Thu, 29 Jun 2017 14:17:26 +0000
By CHARLES MUSONDA
THE PF and the UPND must expel their violent cadres because they are painting a gloomy picture on Zambia’s reputation to the outside world, a non-governmental organisation has charged.
In an interview in Lusaka, Network for Young People against Violence (NYPV) president Moses Kalonde said no political party should accept violent cadres expelled from another party.
Mr. Kalonde said last Saturday’s fracas between the PF and the UPND cadres was uncalled for because there were still more than four years to go before the next general elections for them to engage in such barbaric acts.
“If these acts of violence can be so ugly now, what more in 2020 and 2021? This only shows that political parties will be intolerant towards one another. We feel that both the PF and the UPND must be responsible enough because this is not the time for fighting.
“The respective political parties must get rid of these young people who are perpetrating violence. When political parties begin to take such punitive actions against the cadres they will learn bitter lessons,” Mr. Kalonde said.
He also called on the police not to be selective when enforcing the law against perpetrators of political violence, which he said had potential to scare away would-be foreign investors and dent Zambia’s image to the outside world.
“When the police become selective, a certain group of cadres feel that they are untouchable and this is why this trend seems not to be ending. Zambia has been known as the haven of peace for the past 52 years and we do not want this record to be broken. Otherwise that is where we are slowly sliding into. This peace we enjoy came at a great cost and politicians must mentor their cadres.
“People who have seen images of the Memorial Park fracas on the internet think that Zambia is on fire and this is not good for foreign investment,” Mr. Kalonde said.
He said civil wars experienced by some countries were ignited by intolerant politicians and cadres; and Zambia must not fall in the same trap as it was a shining example of peace and democracy.
