MMD cadres block other parties from Kawama market
MMD cadres block other parties from Kawama marketBy Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Thu 29 July 2010, 04:00 CAT
MMD cadres and State House security officers on Tuesday afternoon allegedly harassed and blocked other political parties from campaigning at Kawama market in readiness for the Chifubu parliamentary by-election.
PF cadres who were at the scene told Post Online that MMD cadres, with the help of the police, were threatening to beat anyone who went near the market to campaign saying that MMD was the only party allowed to campaign in the area.
One of the cadres, John Bwalya, explained that MMD cadres blocked the PF-UPND pact from campaigning because they were chanting slogans and telling people not to vote for MMD.
“We were doing our usual campaign of going door-to-door. When we finished, we went to the market where we wanted to campaign to people selling at the market but as we were heading towards the market while singing, we were stopped by MMD cadres and some police officers and they told us that we were not allowed to campaign at the market, only MMD was allowed,” he said.
“From there we were upset and we almost fought because we were not happy but some cadres tore three of our friends’ t-shirts and said that since MMD was the ruling party, they were going to make sure that they use the police to stop us from campaigning.”
Bwalya said he and other cadres later reported the matter to Chifubu police station.
When contacted for a comment, Copperbelt commanding officer Antoniel Mutemtwa confirmed that police had received a report and summoned all political parties.
“We received a report from some political parties and we have summoned all of them to find out what really happened. But I can confirm that the police is investigating a matter in which some MMD t-shirts were torn. But we have called all the parties to get to the bottom of what is happening,” said Mutentwa.
And police sources confirmed that State House security officers had been deployed and were helping MMD cadres blocking other political parties from campaigning.
“We as the police are disappointed with what we found when we went to Kawama to check what was happening after reports that MMD cadres were blocking other people from going into the market. We were surprised to find that police officers from State House were helping the cadres,” said the source.
“At first we thought they were just cadres, but after we questioned, that is when they showed us their identities. We feel intimidated that State House police can come here, to make us look like we don’t know how to do our job.”
Meanwhile, PF campaign manager Willie Nsanda said he would talk to the police over what happened in Kawama because he did not want violence.
“To say the truth, I am not happy. If MMD wants to fight we are more than ready to do that but because we assured the police that we’re not (here) to fight, we won’t. It seems MMD is taking us for a ride. Violence is bad. We don’t want a repeat of what happened in Mufumbwe. But we are going to talk to the police,” said Nsanda.
But MMD deputy campaign manager Joe Malanji denied the allegations saying MMD cadres were the ones that were blocked from campaigning.
“Hundreds of MMD women and youths were attacked by some cadres. It is not true that it is MMD. As MMD we are going to report to the police about this sad development,” said Malanji.
Labels: ANTONEIL MUTENTWA, CADRES, JOE MALANJI, JOHN BWALYA, MMD, POLICE CORRUPTION, WILLIE NSANDA
posted by MrK @ 11:20 AM
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