Maravi

PF cadres demonstarate outside Parliament

PF cadres demonstarate outside Parliament
Written by Katwishi Bwalya
Sunday, January 18, 2009 6:08:10 AM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) cadres yesterday staged a peaceful demonstration outside Parliament Building against their ‘rebel’ members of parliament who attended President Rupiah Banda's official opening of the House. The slogan-chanting cadres who carried placards denouncing the Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa were led by their party's district co-ordinator Charity Banda.

The cadres besieged the main gate at Parliament Building as President Banda was delivering his speech to the House but alert police officers prevented the crowd from entering the premises.

The cadres, who were shouting "we want peace, we don't want to fight", were told to leave the premises by the police officers as they did not have a police permit.

"What permit are you talking about; we are here not to cause confusion but to fish out those ‘rebel’ MPs from the House because they are no longer party members," Banda shouted at the police officers.

Efforts by the police officers to remove the crowd from the premises proved difficult and some police officers started using force.

The situation became tense as some police officers picked up a fight with demonstrators who refused to disperse.

"Can you please leave these premises, we don't want you here. The President is inside giving a speech and you are causing confusion here, besides you don't even have a permit," a police officer only identified as E. Chushi pleaded with the demonstrators.

However, the cadres insisted that they had not gone to Parliament to fight.

"But to chuck out those rebel MPs who are stealing money by being in that House when they are not supposed to be there. So we are only leaving when [Matero member of parliament Faustina] Sinyangwe leaves that House because those MPs [‘rebel’ MPs] have failed to control their marriages and now they want to confuse this country," visibly annoyed Banda charged. "We are fighting for you police officers, because of some MPs who are inside can't debate issues affecting you but I am here and you chasing me from here. Do you know what is good for you?"

This forced police to call for reinforcement from their colleagues who were inside Parliament Building premises.

Amidst the confusion, two cadres were arrested and eventually Banda ordered her colleagues to disperse.

"I was here for a simple reason, to chuck out those MPs from that House because in PF, we don't want puppets and their gathering is illegal," said Banda before dispersing the crowd.

Labels: CADRES, DEMONSTRATION, PF, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:09 AM