United Party for National Development(UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has said that his party has been a victim of state-sponsored violence by the ruling Patriotic Front cadres.
Reacting to President Lungu’s assertions political violence in the country can only end when Mr Hichilema and his party commit to the process, Mr Hichilema said that his party has had it’s youths murdered in cold blood by known PF cadres who still freely roam the streets, terrorising innocent citizens without any intervention from the law enforcement because the PF who are supposed to be the custodians of law and order are the prime beneficiaries of the gravitation of the chaos and crime.
Below is the full statement
We are greatly appalled by Mr Edgar Lungu’s escalated buck-passing on matters regarding the rule of law and public order of this nation. This is a clear vindication of our long held view that governance of this country under the PF has completely collapsed and in need of a total overhaul in 2021.
The back and forth flawed interpretation of the constitution that has led the nation and now his own Cabinet ministers into a debt crisis underscores this tragic failure by Mr Lungu to run the public affairs of the State.
To point at Hakainde and the UPND as the instigators of political and community violence when Mr Lungu controls governance institutions is not only a sick joke but a glaring admission of lack of leadership and a ready confirmation of the existence of a power vacuum that ultimately threatens peace and stability in the country. There’s no party that has been subjected to systematic State sponsored violence than the UPND, its leaders and supporters since the PF came to power. These matters are in the public domain and very well documented.
Our party has had it’s youths murdered in cold blood by known PF thugs who still freely roam the streets, terrorising innocent citizens without any intervention from the law enforcement because the PF who are supposed to be the custodians of law and order are the prime beneficiaries of the gravitation of the chaos and crime. Grazia Mutapa, Lawrence Banda, Mapenzi Chibulo, Vespers Shimuzila have all died at the hands of PF instigated violence. Known PF hired thugs attacked and brutalized mourners at Leopards Hill Memorial Park during the burial of a UPND supporter Clance Zulu and no one has been arrested to date.
At a personal level, we have been the target of well calculated incidents of political violence that have sometimes threatened our lives. In the Sesheke parliamentary by-election campaigns, live fire was discharged at our rally, while gallant Police officers who courageously restored order, by apprehending the PF thugs, were promptly retired in the so called national interest.
When conducting a Sun FM live radio interview on the Copperbelt in April 2014, heavily armed PF thugs discharged live fire as they raided the studio. By God’s Grace, we escaped through an opening in the roof.
PF cadres backed by senior District civil servants have carried out sustained terror attacks on various Community Radio stations around the country that have featured our interviews.
Armed PF cadres early this year raided Lusaka Central Police station, the biggest law enforcement facility in the country and assaulted and robbed officers on duty. Only recently in Muchinga Province during by-election campaigns, armed PF cadres mounted illegal roadblocks on public roads and hurled projectiles as we drove by; none of them have been arrested even though they are known to the police.
From the foregoing and many other unmentioned examples, it is succinctly clear that Mr Edgar Lungu and the PF are the instigators and beneficiaries of political and community related violence since the Chawama panga wielding incidents.
As UPND in power in 2021, courtesy of God’s will and the people of Zambia, we will from day one outlaw cadrism and political violence by ensuring law and order reign supreme.
We will allow law enforcement agencies to independently exercise their constitutional obligations to maintain order that will be devoid of political interference. We will not meddle in their professional duties to bring sanity and dignity back to our communities.
Our mothers in public markets and the travelling public in bus stations will no longer be terrorised by PF thugs that harass them and extort their hard earned money as is the current norm under the PF and Mr Edgar Lungu. Zambia shall return to normalcy and respectability once again.
On the commemoration on Human Rights Day, we would like to assure all Zambians that under our leadership, their rights will be fully respected.
HH has never committed to condemning violence. It’s why his cadres don’t care what they do. Let him condemn violent cadres like the president does
I am very confident that HH will come and stop this violence that is largely perpetrated by the PF. 70% PF and 30% UPND is the scientific split in terms of violence. And upto now the KNOWN PF caders who beat up Sean Tembo are still scot free
Blame game
The way UPND has suffered at the hands of the PF is unimaginable. UPND caders cant even wear their party regalia in these markets, they are clobbered straight away in this so called Christian nation. Have you seen any one wear a UPND tee shirt in these markets and yet the UPND has more members than PF and more popular than the PF. What with the economy which the PF has clearly grounded. PF leaders, please reflect and stop being defensive
State capture
State sponsored violence
Failed State
War Crimes (Milupi 95%)
Banana Republic
These are terms which UPND uses carelessly to alarm the nation in a well functioning democracy.
They don’t even have a manifesto.
UPND can’t win u der (HH)
Maybe 2031 under Nkombo or Mweetwa.
Apart from these ministers who illegally stayed in office after dissolution of parliament paying back, can’t they also be charged with the odfence of ebeying unlawful instructions. Only then will we be setting a precedent of people being responsible in this country
Yes, the former ministers can be charged with obeying unlawful instructions. The instructions the President gave to stay in office illegally was not backed by the law. And if the ministers were sharp they should have disobeyed the President, always be on the side of the law and not on the side of a President. Lesson to ALL
This man never speaks against violence. I have never heard him denounce violent acts by His party.
