The opposition UPND is concerned that no action has been taken by government 15 days after its female party member was stripped naked by PF cadres on Youth Day. In a letter dated 18th March 2016, addressed to Republican Vice President Inonge Wina, UPND vice president for administration Canisius Banda said that such violations are the main reason its youths and general membership have often chosen not to fully participate in state and national events.

Dr. Banda said that was because their safety not not guaranteed and the promise of police protection did not appear to apply to them.

Below is the full letter

UPND National Headquarters
P. O. Box 38032
Lusaka, Zambia
No. 83A Provident Street

18th March 2016
Madam Inonge Wina
The Vice President of the Republic of Zambia
Office of The Vice President
Lusaka

Dear Madam Vice President,

RE: COMPLAINT ON VIOLENCE BY PF CADRES ON YOUTH DAY, 12th MARCH 2016

We are writing to raise our concerns with your esteemed office regarding the violence perpetrated by PF party cadres during the course of the Youth Day celebrations on Saturday 12th March 2016; an event that was not only officiated by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Hon. Vincent Mwale, but also by yourself in the capacity of Republican Vice President.

The unnecessary attack by the PF cadres left not only the UPND Youths but also many other young people, among them school children, injured, abused and traumatised from the hurling of bricks, stones and other harmful objects and substances such as teargas from the police.

Most of all we are utterly disgusted and angered by the incident in which a 27 year old lady was stripped naked and abused for simply wearing UPND party regalia to the Youth Day event, an episode that happened in full view of the police and no more than one kilometre from where you were seated in safety. This came just days after International Women’s Day and is a sad reminder of how far we fall short of protecting, supporting and empowering our girls and women as things currently stand.

Madam Vice President, tolerance of divergent views and peaceful co-existence are core values of democracy. When these values are sacrificed by cadres, for example through acts of politically motivated violence, our very existence as a democracy and an oasis of peace is directly threatened. We are surprised that while womanhood and humanity in general was being stripped and put to shame, the police turned a blind eye. While Government has condemned violence in words, no action has followed despite the fact these crimes took place in broad daylight and in full view of officers of the law.

Such violations are the main reason our youths and general membership have often chosen not to fully participate in state and national events because their safety is not guaranteed and the promise of police protection does not appear to apply to them.

Your Government is on record as having stated that it would like to see women’s participation in active politics grow to 40%, but clearly such incidents do not give one confidence that Government has any real agenda to either protect women’s rights or create an enabling environment for women to participate in politics.

Madam Vice President, this letter is our humble appeal to your conscience and motherly heart. Of great concern is the notable silence on your part both as a mother and a woman who is also the second most powerful person in our country. While you have addressed the youths and implored them not to be used as tools of violence, your words risk being labelled mere political rhetoric unless action follows, and we firmly believe the only reason PF cadres continue to harm our people is because of Government’s failure to act on the matter meaning perpetrators expect to go unpunished.

We, in the UPND, are committed to peaceful dialogue and we implore you to inculcate the same spirit as government and the ruling party.

We seek your assurance that justice will prevail over the violent attacks on Youth Day and that women in general can expect action from you to address gender based violence, including the issue of the young lady who was stripped naked on Youth Day.

We look forward to your urgent action and response to the above concerns.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Canisius Banda

Cc:
The Minister, Youth and Sport
The IG – Zambia Police
The Diplomatic Community and Multilateral Organisations
Women for Change
NGOCC
Women in Law of Southern Africa
Law Association of Zambia
Young Women Christian Association
Human Rights Commission

UPND President
UPND Vice President [Admin]

OPPOSITION leaders are fabricating lies being peddled against senior members of the Patriotic Front, Munali Member of Parliament Nkandu Luo has said.
Prof Luo has urged citizens to be aware of false and fabricated lies by UPND.

Prof Luo who is also Gender Minister said UPND has intensified lies against leaders especially from Patriotic Front (PF) strongholds.

