POLITICS are degenerating to levels never witnessed before in this country where cadres invade their ri- vals’camp and leave bodies in their wake.
This is unZambian. This violence is alien to the Zam- bian culture of peaceful co-existence between neigh- bours.
The gruesome murder of cadres believed to be mem- bers of the Patriotic Front in Lusaka’s Kanyama con- stituency, has left many residents and the rest of the nation in shock
To slaughter a human being as if one was killing a chicken is beyond comprehension and surely this just goes to show the depraved nature of the people in- volved.
Surely, what would lead a rival political party gang to raid their opponents and leave some dead? This is the question many Zambians are trying to fathom out. Nobody deserves to die like that.
Politics should not reach such levels where people will be hacking one another because of holding a dif- ferent opinion. This is not what multiparty politics en- tails. This gruesome murder is just criminality and any political leader connected to this is guilty of murder and must be held responsible for the loss of life.
As Archbishop Reverend Alick Banda has noted there is too much violence and bloodshed being taken to another level.
The Archbishop notes that politicians who thrive on bloodshed and destruction of property must stop it and convert. Yes, they must repent and seek forgive- ness from God.
One can wonder why some political leaders are un- willing to condemn violence. What will it take for them to condemn violence and therefore send the right mes- sage to their followers that spilling blood is an abomi- nation.
The Archbishop of Lusaka said some politicians in Zambia were cunning and troubled, such that they thrived on bloodshed and destruction of property.
He said political violence was a tool of a troubled soul, people who belong to agents of death and free- masonry.
“If you really love the country, there is no way you will take actions to destroy it. And, if our beloved coun- try descends into conflagration, who are you going to rule then? Seek God to reign in your heart and be rec- onciled with yourself, with others and with God. May God protect our land and our people from the agents of death and freemasonry,” the Archbishop said.
And all these atrocities are happening days after po- litical leaders signed peace treaties, some brokered by the Electoral Commission of Zambia and others by the international organisations working with the local church.
As the country draws closer to the August 12 general elections, it seems that the violence is also increasing in levels. Now skirmishes are ending in death.
As the archbishop notes in his statement, it will take great leadership from political players to stop this. This violence is not what Zambians want to cultivate. It should never be part of our national culture.
Zambia is known globally as a haven of peace, a pre- ferred destination for those seeking to invest in a se- cure country.
Those indulging or funding the violence do not love this country and would not hesitate to set it on fire.
It is this spirit that the nation needs to pray against and to reject in totality. It is an alien culture that has no place in this peace loving nation.
Let elections be won through the ballot and not through intimidation.
Violence should not be a tool to intimidate people from voting. All political leaders must reject this and work in sincerity to stop the violence.
