By NATION REPORTER
IT is not true that the by-elections under the UPND have been violence free because Zambians have been subjected to unprecedented levels of hooliganism under President Hakainde Hichilema’s rule, the Socialist Party has charged.
Frank Bwalya, the Socialist Party spokesperson has said his party has been the victim of thuggery, violence and hooliganism at the hands of the UPND and that President Hichilema should stop bragging that he had ended cadreism.
Mr Bwalya said it was clear dishonesty for President Hichilema to claim that by-election under his government have been violence free the Socailist Party had been a victim of the UPND homicidal violence.
Mr Bwalya said President Hichilema should not mistake the observation of the progress made in upholding national values and principles as a forum for politicking and gaining undue political mileage but should use the day to preach and propagate issues that affected Zambians.
He said Zambians were aware of the chaos and mayhem the UPND cadres caused in the Luangwa and Lukashya among other places where the country had by-elections.
Mr Bwalya said the UPND had always been a violent party that was why its cadres had continued causing terror in bus stations and markets even after its leadership had declared the end of cadreim in public places.
He said it was high time President Hichilema started talking like a national leader rather than a party president.
“There are more important things that are affecting the national values and principles that President Hichilema would have talked about than attacking political opponents in his address. Zambia has experienced unprecedented political violence under President Hichilema than at any other time. The President should therefore stop bragging of having ended cadreism because we as a Socilaist Party have been the victims of the barbarism hooliganism and political violence,” Mr Bwalya said.
Meanwhile, Mr Bwalya has said the fight against corruption under the UPND was not genuine as it was only targeting perceived political opponents.
He said the mantra of; “you are on your own” was coined to encourage methodical plundering and looting by the UPND leadership and not to fight against the vice.
Mr Bwalya said there was too much corruption that was going on in the UPND while the leadership was playing to the gallery about the fight against the vice.
He said had there been genuine fight against corruption, many of UPND members would have been arrested and arraigned before the courts of law.
