United Party for National Development (UPND) deputy national youth chairperson Cindy Kauka has called on youths’ structure across boarders areas to be alert and deal sternly with any foreigner who will be found with a voter’s card.

“We have intelligence information and we know where these people will be lodged during elections. Zambia is a sovereign state and any foreigner that will try to meddle in our home affairs will be dealt with mercilessly. We warn all foreigners that have been registered as voters that if found we shall send them straight to their maker” said Cindy Kauka

Speaking in Kabwe where she is doing vote protection campaigns, the youth leader urged young people not to allow anyone to steal their future.

“This is your election as young people so don’t allow anyone to steal your future. Guard this election with the last drop of your blood. Protect our democracy from a very useless government that is putting our national security and your lives at risk for the sake of winning an election.” said an emotionally charged youth leader.

According to UPND, an investigation by News diggers newspaper has revealed that over 20,000 foreigners were registered as Zambian voters. And another investigation by the UPND national youth security has revealed that in Nsama district Congolese nationals have been issued with NRCs and voter’s cards.

The investigation has revealed that secret issuance of voter’s cards continued even after the close of the exercise. UPND President Hakainde Hichilema said rigging plans by the PF will not succeed.

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has charged that the failure by President Edgar Lungu to attend the Peace Conference that was organized by the three church mother bodies and the Civil Society shows the President’s lack of respect to the organisers of the Conference and confirms the lack of seriousness the President takes on matters of peace and national security.

In a statement released to the media by the party’s Information and Publicity Secretary Otis Bwalya, the party said that unlike President Lungu and the PF, Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND believe in politics of peace and unity.

Below is the full statement

PRESIDENT LUNGU SNUBBED THE PEACE CONFERENCE BECAUSE HE IS THE No.1 SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR OF VIOLENCE.

The failure by President Edgar Lungu to attend the Peace Conference that was organized by the three church mother bodies and the Civil Society does not only show the President’s lack of respect to the organisers of the Conference but also confirms the lack of seriousness the President takes on matters of peace and national security.It is clear to us, President Lungu is the number sponsor and supporter of political violence in the country.

Unlike President Lungu and the PF, our President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND believe in politics of peace and unity. Once we from government on 12 August, we shall end all forms of political violence once and for all.

It is a pity that today citizens live in fear of being terrorised by political carders who have full blessings from higher authorities. In the PF government, party carders are untouchable. They can maim citizens at will or worse still attack a Police Station and go unpunished. There shall be no sacred cows in the UPND led government. All perpetrators of violence shall be brought to book regardless of their standing in society.

If President Lungu had the political will to end violence, he could have easily done so. But unfortunately, he and the Pf believe in politics of intimidation and blood shed. We have reported to the police on a number of times how our members have been attacked by PF carders, nothing has been done. Ordinary citizens too have reported how they have fallen victim to well orchestrated violence from the PF security, the complaints have not been attended to.

We cannot talk about the many of our members and ordinary citizens that have been killed by the PF carders because the mentioning of those incidences bring back gruesome memories that invoke traumatic recollections especially to families members, while the killers of their beloved ones roam the streets freely. The PF have always been abating violence from day one because it directly benefits them.

The UPND led government under the leadership of President Hichilema shall give the police full autonomy and independence to operate professionally in the service of the Zambian people because we believe in their capacity. A professional and independent police service is key to ending political violence. We shall depoliticise the police service.

In conclusion, we would like to thank President HH for showing commitment and leadership not only at Mulungushi Conference Center yesterday during signing of the Peace Pledge but in as far as the fight against political violence is concerned. As a party we have always emphasised on our commitment to peaceful campaign and indeed peaceful elections, at least from our end, no matter the provocation.

ISSUED BY;
OTIS BWALYA,
INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY (IPS).
LUSAKA PROVINCE, UPND

The Shiwang`andu district conflict management committee has advised political parties in the area to help reduce tension and pressure on the electoral process by embracing peaceful campaigns.

Committee chairperson, Grandwell Chipampe, said political parties and their aspiring candidates are expected to maintain peace, unity and mutual understanding as they carry out campaigns in the district.

“We want to ensure that there is peace before, during and after the election,” Mr. Chipampe said during a conflict management meeting which was held to re-arrange the campaign timetable for political parties in Shiwang`andu district.

