Maravi

Declare your stance on atrocities, Harrington urges West MPs

Declare your stance on atrocities, Harrington urges West MPs
By Edwin Mbulo
Mon 28 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

WESTERN Province members of parliament must openly declare their position, individually or collectively, over the atrocities occasioned by police officers in Mongu, says William Harrington.

In an interview, Harrington, who is former Senanga member of parliament, wondered why some members of parliament from Western Province had kept quiet when they came out with a joint position over a language controversy involving a local radio station in Mongu.

“I would like to call upon our Western Province MPs to openly declare their position, individually or collectively , over the atrocities occasioned by security officers against those un-armed and defenceless youths resulting in loss of lives in Mongu on 14th January 2011,” he said
“If MPs are truly representatives of the people and have any compassion for the families of those youths, we expect them, even rather belatedly to condemn the unwarranted police action. The deafening silence of our MPs apart from Mr. Charles Milupi the ADD president, Betuke Imenda and perhaps a few others is a source of worry.”

He said Sata’s statement at the Lusaka Province PF conference on the Barotseland Agreement and Mongu violence that resulted in the death of two youths was commendable and progressive.

“I’ am a pro-Barotseland Agreement activist and I find the PF leader correct in stating that the Barotseland Agreement is alive. The agreement should therefore be honoured and respected by government perhaps now even more than ever before, as opposed to oppressive stance taken by the MMD government that has created the perception that the document is seditious and treasonable,” Harrington said.

Harrington said the assertion by Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata that Western Province was the poorest of all provinces in Zambia was consistent with that made by Gen Malimba Masheke, although finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane rebutted the observations.

He said his own research at the Central Statistical Office (CSO) showed that Western Province had the highest number of people falling under the extreme poverty bracket at 84 per cent.

“Interestingly CSO which falls under Musokotwane’s ministry, reveals that indeed Western Province has the highest number of people wallowing in poverty with the lowest being Lusaka at 27 per cent,” said Harrington.

Labels: BAROTSE FREEDOM MOVEMENT, WILLIAM HARRINGTON

posted by MrK @ 4:44 PM