UPND President Hakainde Hichilema took to facebook to call for calm as the country experienced a spate of xenophobic attacks on Monday which started from Zingalume and George Compound and later spread to other parts of Lusaka.
Mr Hichilema appealed to Zambians to remember that they were God’s children who should love one another adding that violence was never an answer to anything.
He said even with the current difficulties the answer can not be found in violence and destruction of property.
He also called on law enforcement agencies to proactively deal with the issues before they escalated to unmanageable levels.
Below is a posting from his page.
Our prayer this evening is for calm to return to our compounds and our homes quickly.
We pray that no one has been hurt during the riots and unrest that have spread in some parts of our capital city including this evening, as some reports are suggesting.
Our earnest appeal to every Zambian at this time is to remember that as God’s children we must always love and care for one another, and that violence is never an answer to the troubles we face. It can only bring more hurt and God Himself will sit in judgement of those who transgress.
As a society we need to broadly address poverty and inequality properly as one way of preventing these evil happenings.
But the answer can only lie in peace and unity and a cooperative spirit to change our country.
Even with current difficulties in our communities, the answer does not lie in the destruction of properties through rioting and maiming each other.
We also call on law enforcement agencies to proactively deal with these issues before they escalate to such levels.
We also encourage those who can to co-operative with law enforcement officials in returning peace and order to our streets and compounds.
At least this is a mature statement. Please people work hard,don’t vent your anger on someone else.Can the ring leaders be caught and gt locked up now???
Since liberation times in Southern Africa, Zambia has be a haven for displaced foreigners. We hosted the largest camps for refugees form all over. Only under Edgar has the ugly world of Xenophobia been used to describe a situation in Zambia. This is shameful and damaging to the reputation of Zambia. Edgar, please provide leadership. Thank you HH
This is barbaric and shameful. Shame, shame, shame on you wicked thugs trying to justify your satanic behaviour by attacking defenseless foreigners. Arent you the same people that were condemning South Africans for this same xenophobic behaviour on foreigners. All political leaders must stand up and condemn this kind of behaviour. Dont blame foreigners for your laziness and misfortunes. If you think the ritual killings are caused by the Rwandese, then let the police investigate such claims. This is robbery and these thugs must be prosecuted for such behaviour. Im ashamed as a Zambian. You guys are ready to hold national prayers for the weak Kwacha that was caused by over borrowing and mismanagement and yet you cant pray for real needs such as peace in the nation?
Where are PF leaders in this matter?
Right message, wrong forum. How many people in those compounds have FB not to mention how many Zambians in Zambia are on FB? When we say HH is out of touch with reality, this is what we mean.
Zambians are not xenophobic at all. We have an array of foreigners in Zambia and we haven’t made it a habit of hacking or looting their shops. Try going on a killing spree in your respective country of economic refuge and see if you will be given a slap on the hand for being a foreigner.
What is needed is for the police to clarify the issue as to who they have in custody for the murders.
@Real Olive.
True. Right message wrong media. The fact however is: Which media can HH use at the moment? DeadNBC (TV and Radio), wont cover him, Times and Daily, No, and of late even MUVI – No. Community radio stations are scared. Only a bit of Prime, QFM and Hot FM.
So what should he do? This is serious.
I feel the rwandese deserved it. How can they be sending people to kill other for their richness? They police found human organs in someone else’s fridge sure? Worse enough even a zambian nurse caught with human hearts in her possession still pumping. Guys do we do human heart transplant in Zambia? Remember a human being spirit is dangerous
YOU ARE A SADIST AND DANGER TO SOCIETY, INCLUDING YOUSELF. HOW CAN YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO DEAL SUCH OUTRAGEOUS AND EVIL LIES AGAINST INNOCENTAND DEFENCELESS PEOPLE? YOU SHOW THAT YOU ARE HEARTLESS AND EVIL. DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?
THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CAUSED BY OUR INCOMPETENT LEADERS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND HIS MINISTERS TO THE POLICE. THEIR SILENCE AND LACK OF ACTION FROM THE TIME THE PROBLEM STARTED HAS LEAD TO THIS SAD DEVELOPEMNT IN OUR COUNTRY. IT IS A DENT ON OUR NATION.
@ hh – You boofon go on radio denounce this evil acts by your desperate cheap cadres. How many do you think read your facebook.
your evil tactics will backfire, think not Zambians are such a fool not to interpret all your evil maneuvers.
