Dear fellow citizens,
It is high time we clearly defined the type of country and society we are shaping for ourselves now and for future generations.
While we were in Luapula, and North Western Provinces thanking voters, we kept receiving very disturbing but credible reports that we would come under heavy and deliberately sponsored attacks by very well known political competitors who dished out huge amounts of money to a few jobless youths in some areas, especially on the Copperbelt.
Unfortunately, the nature of our tours are such that before we conduct these tours and interactions with our fellow citizens, we inform local law state enforcement agencies to provide security for our meetings and also as a requirement under the archaic Public Order Act.
It is now increasingly becoming clear to us that this same requirement is now proving to be the same source of danger to our lives and political situation and national stability because our competitors now use this information to sponsor and arm jobless youths in these areas to harm us.
We were humbly welcomed at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International airport in Ndola with multitudes that were eager to hear our messages of hope and alternative economic recovery policies.
We proceeded to Kitwe where we inspected our newly opened party secretariat.
And true to the reports we were getting, our entourage that included journalists and officials, came under severe and savage attacks and beatings by ironically the same known people and identities we were being told had been sponsored by key PF officials.
They came with all sorts of dangerous weapons clearly with the intention to cause maximum harm.
A few people were injured and thank God we survived after they were repelled by our sympathisers and security team.
Later we proceeded to Kitwe Show Ground where we held a very successful meeting and were joined by more than 5000 new members from other political parties, something that was very humbling to us.
Later in the evening, we had scheduled for a live interactive radio programme on Chengelo Radio station where we wanted to share our ideas and alternative economic policies with our fellow citizens and also equally hear their concerns so we could address them.
We were again informed that our advance team at the radio station was being attacked so we could not feature for the radio programme. Our local team demanded for an all outright fight so we could feature at all costs but I personally intervened because life was more precious and hence no need to shade Zambian blood.
To our surprise, the sponsored attackers followed us to Moba Hotel where we were residing and taking a rest and the premises became a battle ground with live ammunition being fired right inside the hotel corridors.
Our rooms were full of teargas until the attackers were eventually overpowered and guns were confiscated from them.
This situation coming at a time many families are facing depressing times due to economic challenges that needs urgent address is very unhealthy in our young democracy.
One would have thought such a scary movie like situation would be a battle ground for ideas on how best and quickly we can join hands together as a country to tackle our economic challenges.
Honestly, when are we going to sit down as one united people to address issues of poor living and work conditions for our miners, challenging situations for our mine suppliers, avoidance of university closures, lowering the fuel costs, paying farmers, come up with solutions for the current electricity deficit that has led to massive load shedding, falling Kwacha, high interest rates, reduce debt burden, and provide decent education for our children as well as create decent jobs for our people, especially the youths?
One would have thought these and others would be the real issues we would be arming ourselves so as to fight poverty in the country than lifting guns, machetes, stones and pangas with intention to kill one another because we are political competitors seeking to serve the people of Zambia.
Just where is this culture of political violence in our society coming from which has the potential to escalate and degenerate into an unimaginable situation if our supporters also decided to arm themselves and retaliate in self defence as others are doing?
The challenge now is for those of us in leadership to stop and address this situation as we go into next year’s elections, especially as evidenced in the recent bye elections.
It is even a bigger challenge for those in government who control and command state security apparatus to treat all citizens fairly regardless of their political opinions.
Democracy entails tolerance for one another as we can’t all have same views.
Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President
Lusaka times is becoming so boring; you guys are always late in news updates. you publish your so called news after the whole world has and is seen it already. Media exist to have first hand information hence the need for you to wake up and fight for information before any one else. Be pro-active.
OMG! Can’t believe such backwardness is still existing in my country Zambia. If attacks can be launched on a mere visit, what more when presidential campaigns flag off next year!
Looking at the currently prevailing political environment, I can sense bloodshed in 2016. Where are the so called ZP? They should not just disperse these thugs with tear gas without arresting any. This vice needs to be curbed before it culminates into a serious civil unrest. Police partiality results in citizens taking the law in their hands to defend themselves and that’s the genesis of war!
Where was this news before this? I don’t read the ZWD
Liar, liar pants on fire!
Chi HH is an attention whore who thrives on negativity!
After killing our economy these guys have now turned to start killing innocent people. No amount of f00lishness from our colleagues in PF will stop HH and UPND from forming government come 2016. This kind of behavior is unacceptable in this era.
So you said prior to Jan 20th…ati HH fyofyofyo.
It will be the same story in 2016…#brokenhearts.
Zambians love mediocrity.
What is all this? Is this democracy? What is happening to our lovely country zambia kanshi?
