Maravi

Kabimba warns PF cadres against violence

Kabimba warns PF cadres against violence
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 15 Apr. 2012, 13:30 CAT

WYNTER Kabimba has warned PF cadres against cultivating the culture of violence that was practiced by the MMD when it was in power. Commenting on the booing and jeering of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema by PF cadres soon after Princess

Nakatindi Wina's requiem Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka on Friday, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general, condemned the incident.

"We condemn that kind of attitude and action towards other political party opponents. One of our fundamental campaign promises to the Zambian people was that we will not do what the MMD was doing wrong.

And one of the things that they were doing wrong was to allow the likes of William Banda and others to be harassing innocent citizens because they belonged to different political parties," Kabimba said.

"How many times did the MMD try to beat up our president Michael Sata simply for attending a funeral of another party or political leader?

There were times when Mr Sata had to stay away from mourning fellow political leaders on account of the culture in the MMD of intolerance. They just did not want to see him at a funeral and that was wrong. As secretary general, I do not expect PF members and cadres to start cultivating that culture now. It was wrong under the MMD, it is still wrong under the PF."

Kabimba said the country must develop ways of expressing opinions towards one another and that this could be achieved by being polite to one another.

"I want to sound a warning to all PF cadres all over the country that this kind of culture is unacceptable within our party and we condemn yesterday's Friday incident with the complete revulsion. It must be stopped and it must never be repeated. We are one country and if we are going to live under One Zambia, One nation, we can only do so by respecting the opinions of others," he said.

On Friday, just after President Michael Sata and other government officials

who attended Princess Nakatindi's requiem Mass left, PF cadres that had gathered spotted Hichilema's entourage, and in unison raised the PF symbol and started singing provocative songs against the UPND leader who was at the time being interviewed by journalists. Hichilema was seen raising his party symbol and gesturing to the PF cadres that they were confused.

At this point, the PF cadres amidst shouts of "boma, boma" accosted Hichilema, prompting his security detail to keep them at bay.

Police then moved in after the situation almost developed into an altercation and Hichilema was later escorted out of the church grounds.

Labels: CADRES, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 1:14 AM