Katele blames Sejani for L/stone violence
By Godfrey Chikumbi in Nchelenge
Mon 04 Mar. 2013, 16:00 CAT
KATELE Kalumba has blamed UPND's Ackson Sejani for the Livingstone violence, which led to the death of a PF official Harrison Chanda last week.
And Kalumba says the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ)'s prolonged silence on Rupiah Banda's lawyer Robert Amsterdam's insults on innocent citizens is a source of concern.
In January this year, the opposition UPND warned that in order to curb what they termed vote rigging, the party would in future by-elections use the Mapatizya formula, a term coined following Sejani's announcement in 2005 that he had declared a "Jihad Political War" during that year's by-election, which he contested in Mapatizya.
The Mapatizya formula is a term used to describe the violence that erupted between the then ruling MMD and opposition UPND in the Mapatizya parliamentary by-election in 2005, which left more than 10 people seriously injured.
Commenting on the political violence that erupted in Livingstone last week, which led to the postponement of the parliamentary by-election by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, Kalumba said Sejani was to blame for the inventing the dreaded Mapatizya formula, which the UPND was allegedly using.
He said it was shameful that Sejani had chosen to be associated with violence.
The Mapatizya formula was conceived on May 4, 2005, when the UPND held a press briefing to announce the names of their adopted candidates for the for Kalulushi and Mapatizya by-elections on June 9, 2005.
UPND had adopted Sejani as its candidate for Mapatizya.
Sejani, a former minister of local government in the Frederick Chiluba regime, announced at a UPND conference that he had declared what he termed a Jihad Political War, alleging that the war was directed against the MMD's "electoral corruption and rigging".
"I'm sure by now Sejani is regretting his invention of the Mapatizya formula, which is now being used as a means by the UPND to settle differences with their political opponents," Kalumba said.
He said Sejani was his personal friend and never wanted him to leave a bad legacy which would haunt Zambia.
"Let him remember the words we used in the car park of the National Assembly that we have to survive to leave behind a country our children will live to love. This is the politics of decency, intelligence and rational debate," Kalumba said.
He advised the UPND to quickly abandon their Mapatizya formula as it had failed to inspire Zambians.
"Where there is perception of injustice, there is always an opportunity to devise means that are rational to overcome injustice. That is what the civil rights movement in the United States of America used to overcome injustices. We also used it to overcome injustices that the one-party state brought," Kalumba said.
"There are people like Douglas Siakalima in the UPND, a young and intelligent politician who cannot support hooliganism. Siakalima must help the party to drift away from violence."
He also said the opposition that President Michael Sata was involved in never resorted to violence whenever it was faced with political challenges.
Kalumba said the PF in opposition always used the judicial system to confront political challenges.
"Sometimes he (Sata) won, sometimes he lost but that is part of our political practice in this country," Kalumba said.
He observed that there were many times when President Sata aligned himself with the Church to put pressure on the government.
"President Sata used NGOs to mobilise public debate in support of the PF agenda. The peaceful strategies that Sata used were dynamics which might not have been visible but worked well for Zambia," Kalumba said.
And commenting on Amsterdam's unpalatable language against the Zambian government and citizens, Kalumba said LAZ's failure to condemn Amsterdam's "unethical behavior" was a matter of concern.
He said despite Amsterdam being a foreign lawyer, LAZ had a role to play in the matter because the lawyer's behaviour was an assault on the legal etiquette.
The former MMD national secretary said LAZ was an affiliate of other international law bodies, which put it in a position to ensure that Amsterdam is disciplined.
Amsterdam recently said those calling for the lifting of Banda's immunity were playing the role of "useful idiots".
"LAZ is a member of other international law organisations; why are they not using those international legal channels and processes if they consider his (Amsterdam) behaviour inconsistent with the legal etiquette?" Kalumba asked.
He said Amsterdam had violated the basic legal ethics, which warranted disciplinary action against him, adding that it was only LAZ that was capable of pursuing the matter.