President Lungu said-“…Under Mazoka(when he was a upnd member), we never had violence. I have condemned the violence. I have not heard my friend HH condemning violence…”
Well said UPND , HH and your media team…..
To the point with facts and figures.
We have always said lungu commands and directs violent and thuggery
Well said UPND , HH and your media team…..
To the point with facts and figures.
We have always said lungu commands and directs violent and thuggery
Bowman lusambo had his name mentioned by a dying man in roan , after being brutally hacked by PF
The leader of the most violent party to have ever existed in this Country. All the know is violence and insults! Shame on you HH
Graziar Mutapa, Mapenzi Chibulo, Vespers Shimuzhila, Lawrence Tembo all killed in cold blood. The sanctity of life does not matter for the violent PF cadres. They know no law
The problem of HH, as many observe, is to try and claim that UPND has been at the receiving end of PF violence. Yet everyone knows that UPND has not always been victim but has also been perpetrator of violence. A clear case of this is the violence we saw unleashed after the 2016 elections on innocent Zambians from other regions of Zambia but found a second home in Namwala district. Up to this day, HH and his party have failed to show humanity to those innocent Zambians by apologising to them. One is also reminded of the violent manner Sakwiba Sikota, Bob Sichinga and Patrick Chisanga were hounded out of UPND. We have also not forgotten how VJ Mwaanga was thrown to the ground and stepped on by UPND cadres when he tried to deliver a message of condolences from state house following the…
Under 5 chap
… the death of Mr. Mazoka. Yet, HH wants to give the impression that his members have a monopoly of suffering at the hands of the ruling PF when it has inflicted its own share of violence on those who may not be UPND or may hail from other parts of Zambia. Is the UPND afterall not the cradle of the Mapatizya formula? What about the threats we continually hear from UPND members that when they come into power, Zambians from other regions “will see”. Why do members of UPND want to make Zambians believe Tonga’s have an axe to grind with Non-Tongas? Is this kind of language not a recipe for violence?
Sponsor.
HH is very right, the violence witnessed under PF has never been seen in this country before. Infact that was the reason of my defection to UPND
Please comment on specific incidents,the worst was the committing of sacrilege at Leopard Hilis Memorial Park.Such an act of violence had never been done at a burial ground since the founding of Zambia.Burials were respected, no one has mentioned this Savage attack.There was another attack at a funeral house while mouners were at the cemetery…. denying name calling won’t help,PF has been extremely violent…
BREAKING NEWS AS IT UNFOLDED ON 27 AUGUST 2021:
” Opposition candidate for upnd hakainde hichilema, has choked on mabisi after learning of his record breaking election loss. It is unknown what his next moves will be or if the even has a future in politics”
Very dry joke. Not even funny
And has the cadre who mercilessly burnt peoples houses in Chongwe on the land he illegally acquired been arrested. Your time is coming. And I think that is the same guy who violently assaulted a mini bus driver after an accident he himself caused
The problem is he always wants to play victim when he is the one who starts it… Stop playing the blame game its getting old now
I think the initiative taken by some citizens and that there are now 301 names of known violent PF cadres on the list is commendable. I know that this matter will be settled after August 2021 but what is important is that the list must contain names of which PF leader has been sending them to commit these acts of violence on innocent citizens.
Have the PF cadres who brutally and mercilessly assaulted a UPND official Charmaine Musonda in Chilanga two weeks ago been arrested. Or it is the usual Police lethargy of not wanting to enforce the law when it is violent PF cadres involved
Dan yaro why should police arrest pf members for a beating brought about due to a domestic dispute between mrs. Mutinta hichilema and charmaine? Let hh sort out the consequences of his affairs. Were we there when he was putting his thing inside another woman?
Kaizar why cant you change and just be a good guy. It is not a painful experience to be good. A time will come when your protégé will be out of power and you will need people on your side. Just change brother and be an agent of change to the ever violent PF caders. Please please. We love you brother, just be on the side of the people. PF is a very violent party, ask Sean Tembo and others
PF cadres, please stop your violent acts. Lets learn to co exist. Allow UPND to put their flags in public places the way you have done with yours. Why do you remove UPND flags? Why do you beat up people wearing UPND tee shirts? Why are you savages in what is called a Christian nation, though of course salvation is personal and the Christian nation issue is as irrelevant as it can be. Please lets compete on ideas. PF cadres are brutal and that is why lives have been lost at their hands minus any arrest. Very sad
I really sympathise with the way the UPND has been treated in this country, like outcasts. Their leader cant even freely move in his own country. Even ZNBC where UPND members pay tax has been shifted to PF. Only PF is shown there, bali ika tilila, really very uncivilised, and the country has a leader who is watching all these un democratic issues and does not even question. His priorities through out his tenure are campaigning in various areas of the country and not sitting in his office to plan for the country. We don’t even know where the exchange rate will stop at. really Proven Failures
On this topic both of them are childish.
