Inonge blames Chongwe violence on MMD leadership

Inonge blames Chongwe violence on MMD leadership
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 07 Sep. 2011, 13:57 CAT

INONGE Wina says the MMD's behaviour in Chongwe last Saturday is a reflection of the quality of leadership of the ruling party.

Commenting on the beating of PF supporters and sympathisers in Chongwe on Saturday by Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda and his cadres, Wina, the Patriotic Front Nalolo candidate, said the Commissioner of Police should take full responsibility of the outcome of this month's elections.

"We have seen it in Chongwe, where the cadres of William Banda were literally physically beating up people and the police were there and they are not taking action. The Commissioner of Police should take full responsibility for any violent outcome that may come out of this election because the police service is there to serve the people and to be non-partisan and not (being) discriminatory in their approach to wrongdoers," said Wina, who is also PF national chairperson.

She said it was clear that the police were not there to protect ordinary Zambians, including PF officials and members.

Wina said President Rupiah Banda should take full responsibility of the actions of his police.

"If it is Mr. Banda who has sanctioned these actions by these cadres and authorised the police not to take action against MMD, then the country should be told what the truth is. This country created a police service in order to protect its citizens and all of us as citizens pay tax to government, that in turn takes care of our public workers including the police," she said.

On Saturday, William Banda and his MMD cadres physically attacked villagers in Chongwe for supporting PF. With the aim of pleasing President Banda, who was scheduled to address a rally in the district, William Banda smashed windows of two Land Cruiser vehicles belonging to Sylvia Masebo and severely beat up and injured helpless men and women in full view of police.

Wina further said the MMD's intimidation of people in rural areas was threatening the real outcome of this year's election.

She said the buying of National Registration Cards and voters' cards by the MMD was rampant, particularly in Senanga West.

"We are counteracting this by informing our people to always be vigilant and not to sell their birthright, which is their NRC and the voters' card to the MMD money-mongers," she said.

Wina said although cases had been reported to the district conflict management committee and also to the local police, nothing was being done.