"LAZ has a position on this matter that should be made known publicly. The more they (LAZ) keep quiet, the more panic it will cause among many Zambians who have not accepted the insults by Amsterdam. If Amsterdam gets away with this, Zambians will lose confidence in the judicial system," Kalumba said.
"A common saying says silence is a form of violence. Therefore, by keeping quiet, LAZ is provoking many Zambians who expect to get the guidance on how to proceed on the Amsterdam matter. Where does LAZ really stand?"
He also advised Amsterdam against using insults as a way of defending his client.
Kalumba said if Amsterdam was a legal practitioner of integrity and credibility, he would not have hurled insults at Zambians, who only complained about his client (Banda).
"When a lawyer resorts to insults, then legal reasoning has evaded that lawyer. It is not a legal strategy to insult a country or people in order to defend your client. If your client has a defensible case, you only resort to issues of facts, evidence or law in order to protect your client in the court of law," he said.
Kalumba wondered what law school Amsterdam went to which taught him to defend cases using insults.
"He must have gone to a law school and admitted to a particular bar and obviously he understands the legal etiquette that he is supposed to respect. He is the first lawyer I have heard using insults to defend cases," he said.
Kalumba explained that while he respected the idea that Banda had a right to use any lawyer of his choice to defend him in court, it was unacceptable for Amsterdam to continue provoking Zambians.
He has since advised Banda to find himself a decent lawyer because Amsterdam would not represent him effectively.
And Kalumba has condemned the negative perception and reporting being exhibited by some international media on Zambia's current political situation.
He said some foreign forces wanted to use their media to manage global perceptions on governments they either supported or opposed.
Kalumba said the Western media had a tendency of painting certain governments as darlings when there was tyranny in such countries.
"The Mobutu government in the then Zaire was for a long time a darling of the West, yet there was tyranny in the country. Zambia has a built-in mechanism for resolving conflicts which most international media do not understand. They don't understand the role of the Church, traditional and cultural leaders and non-governmental organisations," he said.
Kalumba urged the international media not to be used as a catalyst for creating failed states in the world.
Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, HARRISON CHANDA, KATELE KALUMBA, LAZ, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, ROBERT AMSTERDAM, UPND
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Sata warns UPND over violence
By Staff Reporters
Fri 01 Mar. 2013, 11:20 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has warned the UPND to either change their approach to politics or face the full wrath of the law. And President Sata has commended the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for valuing lives more than elections by postponing the Livingstone parliamentary by-election.
"As a responsible government, sworn to safeguard, defend and protect lives and property in this country; we will not allow this culture to take root. And I call upon the UPND in particular, and all stakeholders in the governance of our country in general, to condemn this systematic reckless loss of innocent lives because it will not benefit anyone.
I condemn this violence in the strongest terms possible and warn the
UPND in particular to either change their approach or face the full wrath of the law," he said.
"We lost a member in Rufunsa at the hands of UPND; we have lost another member in Livingstone at the hands of UPND yet again. Clearly, these calculated acts of brutality are at the behest of the enemies of democracy whose political thrust is abominable hate and intolerance,"
President Sata said in a statement issued by his special assistant for
press and public relations George Chellah that the UPND leadership ought to be mindful that violence breeds violence and no one would benefit from a culture of bloodshed in politics.
President Sata urged PF members and other law-abiding citizens to desist from retaliatory actions but let the law take its course.
"We have to be proud of our record as a party that in our 10 years journey to victory; we showed love, care and compassion to every
Zambian regardless of their political affiliation; we never killed or maimed any person during our struggle in opposition. I believe this
is a record worth emulating by all those aspiring to rule this country in the future. Let us all be cognisant of the fact that our motherland can only thrive on love and peace," President Sata said.
"As a civilised society, our central aim should be to compete on ideas and
values; not insults, hate, intolerance and violence. No doubt, the UPND have decided that violence is profitable for them, which is why they shamelessly market their so-called 'Mapatizya formular', which is
a coded language for attacking and maiming political opponents."
And President Sata said the ECZ's decision should demonstrate to all
that the institution was operating independently and that violence
would not be condoned.
President Sata said it was disgraceful and cruel that those who killed
wanted to pretend to be victims.