Don’t be a cry baby you expect people to just sit and not act when they are being attacked your party people are usually the ones who start the attacks so why are you being a cry baby just own up to your actions
Don’t start things if you can’t take the heat tell your people to stop being violent and I’m sure the pf will stop retaliating
William Banda, the founder of the violent UNIP vigilantes, the OC( original cadre), the violent leader of RBs MMD cadres is hakainde’s advisor today. And you want to believe the lies and rubbish he’s talking about in the above article??? Open your eyes, people!!
Tabulate ALL political violence encounters and you will see that UPND is constant in all since it was formed
While as I totally agree that the PF are criminal gangsters, I do not accept that HH should continue to refuse to title Edgar Lungu as President Lungu, but Mr Lungu. He has done this again and again. This is not right. I would like HH to be the next President of Zambia, but the thing is that if you refuse to be led, you cannot lead. This insolence by HH will make him a career opposition leader.
But why have you not condemned violence mr HH?? You have never told your cadres to refrain from violence since you became a Leader for UPND. Please try by all means to denounce violence regardless where it comes from. Thats why I can not Vote for you Sir.
It is cantankerously foolish for anyone to point at opposition parties as instigators of violence when the instigators are clearly known and records are there in still pictures, audios and videos.
It is also foolish to use incidences where citizens have reacted in self defence as being violent when some parties are known to be violent even among themselves, starting from the installation or imposition of their so called leaders if what they are is anything to go by, up to their imposition on national status.
What should be clear in the minds of such parties and individual instigators is that the blood of their innocent brothers and sisters that they have shed has been crying out loud before God and they will not escape judgment.
The boy who cried wolf (HH) the day real violence shall hit you even your cows won’t save you
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Go to Mkuni Village you find the upnd flag is there. HH has NEVER condemned political violence in Southern Province where PF are clobbered by upnd. You cant freely put a pf flag in the southern province. HH only see violence in EP, CBP, LP. recently a pf caders were beaten in SP, Hh is mute. That is double standard.
Lets arrest both of them then
HH has condemned violence on several occasion, the challenge is that you just pick out what you want to hear when HH says something, and another misguided soul is saying William Banda is advisor to HH, What has the ever violent PF cadre got to do with that. How many more lives do you want to see lost before you tell your violent PF cadres to sit down. Now, come on
The truth of matter UPND resorts to violence as means of self defence. What can one do faced with grave danger and those who are supposed to safe guard your life bolts? You have to finds means or ways of running away from danger. HH should be clear that UPND cades resort to violence as a means of self defence. HE ECL was talking because he had to say something otherwise he is very much aware what goes on the ground. Both parties have got very violent cadres as they came from MMD an splint into two groups. The PF cadres are always getting away with it as they essentially part of the RULING CLASS and UPND are the ruled class. We are yet to see how HH will tame his cadres after being in the waiting for years. Cadres are a problem and difficult to tame as they see the political landscape from…
I think registrar of societies must just de register PF for us to have peace
… Choosing vice presidents from certain tribal groupings with the hope of attracting votes from those areas has clearly failed to materialise. The only thing that works in HH’s favour is tanacity. Despite losing five times and counting, he still campaigns as if he joined politics yester year.
HH please come and bring sanity, this is Peter Musonda from Nkole mfumu in Kasama, We cant continue living like this and failing to co exist as a people. Cadres are in charge now and ruling. Even when PF cadres are coming in their convoys on the road,they have to remove us from the roads as if we don’t pay road tax and many other taxes for the roads and salaries for their leaders in government. I am tired of PF lawlessness
Let those who deny what HH has said rebut the incidents one by one. Guilty is loud when one diverts from the mentioned incidents to other issues
2021 ARROUND THE CORNER SO STOPPED AGUEING TO YOURSELF ; THE VOTE HAS A SOLUTION TO AGUEMENTS.
2021 IS ARROUND THE CORNNER ; SO STOP AGUING TO YOURSELVES , THE VOTE HAS A SOLUTION TO THESE AGUMENTS , YOU WILL SAY SORT OF THINGS BUT THAT WONT HELP US ; WHY WASTING TIME ON SOMETHING YOU CAN NEVER CHANGE THROUGH AGUMENT JUST WAIT ON THE CASTING DAY, THEY ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS CREATED BY GOD,S IMAGE ONLY GOD HAS THE AUTHORITY EVEN TO CHANGE YOUR . REMEMBER!; GOD IS TOO MIGHTY DONT PROVOKE GOD WITH THE BITTER WORDS WE SAY. THE MONEY WE HAVE WONT TAKE US ANYWHERE , HIS WRATH IS POWER NO ONE CAN RESCUE US FROM HIS HANDS IF AT ALL HE CURSES OUR LAND. CAREFUL
Clear incompetence and failure by the sitting president to govern the country! Every system has lamentably failed…..the honorable this to just step aside!!!
There will be a huge celebration, nay, a mammoth celebration next year when PF wins, anso.
I shall live to vote against upndead.
This piece of sh!+ doesn’t sound like a president.
What a mean human being!
Upnd introduced violence on the political scene via mapatizya formula, you reap what you sow,, only upnd operate freely in southern province other parties are attacked