Its plainly clear that every well meaning pf leadership and members would like to see peace prevailing in our country at this point in time, its only yo up n down praying and fanning evil acts…in the quest of making innocent citizenry rise against the govt. That will not happen. Mark my words
THE HYPOCRITE AT ITS BEST. YOU ARE THE ONE PRAYING AND FANNING FOR EVIL HAPPENINGS IN THE QUEST OF GAINING SOME POLITICAL MILEAGE. BUT BE WARNED THIS YOUR EVIL INTENTS WILL BACKFIRE. REMEMBER NO EVIL FORMED AGAINST GODS PEOPLE SHALL PROSPER.
BE REAL FOR ONCE.
There’s rampant laziness and alcohol abuse in our communities and a tendency to blame our poverty on someone else. While we waste our youth away, the Rwandese are hard at work from first light way into the night, yet all the while we wonder why the diligent are prospering and we the idle are poor. About time we realised we gat to roll up our sleeves and begin to earn a living. Our poverty hs nothing to do with anyone other than ourselves sorry selves.
Just wondering why HH has not come out in the open to condemn the ritual killings. any way am not suprised.
@Muliokela or whoever you are.
HH has come out openly and condemned these killings. What you reading above is his condemnation.
The question is – Where is Edgar (me too) C.J. L’s condemnation. After all he has access to all media.
Today will be too late. This issue is too serious that he, as president should have done it yesterday and not send Davis Mwila,
My Heart goes out to the deceased and their families, and for once can the police do something????
Comment: where is Lungu’s statement? We have the worst leader that’s why foreign criminals are welcome in pf to kill upnd. Pf itself is headed by lovers of ruin and enemies of life! Dydimus, Mutesa and Simbyakula authored the deadly pf plan document entitled “PF DOMINATION… on UPND!” these three must be prosecuted for writing seditious material like that in zambia.
Its not about ritual killings but hunger. How do you loot a shop of a ritual killer when you know he is capable of coming for you?
How many pipo in these compounds have facebook. Presumably those that have are not part of the looters. Poor landing brother ech ech
@abazana…HH is barred from appearing on Znbc,daily mail and Times of Zambia. Now what media do you want him to use?
@Muliokela for life. Am surprised that a moron & lunatic person like you stil dnt know that there is no room at ZNBC to air HH bcoz PF is scared for becoming pipos Darling? Ask us who follow him to tell you how hard HH has condermed these killing. Yo Ecl was supposed to address the nation over those killings but surprisingly, he’s remained mute, he’s just concerned about how to win elections of 11/08/16.
Ignorance and laziness are the main problems with Zambians. We have too much of a dependency culture and a sense of entitlement for what we do not work for. Sit around drinking all day and then wonder how foreigners are making it in your own land.
All this is nonsense about Rwandese killing locals, most probably lazy Zambian being told you’ll make a fortune by killing someone and they do it…..all this cause they are too lazy to work for it.
Another thing you should ask yourselves is, what is government trying to hide by creating this xenophobic smoke screen. Zambians are too gullible!!
My Fellow Zambians I write this with a heavy heart.The root cause of these ritual killing is 1.The Zambian government(Lungu) have allowed a lot of foriegnors to enter Zambia and they are being given green national registration cards and voters cards,this is to help PF win elections.2.Recruiting of PF militia in all buss station and markets this has created a class of criminals who feel they are special and no one can touch them.3.Extrem poverty among the youths has attracted a lot of street kids who have grown into street adults.We need to change this Government it is contaminated with a lot of corruption and nothing good can out of them.
Just imagine a cadre putting on PF regalia and a Police officer greeting a cadre ati “Good morning commander”. Surely were are we heading to as a nation.
HH for sure has no access to public media. Give him and his party an op tune time to speak to his citizenry.
Muvi tv is perform better than state media, sad.