Several UPND officials including party president Hakainde Hichilema were arrested over the hacking to death of PF official Harrison Chanda in Livingstone.
The Livingstone by-elections have since been rescheduled to this month.
But Hichilema yesterday claimed President Sata hated him to the bone.
"You can read it yourself when he says 'I'm a thief', you know that Sata hates me to the bone. If I was a thief , I would have been in (prison) a very long time," said Hichilema.
On Tuesday before he was picked up over the death of Chanda, Hichilema said President Sata had no brains and had failed to run the country.
But President Sata said he had "no brains" because he was "not a thief".
President Sata said he had worked for what he had.
Meanwhile Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani said that the situation in Livingstone was manageable.
She said that the ECZ should have consulted her office before postponing the Livingstone Central parliamentary by-election.
On Wednesday, ECZ chairperson Justice Irene Mambilima announced the postponement of the by-election to March 14, owing to a "tense political situation" in the tourist capital.
But Libongani said police were ready to manage the situation in Livingstone.
"ECZ did not consult with us before making the announcement. If they consulted us, we would have advised them to go ahead with the election. We have over 300 police officers locally and we also transferred about 150 other officers from the Copperbelt to help with patrols, checkpoints and investigate criminal cases including those that have already been reported," she said.
Libongani called on ECZ to call for the Livingstone election earlier than March 14.
"We want to assure ECZ and the people of Zambia that the situation in Livingstone is conducive to hold the election any day, even tomorrow, they can hold the election. We are here on the ground and the situation is under control. It is manageable," said Libongani.
And ECZ director Priscilla Isaacs said the postponement and halting of any form of campaigns in form of political rallies and meetings in Livingstone was inevitable as the area was "highly and is still precarious".
Isaacs said that the Electoral Act under Section 28 clearly mandated the organisation to set the election timetable, which also included the campaign period.
Isaac said that all communication to electorates and party officials would be done through the media, while ECZ would undertake mobile publicity to remind voters on the new date of polls.
"The law is very clear. We never consult when setting the date. We can consult in some circumstances but there comes a time when we have to make a decision. In any case, we warned the political parties that if they misbehave the election would be postponed."
Isaacs said they expected the police to take action on those parties that would defy the directive regardless.
And a Livingstone resident, Pemba Mulongwe, said the postponement of the election showed that ECZ was working independent of government.
"For the first time, we have seen a government funded institution prove that it is working independently. I am happy that ECZ made this decision. We will now go back to our usual businesses in Livingstone, but at the same time it is an indication that the executive is not interfering with the operations of ECZ," he said.
Some voters in Livingstone who did not get the news of the postponement went to cast their ballots yesterday morning but were sent back from selected polling stations in the outskirts of the city.
Meanwhile, police yesterday arrested Livingstone mayor Aggrey Njekwa with two others in connection with the death of Chanda.
And nine UPND officials who include two Hichilema's bodyguards appeared before Livingstone magistrate Chola Musonda on one count of obstructing police officers from carrying out their duties.
Southern Province police commissioner Charity Katanga said the investigations over the arrest of the mayor were still ongoing.
"Yes, I can confirm we have arrested and detained the mayor who first resisted police arrest by locking himself in the house. Our officers had gone there around 02:00 hours and when he resisted to open the door saying he wanted a lawyer, they waited and about 05-06 when they were about to break his door, he obliged and opened the door," Katanga said.
She said two other people were arrested together with Njekwa and that an offensive weapon had been recovered.
And magistrate Chola granted nine UPND officials Kr 1,000 bail after they appeared in court for obstruction.
Magistrate Chola said he saw no security risk and threat to Zambia's peace in the nine accused persons who included Ezron Moono and Spearman Mubuluma who are Hichilema's body guards, all of Lusaka.
Others are Manyika Nabwenga, Victor Chiomo, Daniel Mizinga, Vincent Mulongo, Tobias Haloba all of Lusaka and Orbert Mulomba and Reagan Hamaleka both of Kalomo.
