THE Government has warned that mayhem will not be tolerated ahead of next Tuesday’s by-election in Mangango and has urged the Police Command to take charge of affairs to protect innocent citizens.
Chief Government spokesperson Joseph Katema condemned opposition leaders for tolerating their members who engage in violence, describing this as shocking.
Dr Katema, who is Information and Broadcasting Services minister, said violence witnessed in Luampa District where political cadres engaged in criminal acts were disturbing, especially attacks on Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Josephine Limata, Chief Mwanatete and his wife.
Below is the full statement
Republic of Zambia
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services
STATEMENT BY HON. DR. JOSEPH KATEMA, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ON THE VIOLENCE IN LUAMPA
Government is disturbed by violent events in Luampa where political cadres are committing acts of criminality, including invading the residence of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs deputy minister Josephine Limata.
The so-called cadres were last week reported to have also attacked Luampa District Commissioner Alfred Miyato and worse still beat up Chief Mwanatete and his wife, and damage his property. In all this mayhem, the so-called cadres have been reported to be wielding machetes, knives and stones.
Government is concerned that this culture of violence is being condoned by certain senior opposition politicians who are not condemning these criminal acts. It is sad that these politicians still want to practice medieval politics of violence instead of selling their candidates and parties to the electorates.
Government will not stand by and watch the mayhem continue in Luampa and other areas where by-elections are being conducted. Perpetrators of violence, regardless of their political leanings or stand in society, will face the full import of the law as our role is to protect all citizenry.
The Police command is, therefore, urged to take up its full responsibility in Luampa and other trouble spots to protect people’s lives and property.
As a country, Zambia is known for its peace and tranquility which we have enjoyed for the past 50 years. It is the desire of every well meaning Zambian that this status quo continues.
As Zambians our collective fight must be against poverty, disease and general underdevelopment and not wield weapons against each other.
Zambians should absolutely reject anyone denting the country’s impeccable credentials of peace, unity and love.
It is important for everyone to realize that we only have one country and we should have a responsibility to maintain peace and order. This Government will not condone any lawlessness regardless of who is involved.
Hon. Dr. Joseph Katema, MP
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
11th August, 2014
Importation of caders is the root of all electro violence.
There is no violence in Magongo. Its just a pretext for PF to nullify the elections when they loose.
Mwaliteta is the one instigating violence. He is telling his cadres to provoke the UPND camps. Lozis and mbundas are warriors they don’t tolerate stupidity. Don’t you dare cross their path. Even Libongeni should be very careful ,other wise they will sort her out.
Minister, tell us why your cadre all the way from Bauleni tried to torch a bridge in that area? Who brought this person to Mangango, whoo is paying for his upkeep? Y
Cage them tonganyokos kabili
We know who is responsible for the “violence”, but we want to blame it on the wrong people. Brilliant strategy!
Anyone using public resources including vehicles should be sorted out. Warning to PF
Now you speak out Bo Katema!! Where were you when HH had to escape through the roof of a building in Ndola? Why not condemn those cadres who were responsible for that mayhem? Bully just got punched in the mouth and now you are crying foul? We know you ferried cadres to Western Province to create confusion so you can cancel the bye-elcetions which you have no chance of winning on Tuesday or any other date you will reschedule to. Take the reaction to your actions like real men, not little whiny babies….shaaaaaa!!!
This is timely intervention. The senior UPND officials who are behind the mayhem in Mangango must feel the weight of the law. Peaceful people of Mangango will not be cowed. Let them make their informed decision to elect a person of their choice based on their evaluation of the circumstances around them. UPND thugs do not realize the folly of flexing their weak muscles on defenseless people. What if we flex our our super muscles on them?
Well done government. Show these idi0ts of UPND that they are very far from stamping a mark on the Zambian political landscape. They are a very insignificant grouping which should never be allowed to pollute the serene political atmosphere.
I repeat, Katema a drunkard who thrives on tujijili in the name of taking soft drinks, I was shocked by his trekking to the toilet during important meetings I had with him in his office at Community development. Alas, a chain smoker , polluting the public office. Shame on you , medical doctor who cannot be consulted even on common cold by any rightful thinking person.
What sense are you frying to convey when citizens have suffered alot of violent acts at the hands PF thugs, BIGOGA, LIVINGSTONE BYE ELECTION, WINTER KABIMBA /GBM DEATH SAGA, HH ATTACK IN NDOLA the list goes on. Did we hear your concern? Just enjoy you lutuku and ubwangula,. Aruta continua with Mapatizya Democracy
Oh, wanders shall never end. So Josephine Limata and Dr. Kalila of MMD are now campaigning for Power Failure (PF). Where is Muhabi Lungu? Does his party know this? Poverty is a crime, these same Leaders are now killing the PF president for the sake of their bellies.
