GOVERNMENT has warned that it will clamp down on political party cadres from both the ruling and opposition political parties who have the habit of engaging in violence.
Minister of Home Affairs Davis Mwila said any party cadre who will be found engaging in violence will be swiftly arrested regardless of their political affiliation.
Mr Mwila said this in Parliament yesterday when he presented a ministerial statement on the violence that happened last week in Kitwe, where United Party for National Development (UPND), president Hakainde Hichilema and his supporters were allegedly attacked by suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.
The ministerial statement was also in response to a point of order raised by Monze Central member of Parliament (MP) Jack Mwiimbu (UPND) who wanted to know what action Government is taking against the suspected PF cadres who attacked Mr Hichilema and his supporters.
in his response, Mr Mwila said Government is saddened by the continued violence among political activists, especially that they have even resorted to using firearms in public places.
“My ministry will not tolerate acts of violence for whatever reasons. This is evident by the action the police took throughout this incident.
“My ministry shall continue to provide security to all people living in Zambia without any discrimination. The actions carried out by the police throughout this incident confirm and demonstrate our earnest desire to uphold law and order without discrimination,” Mr Mwila said.
He said police are adequately equipped to contain all forms of violence in the country regardless of the status of the perpetrators.
Mr Mwila said people should understand that there is no-one who is above the law and that all political parties and civil society organisations should, therefore, follow the provisions of the law and guidance given to them by security agencies for their own safety.
Mr Mwila said political parties have a duty to stop their cadres from promoting violence as Government works tirelessly to uphold the law.
“The arresting of 11 people who were engaged in violent activities in Kitwe by the police confirms that this government is working hard to maintain law and order in the country.
“Mr Speaker, as I am talking right now, these people have been charged with offences ranging from threatening violence to obstructing police from performing their duties, assault, occasioning actual bodily harm and breach of peace. These people have already started appearing in court,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Sydney Mushanga has told Parliament that K450 million was owed to retired teachers as of April this year.
Mr Mushanga said the money is owed to teachers in form of outstanding terminal benefits, excess leave days, salaries and repatriation allowances.
He said 3,218 retired teachers had been paid their terminal benefits as of April this year.
Mr Mushanga assured that Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the retired teachers are soon paid their terminal benefits.
He said this in response to a question by Kalabo MP Chinga Miyutu (UPND), who wanted to know how many retired teachers had not been paid their terminal benefits as of April this year.
Mr Miyutu also wanted to know how much money is owed to the retired teachers and when the affected teachers would be paid.
That’s good Bwana minister, we are tired of this problem. The other big problem to adress & which makes so strong to violence mostly on by elections is the system of geting 100s of outside cader to go & campain in areas they dont vote from, not even andastanding the languege spoken there. If fering of caders can be stoped then all will be welo.
The purpose of PF political violence is curtail freedom of movement and association of political opponent by creating real fear and beatings to prevent any form of mature issue based political discourse amongst citizenry to hold those accountable for
bankrupting the country
plunging the nation into greek-style unpayable debt
unprecedented levels of corruption
intolerance to diversity and driving country to a one party state
clamping press freedom and freedom of associaton
power cuts
increase in prices of fuel, mealie meal, bus fares and cost of living
Davis mwila you are a shame . You are the dullest minister of home affairs for 50 years Zambia has ever had. You have faild to arrest the trigger happy Chama. What are you talking about ? You have put your president in a difficult situetion and he is lossing support because of people like you. Why cant you emulate Mwenya Musenge. Those are men that we want ,men who do right things .
There should be no sacred cows on matters pertaining security. The only weapon which settles political lifts is your VOTE. Allow everybody to express themselves countrywide but deny them your vote if you so wish. You can be jailed for posing a security threat to a certain candidate but you can’t be jailed for denying him your vote. Nothing is as painful as losing a life for political reasons and I wonder what is the joy of your favourite candidate winning as innocent citizens rot in the grave. Lets learn to play mature politics.
Why do we have so many cadres in Zambia? Ban the whole nonsense! There is no need for this type of behavior. This is from the KK days of Eastern bloc politics. The difference now is they have been unleashed. Cadres are basically people with too much time on their hands and with the hope of using politics to rise from poverty, but going about it the wrong way.
Sooner or later campaigns for elections 2016 will begin. Then we see all sorts of nonsense going on. The driving is erratic, people die unnecessarily. Campaign time is not supposed to be a time of lawlessness. Lawlessness is a result of cadres’ arrogance. PF especially, needs to contain the cadres.
Why target the others, when the trouble makers are known and are all within your camp bwana minister?
That is good news for the first time now coming from PF and Chama. This nonsense of cadres. These un employed youths have created a money syphoning gimmick using there criminal skills to earn a living.Zambia does not need them.If they are removed them in bus stations and streets like what Mwanawasa did it will be a good thing.We all stand to benefit including politicians.The danger with violent cadres is that today they will praise as a minister when you are fired tomoro they will come to harass you a good example is that of Kabimba and Guy Scott.