PRESIDENT LUNGU WARNS PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE

LUSAKA, (Thursday, 12th August, 2021).–

His Excellency. Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia has described as shocking the murder of
Patriotic Front North Western Province Chairman Jackson Kungo, and a brother
of provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Chihili.

President Lungu is further dismayed by the amount of mayhem in North Western,
some parts of Westen, and Southern provinces which he says has effectively
rendered the elections in the three provinces not free and fair.

“How can you talk about free and fair elections when our opponents have taken
this election as war?

When people say elections were not free and fair, they
accuse the ruling party but look at North-Westen Province, some parts of Western,
and Southen provinces, who is causing the mayhem? The opposition,” President
Lungu said.

President Lungu has since directed the Army Commander to reinforce troops in the three provinces and not to leave any stone unturned in ensuring peace returns to the rest of the country.

“This is exactly what I said last night concerning political violence. It is of course
clear that these two Zambians have been killed in cold-blood by UPND members.”

“I therefore, direct the Zambia Army Commander to quickly reinforce security in
North-Western, some parts of Western, and Southern provinces where this
unprecedented violence is taking place,” President Lungu says.

“Yesterday, during my address to the nation I said ‘as long as I remain President, I will not countenance violence’, and less that 24 hours later we experience such brutal incidents orchestrated by our opponents who want to rule Zambia by force.
Wll ensure lives of citizens are protected, and I wll not take kindly to these evil schemes,” the President has warned.

And President Lungu has sent a message of condolences to the Kungo and Chihili
families and urged them and the Patriotic Front members to be calm and not resort to retaliation.

“The job to arrest the killers lies with security officers. So, stay calm and do not retaliate. It hurts so bad but some killers have been arrested already, and the rest will be found,” the President says.

ISSUED BY: Isaac Chipampe

SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT ( Press and Public Relations)
STATE HOUSE