Speaking at the same meeting, Shiwang`andu District Electoral Officer Alex Zulu, implored the political parties to strictly adhere to Covid-19 guidelines as they carry out their campaigns.

Mr. Zulu has since called on aspiring candidates of various political parties to take time to sensitise electorates on Covid-19 pandemic during campaigns.

“We should continue to fight Covid-19 so that we do not lose the lives of many people or put the forthcoming August election at stake,” he said.

He said the fight against Covid-19 is not just for the Ministry of Health alone but calls for combined efforts among all stakeholders.

The four aspiring candidates for the parliamentary seat in Shiwang`andu constituency have agreed to carry out their campaigns in a peaceful manner.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front aspiring candidate for Serenje central constituency Maxwell Kabanda has called on his fellow politician to be peaceful before, during and after the August 12, 2021 elections.

Mr. Kabanda observed that peace is important if the country is to have free and fair elections.

The immediate past Serenje central Member of Parliament said this in an interview with ZANIS in Serenje.

He has also called on youths to avoid being used by politicians as tools of violence.

Mr. Kabanda said the ruling PF is a mature party that wants to lead by example hence it would not want to see youths entangled in any forms of violence.

“Youths are targets of electoral violence, we want to see that our youths stay away from all forms of violence,” he said.

He further called on other politicians to inculcate in people the need to observe the Covid-19 health guidelines to help stop the spread of the pandemic.

And a Chipata based athlete Katalala Banda has appealed to political parties in the country to promote peace and unity during their door to door campaigns ahead of the August 12, general elections.

Mr. Banda said the political parties contesting this year’s elections must effectively use the ‘One Zambia One Nation’ motto on which the unity of the country has been built.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS after his arrival in Chipata aboard a Proflight plane, Mr. Banda also urged the youths not to be used as tools of perpetuating political violence.

Mr Banda decided to uniquely mourn the late first republican president Kenneth Kaunda through a marathon run from Chipata to Zambia’s capital city Lusaka for ten days.

He thanked everyone that supported him during the marathon up to the time he reached Lusaka.

Chipata District Commissioner (DC) Kalunga Zulu has commended Mr. Banda for being a patriotic Zambian that decided to honour the late Dr. Kaunda by running a marathon.

Mr. Zulu said the late Dr. Kaunda was a lover of peace and always encouraged everyone to love their neighbour as they loved themselves.

He said the late former president always preached peace and unity.

Mr Zulu also urged Mr Banda to be an ambassador of peace in Chipata district and also help in the fight against the Coronavirus.

The United Party for National Development (UPND) Alliance Partner, Kelvin Bwalya Fube has said that UPND Alliance President, Hakainde Hichilema is the best leader that he has worked with so far in his political career.

And Mr. Fube, fondly known as KBF, has cleared the air on the numerous lies that have been concocted against UPND Alliance leader, Hakainde Hichilema’s work relationship with those he has worked with in the past.

In a radio interview on Radio Phoenix’s Let The People Talk yesterday, Mr. Bwalya stated that contrary to the numerous lies that have been told about him, Mr. Hichilema was the most focused, principled, responsible, resilient, and hard-working person he has ever worked with.

“There has been a lot of lies and misrepresentations by people about Mr. HH in the past that he is like this…he is like that…I don’t find these difficulties in working with him myself. Why? Because we both have similarities in working for the good of the Zambian people. For example, we graduated on the same date; we are almost the same age; we are both principled to work. We are both self-made men who are [also] financially independent,” he charged.

KBF has also appealed to Zambians to rally behind UPND Alliance in the forthcoming general elections slated for 12th August.

He says Zambians should take the money that PF are offering them, saying it was theirs, but that they should keep it in their minds to vote for President Hichilema and the Alliance to liberate themselves.

“PF today has money; they have regalia; they have logistics; they have more cars than we have in the Alliance. Take their money, take their Chitenge, eat! After all, it is your money, it is stolen money, but in your hearts as Zambians…and am trust Zambians…you know what to do…on polling day, go to that booth and exercise your right to vote and vote for UPND Alliance,” he said.

Ruling Patriotic Front Luapula Constituency Candidate Chanda Katotobwe has handed over a BMW motor vehicle to a PF supporter who had his vehicle damaged by opposition UPND supporters in Lusaka last month.