Prof Luo said the UPND was desperate to show that their party was gaining momentum.

“We know the tricks. They bus people, flood areas with their party materials and create a sense of artificial popularity. We saw those tricks with the MMD,” she said.

Prof Luo said UPND was last week circulating lies that Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba was attending a UPND Press Conference when he was with President Edgar Lungu in Mozambique.

But UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka said UPND had neither issued a statement on whether Mr Kalaba nor Prof Luo had joined them.Mr Katuka said PF members of Parliament who would join UPND would be unveiled tomorrow or Tuesday when the party holds a press conference.

He said Prof Luo must have been reading online reports which had nothing to do with the UPND.

Prof Luo has accused UPND of using sponsored propaganda to fight her in her constituency.

“This is sponsored propaganda. They have done everything to frustrate me but have failed. They continue saying I have done nothing in Munali and claim that I have failed as a Member of Parliament,”

“But many people know what I have done in Munali Constituency. So those claims that I have failed are coming from the opposition and certain members of the party- kick of a dying horse, they have resorted to that, hoping that their preferred candidate, a weak candidate can have easy access to adoption,” Prof Luo said.

She wondered why certain PF members had fallen for the trick of in-house fights instead of concentrating on the enemy at the door.

“What baffles me is that we fight all the time in PF instead of fighting the opposition. This a critical time when we should be united but innuendoes and lies against one another have continued. What do people behind this want to achieve? It is puzzling.

“I have come to the conclusion that Zambia has a disease called CCJ. It stands for Complaining, Criticizing and Jealous.

“Please stop this. All you rumour mongers should know that such nonsense has the potential to destroy our Party,” Prof Luo said.

“Since this is Easter I want to put all of those behind this rumour in prayer and just as the Lord said “Lord forgive them as they do not know what they are doing,”.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Harry Kalaba, has observed that since 1965 the United Change of Zambia (UCZ) has played a pivotal role in the emancipation of this country.

Mr Kalaba said this in Lusaka today during a fundraising service for the completion of the UCZ, Kabangwe Congregation.

He urged members of the Church to give to the Lord cheerfully as they will be rewarded greatly.

He noted that when they give generously, God will surely meet them at their point of need and their household will have abundance.

Mr Kalaba said the UCZ has also lived up to its evangelical role of providing for the poor, feeding the hungry and visiting those in prison.

He said the Church has been doing this through its various community interventions and departments such as the Boys Brigade (BB) and Girls Brigade (GB).

Mr Kalaba said UCZ needs to also play a prominent role in ensuring that there is peace as Zambia goes to the polls.

He noted that Zambia is one of the eight in the world that have never recorded any civil strife, and it is, therefore, important it maintains its peace.
Mr Kalaba said Easter is the time that the country needs to inculcate good morals and a spirit of oneness as the nation remembers the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He reiterated that President Edgar Lungu has set aside a day of national prayer because of his love for peace and unity.

Mr Kalaba said because of this Zambia shall remain a Christian Nation and has asked the Church to keep praying for peace to continue.

He has since encouraged the youths in the Church and the community not to be used as tools of violence ahead of the August 11 general elections.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said during this period, unsuspecting youths usually fall prey and involve themselves in violence which is detrimental to the development of the country.

Mr Kalaba reiterated that youths are the future leaders of this country hence the need for them to engage themselves in meaningful activities.

Speaking earlier UCZ Kabangwe Congregation Minister in Charge, Timothy Chamuka, noted that time has come for the congregants to build the house of the Lord with pride.

Rev Chamuka said many congregants have a tendency of shunning Church fundraising ventures.

He said he is happy that government has taken a strong stance of speaking against violence.

Durinmg the fundraising event Mr Kalaba pledged a K10,000 while Katuba Member of Parliament, Jonas Shakafuswa, pledged a K 5000.

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.

LUSAKA Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has called on politicians to use Easter as a time to restrain their youths from engaging in violence.

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.