Police in riot gear have been deployed in Lusaka to block UPND youths led by their Deputy National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso from removing PF cadres from Markets and Bus Stations.

Acting Inspector General of Police Eugene Sibote yesterday directed Police Officers to be on high alert and deal with any UPND Member that will dare to go ahead with the activity.

Mr Sibote advised the UPND youths not to go ahead with their planned activity and warned that Police will not allow any lawlessness to take place.

A check in the Central Business District found Police Officers patrolling the targeted public places ready to deal with what they termed as law breakers.

According to Mr Liswaniso, the UPND youths will protect the suffering masses and ensure sanity is restored in public places by Wednesday this week.

He said the struggling marketers, bus drivers, and their conductors, and the traveling public are suffering a lot of humiliation through unnecessary levies and taxes from these PF hooligans.

Mr Liswaniso said the starting point will be Lusaka’s Intercity Bus Terminus, City Market, Katondo and Lumumba bus stations and make sure that these are handed over to the Lusaka City Council who can run them effectively and enhance revenue collection.

But some UPND Officials have vowed to go ahead with the activity on the day Police do not suspect.

In a statement on his facebook page UPND president Hakainde Hichilema thanked marketeers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, members of the general public, and local authorities on the positive response and cooperation wthe UPND have been receiving over their intention to get rid of the PF thugs from public places.

“We are now calling on our citizens to refuse to pay illegal levies to these PF thugs as that amounts to daylight robbery and should not allow anyone to displace them from their trading places as they have the right to be there.

Our marketeers, bus drivers, conductors, taxi drivers, and members of the general public should only pay appropriate fees to legal entities such as local authorities that are taking care of these places.

We must all unite and refuse by not promoting hooliganism in the country. We should all ensure sanity is restored in these public places for our citizens to trade freely,”Mr Hichilema said.

The government has said that it will not allow any law enforcement officers to harass street vendors and marketers as long as they trade in an organized manner.

Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary Bishop Dr. Eddie Chomba has observed that despite government reserving certain routines for vendors and marketeers in Central Business Districts most of them have continued trading in an uncoordinated manner.

Dr. Chomba stated that some businesses are lucrative for Zambians but as long as they continue conducting their businesses in an uncoordinated manner they risk being in conflict with the law, a move he said can be avoided.

He has since urged market managers countrywide to ensure that those trading in reserved routes conduct their businesses in an orderly manner.

“Market managers should start doing the right thing and ensure that everyone follows orders.” Dr. Chomba stated.

He stated that despite their businesses being lucrative, Marketeers and street vendors risk losing most of their clientele if they trade disorderly.

“Stop Chasing people who are buyers due to disorderliness, buyers should follow you, but they can’t follow you if you go near drainages.” Dr. Chomba added.

Dr. Chomba further stated that marketeers and street vendors ought to dignify themselves if they are to get the most out of their businesses.

“This is not even a political statement, this is not to appease anybody. We need to dignify our selves,” he said.

Dr. Chomba was speaking when he listened and spoke to street vendors and marketeers at Nakatindi hall at the Lusaka’s Civic center.

He has since confirmed his availability for the traders to hear their challenges and how best to go about them.

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba has accused the church of being complicit to Political Violence for not participating in the political affairs of the Country.

Dr. Mumba who is also a clergy was addressing congregants at the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) in Matero, said that the Political Violence being experienced doesn’t befit a Christian Nation.

“In 1991, my party the MMD through President Chiluba declared Zambia a Christian Nation. This was not done because a few of us in the MMD were Christians but because the majority of Zambians were and are Christians. Political Violence and Corruption just to mention a few are Un-Christian. The killing in Kaoma was clearly Un-Christian and should be condemned by all Christians”, Dr. Mumba said.

Dr. Mumba called upon the church to enter the Political arena.

“I would like to take this opportunity to call upon the church to actively participate in the running of the affairs of the Country. There are a number of ways in which this can be done which include encouraging and supporting its members to run for public office and also take to task the incumbent political players”, Dr. Mumba said.

He said the church must take a deliberate step to train its membership and encourage them to vie for political office.

Dr. Mumba then stated that the Church was guilty of allowing the escalation of Political Violence because they have stayed away from politics and they have not taken the political players to the task.

“The church has godly values which it can use to promote good governance. Some of these include Integrity, Morality and the fear of God. As long as the Church doesn’t encourage and support it’s members for public office, these important values will not see the public office. What we will continue seeing is Political violence and corruption. The Political Violence which includes the Kaoma killing is because the Church and it’s members have left the running of this country to unbelievers. So it is right to blame the church of tolerating this violence because they have refused to stand up to the challenge”, Dr. Mumba said.

Police in Lusaka have apprehended 11 male suspects for being in possession of offensive weapons. Deputy Inspector General of Police – Administration Eugene Sibote has said that the 11 were apprehended after a tip-off from concerned members of the public in Lusaka’s Chalala area.

Mr. Sibote said that the suspects were found in possession of 55 machetes, 6 teasers, 17 walkie talkies and 29 boxes of registration forms for Leadership Movement Party.

Addressing the media in Lusaka today, Mr. Sibote said the suspects were also found with 7 black berets, 13 black shot buttons and 11 pairs of black combat uniforms labeled LM.

Mr. Sibote said the suspects are detained in police custody for being in possession of offensive articles.

He said further investigations have continued over the matter to establish the motives of the group.

Mr. Sibote stated that in the interest of peace, the Police Command is considering making a strong recommendation for the deregistration of organizations such as the Leadership movement if investigations establish that the group had the blessings of the supposed political party.

And Mr. Sibote has expressed concern over a statement circulating on social media purported to have been issued by UPND Deputy National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso under the headline “PF and Police should remove PF thugs from bus stops and markets b
Wednesday”.

He said the Police deems the statement to be in bad taste and has the potential to incite violence.

Mr. Sibote has directed all police officers to be on high alert and firmly deal with those who may decide to participate in such disorderly activities.

Post Views: 7