District.
The Commission has observed that the campaign atmosphere has been peaceful since the commencement of the campaigns throughout the seven districts where elections are being held. It is, therefore, regrettable and worrying to start recording violence with just few days before poll day.
The Commission has also noted that in the three instances where the Socialist Party, Democratic Party and Patriotic Front supporters have been attacked and campaign schedules disrupted in Kaumbwe Constituency, the perpetrators have mainly been suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres.
The Commission would like to remind the UPND and all political parties participating in the elections that the Electoral Code of Conduct applies to this period of campaigns and must be adhered to without exception.
Additionally, the Commission is aware that all the cases of violence have been reported to the Zambia Police Service and therefore calls on the Police to expeditiously arrest and present for prosecution all those that will be found in breach of the law.
The Commission is calling upon the police to perform their duties in an impartial and professional manner.
The Commission is closely monitoring the conduct of political parties/candidates and their supporters, and would like to categorically state that it will not hesitate to invoke the Electoral Process Act and take appropriate action in the remaining days should these violent acts continue.
The Commission further reminds all political players that violence undermines the credibility of an election and calls on the leadership to prevail over their supporters.
The Commission has been consistent that it will not allow the country to degenerate into lawlessness during any election period and further calls on the electorates and political party supporters to desist from engaging in violence.
The Commission would like to encourage all political players to be tolerant and promote co-existence as these are some of the key ingredients of a maturing democracy and the conduct of peaceful elections.
Patricia Luhanga
Corporate Affairs Manager
For/The Chief Electoral Officer
ELECTORAL COMMISION OF ZAMBIA
ZIP IT LADY, STOP CRYING FOUL ALL THE TIME FOR NO REASON
Someone told me that ZNBC TV has improved. For him it has because it’s under Upnd. My point is the violence and harassment going on is not being reported by the supposed national broadcaster. So I have stopped again to tune to ZNBC…I stopped in 2001.
Oh, six years of PF cadreism with its consistent violence and corruption is totally forgotten? Give me a break! Let’s put the PF crooks behind bars first! Not forgetting its boss Edgar China Lungu!
Melesiana Chibwe is right. As a seasoned journalist she knows that Mr Hakainde Hichilema has presided over the UPND during a period it has positioned itself as the most violent political Party. They fought the MMD. HH was the President when they coined the Mapatizya formula. In 2015 Northerners and Easterners were beaten and some died at the hands of the UPND. This violence will soon catch up with him as Zambians are resolved to show him the way to Bweengwa if he doesn’t tame his cadres. Those cadres don’t do it for nothing, they’re hired and shielded from arrest. Nipano tuli
No one , not even Jesus can clean the Zambian mindset over in a year from 10 years of cader violent indoctrination by PF………….
Zambians are made to belive cader violence is normal way of campaigns and life………….
Not even a year of healing will work for now…….
Eventually Zambians will understand the rule of law
Pf and upnd are siamese twins possessing almost or if not the same characteristics… so what melesiana should be condemning is violence in general which is not good for the peace of the nation…not just singling outone party and forgetting the atrocities committed by the other…
We had 10 years of PF violence dosage including Zambia Police killing innocent people, UPND don’t fall in the same trap
Honourable Melesiana, don’t consider that defeat as an embarrassment. If upnd had lost, a lot of lives would have been lost. Upnd was not ready to accept defeat.
We should thank God that he spared you and me from the worst violence we could have ever witnessed.
God sometimes does foolish things to teach us. He gave upnd victory to spare us from the violence.
We are going to see a dark cloud ahead of us. Upnd never makes comments on any violence irrespective of where it is coming from.
F00lish b.i.t.c.h
Most of the commenters are not able to reason logically here. When you talk about violence, show some proofs such as videos or pics to consolidate what you are talking about.
Nobody died in UPND regime during campaigns. PFs and UPNDs are freely trading in the markets which was not so in the PF regime. PF will vaporize because of trying to cling to politics without substance.
#9 Mr True That’s your opinion.
#9, so you say even Jesus can’t? Jesus has no capability? Good for you when you want to involve God in your Zambian thinking!
As if You ever made Lungu account for all he ever did and everything that happened under his watchful eyes. Why are you Easterners so tribal and petty? Before you point a finger at HH kindly go back to PF and the entire leadership, condemn them for making your party lose elections due to the same vice. At least now you can even open your mouths to talk a thing that never happened under your president. Under Lungu Zambia was made to look like a wailing wall.
There are a lot of on-the-ground matters that need resolving. It requires maturity, restraint, and just humaneness on the part of all concerned to NOT attack those who attacked them. It is normal — but also lower-animal behavior to revenge or avenge what was done to one. We need to up the game and desist. Whether it is PF, DP, UPND or other minor groups … OK. OTHER GROUPS. Awe mwe. Angakunyate apa.
Mr Truth. Please change your name to #Mr False.
What are you talking about. Not every violence can captured through smart phones. Not in nations such as UK, USA, Japan etc where nearly everyone has a smart phone. Stop being foolish. Which remote area do you live that you cannot realise reality.
Correction…
#9 Mr Truth. Please change your name to #Mr False.
What are you talking about. Not every violence can be captured through smart phones. Not even nations such as UK, USA, Japan etc where nearly everyone has a smart phone. Stop being foolish. Which remote area do you live that you cannot realise reality.
Yes she is $exxy for HH, and do you want us to read whatever she is screaming about?
PF disingenuous. PF has no right and have lost it completely to criticise anyone. How do you expect 15 years of chaos to be put right within two months? Please if you have nothing better do with you yourself go and hang.
When we criticize, it’s not that we hate the new government, it’s because we don’t want what we had to repeat itself. Right now as I am writing I can see the Upnd district chairman and his officials at the Boma… what are they doing there? This is what PF cadres used to do… putting pressure on civil servants.
#10 Truth I believe you have not even read the article but you opt to ask for evidence? The ECZ in this report has confirmed incidences of violence in this area. Please don’t defend for the sake of it otherwise you’ll end up like PF.
Tirade
Tirade
UPND supporters please show that its violence and corruption you hated and not a person called ECL.
My comment is being moderated?