RESIDENTS of George Township in Lusaka have appealed to Government to consider building a new police station to curb criminal activities after irate people burned the previous one a week ago following suspected ritual killings.

Residents said majority of them did not take part in the riot and should not suffer the consequences of others who burnt the police station in protest.

Others who took part in the riot which saw suspects who were arrested for various offences escape said they burnt the police station because police in the area were always reluctant and never carried night patrols.

“We want Government to quickly bring a new police station because criminals will now take advantage of the situation,” they said.

The residents have also promised to be helpful in the current investigations that were launched by the police.

But police spokesperson Charity Chanda said residents of the said township acted inappropriately and that police did not have immediate resources to construct a new police post.

“George Township residents committed an offence by burning a police station which serves them and this should not be a habit. As things stand, a new police post shall only be constructed when funds are available,” she said.

Ms Chanda further advised the residents to mobilise themselves and come up with a temporal police post to accommodate police officers to operate from.

She said police had intensified patrols in the area to ensure smooth investigations and possible arrest of perpetrators.

TRADERS at Lusaka’s Soweto Market have defied Government’s directive to stop selling fresh foodstuffs especially meat, offals and fish in unhealthy places.

A check by Sunday Times found various fresh food stuffs especially meat, fish and pieces of chicken being sold to members of the public in filthy conditions without considering the cholera outbreak in the city.

Zambia has recorded more than 200 cholera cases in peri-urban areas like Kanyama, Bauleni, Chilenje and George townships.

This reporter was welcomed by green flies and a stench from the food which was not being bought in view of the cholera outbreak.

Soweto Market committee chairperson, Isaac Simfukwe said the committee had tried to sensitise fellow marketeers but to no avail since many have argued that the council was collecting daily fees from them.

“I have tried in my own capacity as market committee chairperson to sensitise my fellow traders on the outbreak of cholera, but they have resisted and politicised the issue,” said Mr Simfukwe.

Some marketeers talked to said they had no option apart from doing their usual business since it was the only source of income.

“If authorities decide to close our open markets, then our business will be suspended until cholera is contained which might take a long time,” a resident said.

Bishop Mpundu said in an interview that politicians should take advantage of the Easter period to reconcile with one another.

He said Zambia did not seem to be peaceful because of the recent violent attacks by cadres on each other and members of the public.

Archbishop Mpundu said this had resulted in many people condemning politicians and accusing them of instigating violence.

“A peaceful nation is one where there is acceptance for others, their right to exist and even their right to be wrong,” he said.

The prelate said top political leaders had the key to change the nation by taking justice to all who long for it.

He said hatred and war did not have the last word but Jesus had the last word of what should happen in the country today.

Archbishop Mpundu said Good Friday was a reminder to all Christians in the country to take time to reflect on the passion of Jesus Christ.

Chief Chipepo of Gwembe District in Southern Province has challenged politicians to firmly use the Easter period to reconcile, show love to each other and work together to emulate the leadership of Jesus Christ.

He said political leaders had a big role to play by influencing their party members to embrace peace and unity which were important ingredients in fostering national development.

The Chief said in an interview yesterday that reconciliation among political leaders was significant for the unification of the country.

“As we celebrate this Easter period, it is important that we start by respecting each other, and on the part of politicians, I think it is important for them to use this period to reconcile and begin a new chapter of embracing love, peace and unity,” he said.

Chief Chipepo said the August 11 general election should not bring division through political violence, hence the need for political leaders to lead by example to embrace peace, love and unity.

Meanwhile, some residents of Lusaka have commended President Edgar Lungu for urging Patriotic Front (PF) cadres not to be vengeful, but to embrace peace.

Some callers to Millennium Radio’s Voice of development programme said Mr Lungu had set a good precedent that other political leaders should follow.

A caller only identified as Mwiinga said the onus was on the police to act against violent youths regardless of which party they belonged to, because the President had made his position clear.

Another caller called Brother Andrew said violence was not worth engaging in and that Mr Lungu’s message should be acted upon.

PF Lusaka Central Constituency Chairperson, Chitano Nkoma, says the party leadership would continue to uphold peace during and after the forthcoming August 11 elections.

Speaking during a prayer session held at Living Hope Church in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Nkhoma said this was the reason the party in the constituency held prayers yesterday to seek God’s guidance for peaceful elections.

Mr Nkhoma said the party leadership was seeking God’s guidance for the country to have peaceful elections before, during and after the elections.

He said after the rise in the number of political violence cases in the country with the recent one being the attack on the PF chairperson for Information, Frank Bwalya, the PF was calling for zero tolerance to violence.

And speaking at the same event, Living Hope Pastor, Sydney Mulenga, called for humble political leaders if the forthcoming August 11 elections were to be peaceful.

Pastor Mulenga, who used the event to wash the feet of some congregants, said it was through having humble leaders that the country would continue enjoying peace since 1964.

Meanwhile, the PF Lusaka Central Constituency has continued its mobilisation programme ahead of the forthcoming August 11 general elections after it opened another branch at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) called the Michael Chilufya Sata Branch

Speaking at the launch of the branch, Mr Nkhoma said the establishing of a branch at the UTH was an indication that the PF was growing from strength to strength.

The Michael Chilufya Sata becomes the 33rd PF branch aimed at ensuring the ruling party’s strength in Lusaka Central.

Mr. Kabwe says he has observed with concern a growing trend of people from a named opposition political party wearing military regalia.

He said criminals in Kitwe are taking advantage of this situation and are terrorizing residents using the military uniforms.

Mr. Kabwe said it is against the law for civilians to wear military uniform and has appealed to those doing so to stop.

He said those wearing military regalia are instilling fear in residents especially marketeers who are complaining of being intimidated by the same people.

Mr. Kabwe was speaking in a walk in interview with ZNBC News in Kitwe.

President Lungu says the meeting for all political parties has been called by the Catholic Bishops and that he is happy that two other Church mother bodies have been brought on board to moderate the meeting to be held at Kabingila House.

The Catholic Bishops have invited the Council of Church in Zambia -CCZ and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia – EFZ – to be part of the meeting.

Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda says the President has agreed to attend the meeting because the concept letter prepared by the Catholic Bishops was in conformity with his plans.

And Mr. Chanda says the President is disturbed that former Vice President GUY SCOTT can be against the Church’s call for dialogue among political parties.

Mr. Chanda has told ZNBC News in an interview that the President says Dr. Scott’s utterance as quoted in some media publication is unfortunate.

And President Edgar Lungu has with immediate effected directed the Zambia Cooperatives Federation to work with the Zambia National Service to quicken the installation of the solar milling plants.

The President says he wants to see the solar milling plants to start offloading cheaper Mealie meal country wide.

President Lungu is not pleased that the price of Mealie meal has remained high in some parts of the country.

Special assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda says the directive is with immediate effect.

Meanwhile ZCF Director General James Chirwa says over 65 solar milling plants that are installed in the various parts of the country are currently operational.

Mr. Chirwa says the solar milling plants that are operational have so far been distributed to five provinces, Lusaka, Northern, North Western, Muchinga and Eastern Provinces.

President Lungu has initiated the installation of solar milling plants that is been spearheaded by ZCF.