POLICE WARN VIOLENT CADRES
By ADRIAN MWANZA
INDIVIDUALS with intentions of causing havoc, damaging government and private property during or after the electoral process will be met with maximum force, the police have warned.
Police have sent a strong warning to political parties not to engage in violence following a video of United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) shooting at each other in Nakonde that went viral.
Police spokesperson, Esther Katongo, warned people to avoid violence or any other illegality or would be arrested and prosecuted.
Ms Katongo also warned against damaging government and private property as perpetrators would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Some of such occurrences were experienced in Nakonde where violence erupted after the victory of the PF parliamentary candidate and those celebrating were attacked by suspected UPND cadres leaving one with a gunshot wound while another bullet went through the windscreen of a motor vehicle belonging to the parliamentary candidate,” she said.
She identified the victim as Jeffrey Simovwa and that it occurred on Saturday around 13:00 hours at Ntindi Village in Chief Waitwika’s area.
Ms Katongo said the victim was rushed to the Tanzanian side at a nearby clinic for medical attention.
She said a similar incident happened in Lusaka’s Bauleni Compound, in which suspected UPND cadres were celebrating the victory of their candidates at parliamentary and local government level and were attacked by suspected Patriotic Front cadres.
Ms Katongo said a firearm was discharged by a PF cadre identified as Pelekani Zulu also known as “Tom Tiger” but military personnel apprehended the suspect and a pistol was recovered.
She said some people had obtained firearms and begun abusing them whenever they had political differences.
Ms Katongo said that according to provisions of the Public Order Act, it was an offence to attend a public gathering while armed with an offensive weapon including a gun.
She added that the Firearms Act criminalised abuse of legally acquired firearms and that all those that were found with them would be dealt with.
“Personnel from Defence and Security wings have been strategically deployed to thwart such plans and they will remain vigilant to ensure that law and order prevails throughout the electoral process,” she said.
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