Maravi

Sata calls for arrest of cadres that threatened Fr Mwewa

Sata calls for arrest of cadres that threatened Fr Mwewa
By George Chellah
Thu 07 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata yesterday said the threat on Catholic Diocese of Ndola treasurer general Fr Augustine Mwewa's life was unfortunate.

Commenting on MMD cadres' threat to kill Fr Mwewa for likening President Rupiah Banda to Zambian comedian Chintelelwe of Journey to Paradise who moves anyhow without a vision, Sata condemned the cadres' threats.

“What people should understand is that MMD has hired a president from UNIP and UNIP type of politics is what we are seeing now where they want to use other people to humiliate other citizens,” Sata said.

“The people MMD is trying to assault are innocent. The Catholic Church has suffered at the hands of this government. First, it was information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha who insulted the Catholics by calling them murderers involved in genocide,” Sata complained.

“The President never spoke on that issue or later on come to the defence of Catholics against his minister's direct assault on the Catholic church. We have never heard anything from Rupiah and the police on those genocide allegations. Are we Catholics going to be slaughtered like chickens in our country by this government? Because now MMD cadres are attacking innocent priests and no one is saying anything.”

Sata wondered where hired MMD thugs could get the courage to go to the Dioceses in Ndola and attempt to attack a priest.

“And as these things are happening, the police are quiet. But what they shouldn't forget is that Zambians are getting ready for MMD thugs,” Sata said. “It doesn't matter in which form they come, they will be dealt with and dealt with accordingly. Tell Francis Kabonde Inspector General of police that, that's not a threat, it's a fact. If Kabonde can't guarantee people protection from these MMD thugs, what does he want them to do? You get thugs to go and attack an innocent priest, that's not fair.

“Let the MMD keep a distance from the Catholic Church. It's not intimidation the Catholic Church will be afraid of, what we want as Catholics is truth, justice and fair play. Remember in 1991, the late Mr Shapi was saying Catholics will go on a rosary but UNIP went out of office because of the rosary. Let them be careful.”

Sata said police must arrest the MMD thugs that threatened violence against Fr Mwewa.
“Threatening violence is an offence. Let the police arrest those criminals who went to the Diocese. They shouldn't just be quick to arrest PF cadres. When the PF cadres were alleged to have poured Chibuku on Faustina Sinyangwe, they rushed to arrest them but these thugs who attacked the security guard in Ndola are free,” said Sata.

Labels: AUGUSTINE MWEWA, CADRES, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, SATA

posted by MrK @ 4:17 AM