Spare Zambians violence, SACCORD urges Rupiah

Spare Zambians violence, SACCORD urges Rupiah
By Kombe Chimpinde and Karen Chibonga
Sun 31 July 2011, 13:59 CAT

SACCORD has urged President Rupiah Banda to tell the youths in his party to spare the people of Zambia from violence. Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) information officer, Obby Chibuluma said the MMD leadership was ultimately to blame for the resolutions made by the youth wing regarding the election campaigns.

“It’s unfortunate that despite several pleas from members of the public as well as the clergy to refrain from using violence as a means of winning elections, they have continued to use the same system which is actually a danger to the democracy that this country aspires to achieve,” said Chibuluma in an interview on Thursday.

“Surely there is no way junior members of the party could be making such kind of statements when the top hierarchy seems to be speaking against the violence.”

SACCORD said the activities of the MMD youth wing were an indictment on the peace of the country with potential to cause anarchy if left unchecked.

“For some time now, President Banda has come out to condemn violence. But honestly speaking, when we have such resolutions that are violent in nature, we tend to wonder whether the President’s statement is a mere public relations exercise or serious,” Chibuluma said. “Zambians want an atmosphere that is peaceful so that whoever wins these elections does so on a clean slate. The likes of Lusaka Province MMD youth chairman Chris Chalwe are well-known for violence. So we are surely worried as an institution.”

Chibuluma said the MMD youths had no moral right to set barometers on the role of electoral stakeholders because the law was clear.

“We are not going to be subjected to the laws being made by Mr Chalwe and his brigade. For his own information, we will expose them,” Chibuluma said.

He observed that the police were sitting idle when such threats with potential to breach the country’s peace were being made.

“Surely by now they should have been able to call all those cadres to account for their statement. I think for once let us see the police doing its work. There is no way you can allow those brigades to be a law unto themselves,” said Chibuluma.

“It should be a source of concern because we know what these guys have done and what they are capable of doing. Those that are targeted must definitely be worried.”