By KETRA KALUNGA and SILUMESI MALUMO
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema should apologise for using vulgar language against President Edgar Lungu, MMD National Secretary, Reuben Sambo, has advised.
UPND spokesperson, Charles Kakoma however said Mr Hichilema did not insult and those alleging that he insulted are doing so out of their own imaginations.
And New Congress Party president Peter Chanda has threatened to report Mr Hichilema to police for continuing to abrogate the law by insulting the Presidency.
Pastor Chanda said this tendency of Mr Hichilema can only be stopped when he faced the wrath of the law.
Reverend Sambo also said in a separate interview that Mr Hichilema and other political players should tread carefully and put their emotions under control as failure to do so would lead to a very difficult 2021 general election. He said if political leaders continue using aggressive language, they would “burn down” the country with such offensive words.
Rev Sambo said political leaders should restrain themselves from the use of strong language as the country prepares to go to the polls next year.
Rev Sambo said it was the duty of every political party in the country to offer Zambians a decent environment for them to vote.
Addressing scores of supporters in Pemba, Mr Hichilema said President Lungu caused him to be taken by police and placed in a cell which was splashed with faeces and used an obscene expression in relation to his dead mother.
Mr Hichilema who used unpalatable and derogatory language during his whole address, also directed the people in the area not to listen to lies by the PF and every time they hear someone mentioning “Pabwato” they should respond “Pabwato Panyo..ko.
But Pastor Chanda said Mr Hichilema would not be left scotfree for abrogating the laws by insulting publicly.
He said that what Mr Hichilema did while addressing people in Pemba was criminal and should be treated as such.
Meanwhile, Mr Kakoma said Mr Hichilema did not insult and those that want to see insults to suit their agenda were seeing the insults.
He added that those who mean well did not see insults in what Mr Hichilema said.
“If you watched the video clip from the rally there is somewhere he used some Tonga expression, the people were happy and cheering him. Do you think they can cheer him if he insulted?” he wondered.
Mr Kakoma said those that claim Mr Hichilema insulted did not understand the language or merely wanted to twist the meaning of its expression.
Apologise, MMD tells HH