Judging PF using a normative view (looking at the actual behaviour of the actors) I have no hope that PF does not condone violence or they are sadned by reported violence in Mangango. They drink and eat violence themselves. Allowing Limata to decampaign her own party is voolence itself. What PF must know is the is that people now react to injustice, discrimination, manipulation, trivilizing, alignation, trichery and utter dishonesty. PF sit up. Zambians will soon have a unwritten constitution giving a president only one term of 5years as opposed to 10years of 5years each. Zambians let us continue looking for leaders who will meet our aspirations. I salute you.
The office of the Chief Government Spokesperson should be neutral. Statements coming out of such an office should not be partisan in nature. There must be a distinction between party and government. Reading the above statement, there’s no doubt the minister wrote it while wearing the party hat.
Some reverse psychology here?
Its UPND all the way !!!
We are Fed up with PF. Ba PF please dont bring bloodshed to my Mother Zambia LEAVE those offices you r no longer relevent
God Loves Zambia.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE MR ANDERSON CHISALA? YOU DON’T EVEN LIVE IN ZAMBIA, HOW CAN YOU BE FADE UP WITH SOMETHING YOU DON’T EXPERIENCE? GO AND LIVE THERE AND SAY THE SAME. ALL POLITICAL PARTIES IN ZAMBIA START INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT A FEW MONTHS BEFORE ELECTIONS. PF STARTED FROM THE WORD GO. MEANING THEY PLANNED WHILE IN OPPOSITION AND THIS CAN BE SEEN BY THE ROADS THEY ARE BUILDING AND WHERE. SAY YOU ARE FED UP AND NOT WE. BECAUSE, I AM ENJOYING WHAT PF ARE DOING FOR THE COUNTRY.
and Lozi there or those who kno Lozi whts the meaning of waa taha ! waa Taha !. I want to put it as my Theme !! Help me please
Anderson Waa tahaa Waa tahaa means He/She is coming in lozi. Obvious you and me know who is coming. Luvales say Anaa kwiza Anaa kwiza, Lundas say Anaa kwinza Anaa kwinza, Kaondes say Anaa kwiiya Anaa kwiiya . And so on and so forth. Waa tahaa Waa tahaa mwa libizo la UPND. Aleisaa Aleisa mwishina la UPND. Anderson cheers.
PF CRYING FOUL,DR KATEMA CAN YOU CONDEMN VIOLENCE IN YOUR PF AND I CAN ASURE YOU THAT THERE WILL BE NO VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IN ZAMBIA.PF IS THE IS LEADING IN VIOLENT ACTIVITY IN THIS COUNTRY BUT WHEN UPND TRY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES WITH THE SAME MEASURE AND ARE DEFEATED THEY CRY FOUL. NOW KATEMA HAS A TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS BECOS HE IS AFRAID OF CONDEMNING HIS PF CADRES ,LEST HE BECOME A VICTIM OF THEIR VERNOM. PLSE LETS GET RID OF THESE PF THUGS BEFORE THEY FINISH DESTROYING GOOD IMAGE OF THIS COUNTRY
Who killed the other cadre in Lusaka at the international airport sag,who were wielding pangas and coffins in the street of Lusaka. Is it not the PF and what did you say Bwana Minister.
People are now annoyed and they will do anything to punish PF thugs.Well done people of Mangango for the job well done of beating the thugs
Tell them!!!In fact they can’t break my big skeleton…
How come there is violence always when bye elections are being held in the perceived UPND strong hold? On the other hand there is cool peace when elections are held in the perceived PF strong holds? Take the example of the Mansa bye election….. there was great peace like still cold water.
This is showing clearly that UPND wants by all means to intimidate PF in its strong holds coz they well know that PF is taking some ground in UPND strong holds. But don’t do it through violence guys. Just campaign peacefully.
first cader to be killed imported from lusaka to lufunsa pf/ Livingstone killing hired and the UPND gets the blame what sort of thinking is that ba pf mwatusebanya nangu ni sebana wikute mwachilamo Ba Katema tell mwaliteta to stop importing caders or just shut it up i mean your big mouth.
“Violence begets violence. He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.” It’s evident from opinions expressed that the country is under attack by the people who want to rule! We’re in a dust devil’s enclosure. We are surrounded by ambitious men and women who’ll stop at nothing. It is correct to have Police present to protect the voting rights of ordinary citizens so they are not intimidated. Vote wisely. Note: a violent person in hand is not worth replacing with another one. We might just need a combination of military and civilian rule to help Zambia break the evil of Tribalism. It just is so alarming how Zambians have divided along tribal lines. This proves to the political observers of Kaunda’s time that Totaliarian gov ‘t is not necessarily wrong in multi-identity…
Um…in Western country’s they have television debates before elections to help citizens assess which ‘punter’ to go with. All I’ll say in Zambia; we need our leaders in their tribal costumes, in a boxing ring with IG as ref. Let them deck it out for our entertainment! They are such clowns!! Seriously, all Zambians presidents should have honorary degrees awarded them, before taking office to stop the educational elites being so righteous in their campaigns against Zambians who were politically on the ground during the struggle for independence. If you are in your forties, did you match, mobilise against, colonial rulers? How can people who liberated our country be told they are not educated to rule? There are some dangerous half baked, witted ideas flying around.