I told these pf chaps,that the wind of change is blowing and blowing serious across the country.Thanks kopala for wonderful reception accorded to our incoming president,his excellency president Hakainde Hichilema.
Dream on bcoz your tribal HH will never win in 2016!!even there on CB,PF will come out first after elections!!huge crowds attended rallies for HH before 20/01/2015 election,but when results came out,PF was first!!ITS A PITY YOU GUYS IN UPND NEVER LEARN ZAMBIAN POLITICS!OUR POLITICS ARE REGIONAL SO VOTERS VOTE ON REGIONAL LINES!!MAJORITY VOTERS CONNECT WITH PF ON CB,LUSAKA,LUAPULA,NORTHERN,MUCHINGA,EASTERN AND PART OF CENTRAL MOSTLY BCOZ OF THE LANGUAGE PF LEADERS USE!!THIS IS A POOR PEOPLE’S PARTY!!
Why are surprised with archaic mentality? You will never win …. attitude, do you as PD speak on behalf of Zambia, such backwardness does Zambia more harm than good, its clear PF won’t accept results if they lose. This thuggery portrayed by EL and his minnions like Eddy, will harm our hard fought liberties.
eddy you so dull that the pf you support seem to have blinded folded you to see reality as it obtains on the ground.Didnt you see that there was an upward swing of votes HH obtained across the country including copperbelt.Obsvsly you so dull to comprehend this.All HH need now is to maintain the momentum as he is doing giving chagwa and his cadres sleepless nights and come sept 2016 he will be in state house.
More like a dumb people’s party
No matter the nonsense that happens you follow blindly.
You even start questioning whether the attack is true. Nonsense
Open your eyes and ears, ZAMBIANS (not bemba’s) are complaining and are fed up
From your post clearly you are a tribalist but so scared that you try to shift the blame.
You can imagine on a working day attracting such a huge crowd that must tell you something.
HERE WE GO AGAIN!! Its HH who never misses in stories.
With this style of leadership and always baby cry, one wonders if he will be President of Zambia ever. HH to win 2016 elections, that’s wishful thinking.
How can HH winning 2016 be wishful thinking when the man only missed it by 27,000 votes even with pf stealing the votes.Its all written in black and white that HH is the incoming president.Its not me saying,its what the masses on the ground are saying.
HH is like those days when a child would keep failing grade 7 exams but keep on repeating, such kind of children never made good pupils even when they eventually passed because there were already tired of school. UPND should find another fresh leader to continue with meaningful opposition.
HH stage managed the whole episode but it failed. My cousin who works there narrated that this was planned as to embarrass someone. HH is telling lies even before he becomes president!
HH, there is no need of engaging the public in a volatile political situation in the name of sensitising them of the current economic hardships, something already in the public domain. No immediate soluton will be realised from such rallies while a lost life is not replacable. Your policies are very positive but you have to observe such life-threatening circumstances. Stay put with your policies but lets watch out anarchy.
one man party. how come only he gets to speak…the other “senior” party officials are on mute or probably not allowed to speak. it just shows that UPND is all about hakainde and no one else. useless
@Rizzo
Dream on my dear. You will wake up one day….
Weak one are easily spotted with bruised faces. And its the strongest that always win unfortunately. CRY BABIES KEEP CRYING MUMY HANGUMA HAEDGAR
HH quoting you,
‘sponsored attacks by very well known political competitors who dished out huge amounts of money to a few jobless youths’
If you have evidence of this, we the citizens want to see it. We cannot support you blindly.
Your claim that State Law Enforcers are failing in their detail AND shockingly, claiming they are the perpetrators of these crimes against you, is proof positive that you are not fit for Presidential Office.
STOP THE VIOLENCE! We can’t have a state of emergency every time you face an election. Please find another occupation more suitable for you. Office of the President is not for you.
This man HH should be probed, he is up to something disastrous! Mark my words! Check all the contradictions in his story! He is becoming a very dangerous man! Ignore this at your own peril!
Come on HH, give us a break, the lies are so nauseating.
We have been staying in that hotel since Sunday and we have not seen any bullet riddled walls nor smelt teargas.
What kind of “p”resident are you kanshi?
I was out of town and missed HH lies. Sometimes his lies make me laugh. It is like reading a James Hardly Chase novel. He should have been a novelist instead of a politician. He is so good at fiction. Even stranger than fiction.
Were are the guns he says were confiscated? This guy is a shameless liar. He always wants to create a mountain out of mole. You can easily tell that he is grossly exaggerating. only those he has brainwashed can believed this rubbish fab. Malabishi