The motor vehicle valued at K95,000 and fuel worth K5,000 was handed over to Mr Michael Mali, aged 34, a resident of Lusaka as a replacement after UPND cadres damaged his vehicle during their road show along Zambezi Road in Roma Township.

Mr Katotobwe has since appealed for peace as the country heads to the August 12th general elections adding that the PF has no appetite for violence.

He further called for tolerance and maximum restraint among PF supporters even in the face of provocation from opposition supporters.

Speaking during a brief handover ceremony of the vehicle, Mr Katotobwe advised PF supporters not to apply any physical revenge when attacked by opposition members.

He stated that the best form of revenge should be in the Ballot Box on election day by electing President Edgar Lungu and all the other candidates standing on the PF ticket.

“Our gesture today is meant to demonstrate that as the PF, we stand for peace always. We have replaced the damaged BMW with this new one because we do not believe in retribution. Our message to our members is that we only revenge on election day in the Ballot Box by ticking on PF candidates,” Mr Katotobwe stressed.

He added, “We only have one Zambia and we should do everything to safeguard the peace that we enjoy in this country. Political violence is a vice that should be condemned by all and we hope that this gesture will be used to promote a culture of tolerance and co-existence among political party supporters.”

The PF Luapula Constituency Candidate also commended President Edgar Lungu for signing a peace pledge ahead of the election which he said is a clear demonstration of the Head of State’s commitment to peace building.

“We are the ruling and winning party hence we have the responsibility to safeguard peace and property. This is the main objective of this gesture because we want to quench violence. As the ruling party, we don’t envy violence and we have the mandate to protect all before and after August 12th,” Mr Katotobwe said.

He added, “President Lungu is the ruler of this country and all the people of Zambia including opposition people are under his rule and as a party President Lungu has won elections using the ballot paper in 2015, 2016 and even this year, we will use the ballot paper to win.”

The vehicle handover ceremony which took place near the PF office on the scene of the attack on Zambezi Road was attended by PF Member of the Central Committee Paul Moonga, Lusaka PF Mayoral Candidate Chilando Chitangala and senior PF officials from Mandevu Constituency.

And receiving the vehicle, Mr Mali thanked Mr Katotobwe and the PF for the gesture lamenting that his movements were severely affected after his vehicle was damaged.

He pledged to promote and advocate for a spirit of tolerance among political supporters in an effort to maintain peace ahead of the August 12th polls.

Patriotic Front Parliamentary Candidate for Kanchibiya Constituency Sunday Chilufya Chanda has promised to dedicate the next 5 years to working with the women cooperatives in the district in order to fast track rural development, increase food production and eradicate poverty through income-generating activities at community and household levels.

Speaking when he addressed residents of Chakopo, Chanda observed that gender inequality and limited access to credit, healthcare, and education have posed a number of challenges for rural women.

He also observed that the Patriotic Front under the 2021-2026 manifesto, has committed to fast-tracking the pace at which women get out of the poverty cycle.

He said while the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the country’s economy, there is also an opportunity for Kanchibiya District to work with the cooperative movement in responding to demands for agricultural products within Zambia and beyond.

“I believe that women are strong contributors to the economy, and form a large proportion of the agricultural workforce nationally and globally.

He said women, especially through the cooperative model, can do much more given equal resources and made a commitment to the women of Kanchibiya to see this through.
“We are committing to give our women the same access as men to agricultural resources. Once this happens, Kanchibiya will see an increase in production on women’s farms, reduce hunger at community and household levels and lift many out of the vicious poverty cycle”, He stated.

Mr. Chanda has stated that the agenda to empower women is central to the PF’s 2021-2026 manifesto. He said the empowerment of rural women in areas like Kanchibiya was crucial for ending hunger and poverty.

” When we deny or give a blind eye to women’s rights and opportunities, we are denying their children and Kanchibiya at large a better future,” he said.

“So we are serious about strengthening the women cooperative movement in the District through economic integration, agriculture and food security initiatives in order to end hunger, help lift them out of poverty and bolster food security at household and community levels.” Mr. Chanda added.

Mr. Chanda who has been on the ground for years implementing various projects in educational support, infrastructure in sectors such as health and agriculture in his personal capacity intends to upscale these activities in line with the PF 2021-2026 manifesto to help women, youth, and all the citizens of Kanchibiya.