Maravi

Kapiri boos Rupiah

Kapiri boos Rupiah
By Chibaula Silwamba in Kapiri Mposhi
Wed 14 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT

KAPIRI Mposhi residents booed and flashed red cards and the PF symbol at President Rupiah Banda while chanting "Pabwato! We want change! Don't kubeba!" as he drove off after his campaign rally at the town's main bus stop/market on Monday forcing his vehicle to switch lanes.

The Kapiri Mposhi residents, mostly male youths, gathered along the road, which President Banda was supposed to use going to the northern direction to board the helicopter on his way to Lusaka after addressing the rally.

Immediately after the President's motorcade started off, the residents closed the lane he was supposed to use as they chanted: "We want change! We want change! Pabwato! Pabwato! Don't kubeba!" The youths jumped around while raising the PF symbol (a clenched fist) in full view of the police officers.

As President Banda's vehicle approached, the youths advanced towards it while flashing red cards and brandishing the PF symbol at him. They covered the left lane, thereby forcing the driver to switch to the right lane.

There were some people that were flashing the PF symbol and red cards but in an orderly manner.

In response, President Banda flashed the MMD symbol at them.

At this point, presidential security aides jumped out of their vehicles to shield President Banda's vehicle and the entourage.

The security personal ran alongside President Banda's vehicle.

The cadres defied the police and presidential security detail as the booing grew louder after noticing the increase in the security personnel.

However, others slightly moved out of the road when the number of police officers increased but immediately after the cops passed, they went back on the road.

Even after President Banda's motorcade passed, the PF youths continued chanting their slogans and were joined by passengers in Mazhandu and Chembe buses that were passing. Several passing motorists joined in as they honked, flashed the PF symbol and chanted the PF slogan.

The flow of traffic was temporarily stopped as the "Don't Kubeba" youths sang and danced on the road.

The people that had attended President Banda's rally also joined in chanting PF slogans.

The chanting went on for over 30 minutes as the police looked on.

When contacted for a comment, Central Province police commanding officer Stella Libongani said: "There was no incident of an attempt to block the President.

But there was one arrest of a PF cadre who damaged a poster. The PF cadre, Joseph Kabwe is currently in police custody for malicious damage and will appear in court soon."

Addressing a sizeable rally earlier, President Banda spent most of the time talking about the PF's "Don't Kubeba" slogan, which he said was the opposition party's attempt to avoid telling the voters the policies it would implement if elected into government.

The crowd gave various responses as the President addressed the gathering.
Some people chanted the MMD's slogan of "pankoloko" while others defiantly, but in low tones, shouted: "Don't Kubeba".

A police officer was seen laughing as a woman with a baby on her back shouted: "Don't Kubeba! Oh, sorry, Pankoloko!" as the President spoke.

President Banda asked Kapiri electorates to vote for him and the MMD to continue implementing various development projects in health, education, infrastructure development and other sectors.

"You can vote for a party you know well, a party that you trust, a party that is doing real concrete work on behalf of Zambians; that is us the Movement for Multiparty Democracy," President Banda said.

"Or you can gamble with the opposition. Can Zambia really risk going backwards with the party that has no positive policies. When you ask them, they tell you rudely: ‘Don't Kubeba'. I don't know who advises my opponents about this ‘Don't Kubeba' nonsense but now they realise that the people want to know the issues on which we are to elect the people."

He called for violence-free campaigns and peace during voting and the post-election period.

President Banda urged MMD members not to succumb to provocation.

"They opposition parties are provoking you because they know they are going to lose; they are saying that after the elections if the MMD wins they will fight. They have no capacity even to fight. Once we have won, we are the majority and we shall ensure that this country continues in peace and unity," President Banda said.

"We want democratic campaigns. We don't want campaigns of threats of insults, of threatening violence, sharpening knives in the streets. Who do you want to fight? Your fellow Zambians? Those threats of violence are coming from people who don't believe in democracy."

And in Mkushi, President Rupiah Banda complained that some people wear his campaign T-shirts when going to steal.

And President Banda admitted that Michael Sata is a strong contender for the presidency in the September 20 elections.

Addressing a campaign rally in Mkushi in Central Province earlier in the morning on Monday, President Banda, who has widely distributed campaign t-shirts and chitenjes, complained that some people were wearing his campaign attires to cause fights and when stealing.

"There maybe some of us who are wearing this blue uniform in order to provoke people. If you see any MMD member starting a fight then you know he is not MMD. It's very easy to wear like I am wearing so that when I provoke a fight people can take pictures and say 'it was an MMD provocateur'. Don't provoke anyone. I repeat all this because of what I am reading in the reports, what I am hearing that some people want these elections to be full of violence. We must not accept that," President Banda said.

As the translator was interpreting his message that "some people collect RB 2011 t-shirt", President Banda chipped in saying: "nakuyo iba and go to steal!. They go stealing with my t-shirt."

He said Zambians want peaceful elections and he would ensure that the polls are violence-free.

"I have travelled round this country; the vast majority of Zambians want elections on the 20th of September and they want to be allowed to vote and we must respect the desire of the people of Zambia to have elections," President Banda said. "Don't accept to be provoked."

He said his government had delivered on most promises he made during the 2008 presidential by-elections and Zambians should give him a full five-year term to complete the development projects he started.

President said he and Sata were strong contenders for the Presidency.

"Tamakana!Tamakana! We are in a stiff competition. I will go everywhere and thank you for the prayers, both of us me and Sata are strong, we will see who will come in front on the 20th of September," said President Banda.

Sakwiba Sikota, leader of the United Liberal Party (ULP), urged Mkushi electorate to vote for President Banda and not Sata whom he said was uneducated and accused him of being fond of insults.

MMD parliamentary candidates for Mkushi South and Mkushi North Sydney Chisanga and Mutale Musonda, respectively, asked the voters to elect them and President Banda.

Labels: KAPIRI MPOSHI, PF, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:17 PM