RWANDANS ARE A SERIOUS MENACE IN ZAMBIA. TO BEGIN WITH, THESE PEOPLE HAVE INFESTED ZAMBIA ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY ARE LIKE LOCUSTS IN EVERY PART OF ZAMBIA. THIS IS NOT VERY SAFE FOR THE COUNTRY. SECONDLY, THESE RWANDANS ARE VERY CORRUPT. THEY HAVE CORRUPTED EVERY POLICE STATION AND EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICER, ESPECIALLY IN THESE CITY AND TOWN COUNCILS AND EVERY IMMIGRATION OFFICER. THESE RWANDANS USE BRIBES TO PROLONG THEIR STAY AND TO ENABLE THEM DO BUSINESS IN ZAMBIA. RWANDANS IN ZAMBIA ARE NOT INVESTORS, RATHER THEY ARE CRIMINALS WHO HAVE COME TO LOOT OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE ARE DOCILE AS CITIZENS. LOOK GUYS, IT IS COMMON SENSE THAT SOME BUSINESSES SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR LOCALS. HOW DO YOU GIVE A FOREIGNER LICENSE TO RUN A RETAIL SHOP WHEN A LOT OF ZAMBIANS…
HOW MANY RWANDANS SHOULD BE ALLOWED STAY IN ZAMBIA? WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATISTICS OF THE RWANDANS CURRENTLY RESIDENTS IN ZAMBIA? GOVERNMENT SHOULD WAKE UP AND BEGIN TO HAVE READY STATISTICS OF NUMBERS OF FOREIGNERS IN THE COUNTRY, CATEGORIZED INTO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, SEX, AGE, PROFESSIONAL OR NON-PROFESSIONAL, INVESTOR OR NON-INVESTOR, ETC. WAKE UP LUNGU! WHY ARE YOU PRESIDENT IF YOU CAN’T ENSURE SECURITY OF YOUR CITIZENRY? AND YOU WANT US TO VOTE FOR YOU, FORGET IT. ABASH KAMINAMISA! ABASH JAMESON! ABASH LOOTER!
Lets Love one another. Zambia is a Christian nation
Let’s give chance to our security people to do investigations.We can do better; an eye for an eye won’t take us anywhere.
What about the musicians news in daily mail and times,what’s the tail end of the story?were the reporters interogated or its just the truth that was suppressed about the musicians.this is the cause of rampage,people don’t know who is telling the truth.information distortion and corruption at the expense of the Zambia people.
@Truth, Natural diversity in any form is God’s absolute pleasure. You are what you are naturally due to creation. You cannot condemn God’s creation for being different from you in whatever form, skin colour, language etc. The Police need to be proactive in their duty to ensure that law breakers are arrested irrespective of their status. The new constitution allows for dual citizenship and sooner rather than later the term foreigner will be no more as the Rwandese could apply for citizenship as most of them have been in Zambia for more than 10 years.
LETS CHASE ALL THE FOREIGNERS IN ZAMBIA LIKE SOUTH AFRICANS DID
POOR TRUTH AND TRIPOLI , ZAMBIA IS NOT AN ISLAND FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION THERE ALOT OF ZAMBIANS DOING BUSINESS IN RWANDA AND BURUNDI. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN IN ZAMBIA, BROUGHT UP IN ZAMBIA , WENT TO HALF SCHOOL IN ZAMBIA MARRIED IN ZAMBIA , MIGHT GO TO PRISON IN ZAMBIA, AND WILL DIE IN ZAMBIA LEARN TO TRAVEL AND SEE OR EXPERIENCE HOW ZAMBIANS ARE TREATED AND RESPECTED OUTSIDE FOR A LONGTIME JUST TO DAMAGE AND DESTROY THE GOOD IMAGE CREATED BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS. PERSONALLY. IAM ASHAMED TO BE A ZAMBIAN DUE TO ACTION OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU. I DO NOT SUPPORT NO CONDONE THE BARBARIC KILLING OF MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN BUT TWO WRONGS CANNOT MAKE A RIGHT .WE ARE SUPPOSE TO LET THE POLICE DO THEIR WORK.
I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY SOCIAL MEDIA IS REGULATED IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND RUSSIA. BECAUSE IF NOT CHECKED IT IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR HATE SPEECH AND A CONDUIT FOR CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, GENOCIDE. LET AS LEARN WHAT HAPPENED IN RWANDA IN 1994 MAYBE I SHOULD FORGIVE SOME OF YOU ,BY THAT TIME YOU WHERE STILL IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS. I HAPPEN TO HAD VISITED WAR TORN LIBERIA A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE CEASEFIRE AND WAR. SO I KNOW WHAT WAR CAN BRING SO STOP TEASING THE RWANDESE AND BURUNDIANS. ANY OF US CAN BE A REFUGE AT ANY GIVEN TIME ESPECIALLY DUE TO YOUR ROTTEN MOUTH FULL OF HATE SPEECH AND VIOLENT CULTURE BEING DEVELOPED AND SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
Yes HH is a facebook president blood sucker so it is well for him to give nonsense statements about poverty instead of killings and accidents. Apart from face book let him give statements under the dark sea world reporting on how many killer Agents. Have been caught & how many children of God they killed & scrified.
Cadres of a known political party celebrated the chaos, in the hope that the nation would rise against Edgar Lungu. But they are disappointed that instead, citizens were helping police to stop the riots. Why are they so afraid of elections, one wonders?
Your comments are really heard, can we as Zambians view this situation with respect. No President would keep shut when all things are unwell in the capital of our beautiful mother Zambia.