Maravi

‘MMD-instigated’ violence escalates in Mufumbwe

‘MMD-instigated’ violence escalates in Mufumbwe
By Speedwell Mupuchi in Kitwe
Wed 14 Apr. 2010, 03:20 CAT

VIOLENCE allegedly instigated by the MMD is escalating in Mufumbwe with four UPND members being badly assaulted by ruling party cadres. North Western Province minister Daniel Kalenga confirmed the report about violence but dissociated the MMD from it.

Kalenga blamed it on the people who had been taken to Mufumbwe to campaign. North Western Province police commanding officer Febian Katiba said he and other senior staff would be travelling to Mufumbwe to assess what was happening.

Katiba said he could neither confirm nor deny the report as the Mufumbwe officer-in-charge was still compiling a report for him on the occurrences.

Katiba said depending on the volatility of the situation, additional officers might be deployed to check the situation.

North Western Province UPND chairperson retired Colonel Grandson Katambi said violence had escalated in Kikonge area, where the MMD candidate Mulondwe Muzungu hails from.

He disclosed that an area MMD councillor identified as Mankisha together with other MMD cadres attacked a UPND youth Bruce Kapaku on Sunday.

“Right now he is in hospital in Mufumbwe, the matter has been reported to police but they have done nothing. Now this afternoon Monday, I received a report around 16:00 hours that the same MMD led by the councillor again went to beat up our people.

Three people were beaten, they were badly beaten,” he complained. “These are Gideon Dinala, James Kankila and Vincent Kabanda. I even went to the police to find out what they are doing about this councillor and the violence but you will be surprised to hear what they told me that Honourable Kalenga was there five minutes before me and told them that he was worried about the conduct of their cadres and wanted police to take action.”

Col Katambi said the Mufumbwe district commissioner also approached police asking them to deal with the violent MMD cadres.

He said police in Mufumbwe were handicapped to effectively police the whole area because they did not have transport.

“We expected more police officers in the area to avoid violence. If we are to retaliate, we are more, we have the pact here including UNIP, we can overrun them,” he said.

“The people we are setting these youths on are our own mothers and fathers. As a military man, I know what it takes to launch an assault by an aggrieved party on another, but this is not necessary, let MMD practice good politics.”

He said the violence should have been coming from UPND because they were grabbing the seat from the MMD by force but the opposite was the case.

And Col Katambi complained that when the UPND went to deploy its campaigners at Kashima East and West and Mushima schools, authorities there told them they were under instruction not to accommodate them UPND.

“We obliged and left but when we went back to the same area, we found that the same schools have allowed the MMD; they have accommodated the MMD. Now these are areas that are predominantly UPND,” he said.

Col Katambi said the UPND’s approach to the Mufumbwe by-election was to let the best candidate win in the April 29 poll.

When contacted for comment, Kalenga, the MMD campaign manager, said he heard about the report and followed it up.

“I went to hospital to see the patient nicknamed Levy Mwanawasa. I even took some groceries. I was concerned as campaign manager. What was coming out is that he was beaten by Kajilo, the son to our candidate. When I asked him who beat him, he said he was assaulted by unknown people. Kajilo, he said merely went to separate them,” he said.

Kalenga said the victim told him he was able to identify two of his attackers.
He said the UPND should not twist the story that he was concerned about violence by the MMD.

“I am not a cadre, I am provincial minister, I cannot encouraged violence, I phoned the officer-in-charge and the commanding office to ensure that officers are deployed in Mufumbwe. The violence is being brought about by people from outside, we should minimise bringing people from elsewhere,” he said. “In my camp, I have refused bringing people from Lusaka. The situation is not out of hand, it’s under control. It’s my responsibility to ensure that in the province there is peace.”

Kalenga said the MMD campaigns were peaceful and they still had the mandate.

“We are not replacing government, there are a lot of projects and developments by government in Mufumbwe. We have built more schools, the tar road, hospital at a cost of K4.5 billion is nearing completion, we have built over 30 classroom blocks in Mufumbwe which people are seeing, we have sank boreholes, built health centres and houses of agriculture camp officers. Other people will be saying vote for us we will do this,” said Kalenga.

Labels: DANIEL KALENGA, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 6:06 AM