Trial has been set for May 29 while March 27 and April 25 have been reserved for mention.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, ECZ, HARRISON CHANDA, MICHAEL SATA, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Find the killers of Chanda
By The Post
Thu 28 Feb. 2013, 13:05 CAT
WHAT happened in Livingstone on Monday evening is sad and barbaric. The Livingstone parliamentary seat is not worth the life of even a single Zambian. Anyone who places a parliamentary seat above the life of even a single Zambian soul is not fit to lead.
Human life is a precious gift from God, the Source of all life. We must show respect for the integrity of creation. The moral character of politics, of elections cannot exclude respect for human life.
Life is sacred, a gift from God to be valued from the moment of conception until death. One cannot claim to uphold the sanctity of life if at the same time one engages in politics that end up in the loss of life.
And this is why we have insisted that politics need people with credibility, whose presence in the political arena can help bring good values to the political process.
Our participation in the political life of our country must be guided by kind, humane values of respect for human life and dignity and non-violence in political competition, in elections. Why should our elections be accompanied by violence that result in the loss of innocent lives?
We ask this question in the sincere belief that politics should not be for criminals but for those who see it as a genuine way of being at the service of others for the integral development of the country.
Politics must have as its aim the achievement of the common good and not the destruction of life. Those who engage in politics, in election campaigns must do so with care, with respect for the lives and dignity of others, including their political opponents.
Political competitors are not enemies to be killed, to be slaughtered.
A complete conversion of heart and a thorough reform of our society are needed and must be attempted soon. The use of intimidation or of physical violence by politicians and their supporters will achieve nothing permanent and good. Our country can be saved only by a genuine revolution of love, by violence to our selfish interests.
There is need for tolerance and understanding. To live together peacefully and harmoniously, we must learn to tolerate the political and other differences that do exist everywhere, even in countries older than ours.
We again stress the need for love, the very heart of the good news, as being most fundamental to our survival and growth as a nation. This message is timeless. It will always be valid - it was valid yesterday, it is valid today, it will be valid tomorrow. Only love unites. Unity is the deep desire of all who seek to walk the path of peace. A nation united in purpose, in pursuit of true ideals, genuine politics and principles such as justice, truth cannot fail to enjoy the blessings of peace.
The use of violence against anyone, by anyone, is against justice. The future of our country and the happiness of our people will depend on the love and civility we bring to our politics.
We need politics and elections that are worthy of human beings. Elections in which people are killed are not worthy of human beings.
We shouldn't allow political ambitions to blind us and prevent us from seeing the evil in ourselves. One of the greatest tragedies of the human race is that we hardly ever see and admit our own failings. We don't want to see them. Those who are hurting and killing others see no need to change; and those who are being hurt and killed get more and more resentful until their resentment bursts out into open conflict.
We cannot continue on this path of violence. What happened in Livingstone is not accidental. There was a process to it that started a few years ago. Human life was lost in a parliamentary by-election in Mufumbwe. Human life was lost in a local government by-election in Rufunsa. This is the third death in a by-election election.
Some of the parties involved in these election-related violence and deaths are the same. But impunity has continued. No one has been sent to jail for these deaths. It looks like politicians are lisenced to kill during election campaigns. If this impunity continues, more and more people will die from election campaign related violence.
We therefore urge the police to investigate thoroughly these Livingstone deaths and bring the culprits to book. And it shouldn't matter what position in life or in politics one occupies, if they are connected to any of these deaths, they should be arrested and be prosecuted.
Electoral campaigns should not be confused with a battlefield where the aim is to destroy the other. Our elections shouldn't be turned into fights for survival. They were not meant for that; they are simply a competition to serve.
It is necessary to remind all our political parties, their leaders, cadres and supporters that politics and elections are for the good of the people and the country and not for the political survival of any individual or political party. If the spirit of the primacy of the common good were to animate all our political parties, their leaders, cadres, members and supporters, we would not be witnessing the violence, the deaths which leave the public dismayed and disheartened.
There is need to remind our politicians and their supporters of the noble goals of political activity. From a Christian point of view, politics aims at the promotion of the common good and the service of all the people. How can one be at the service of all the people when one is killing people or condoning the killing of people?
Patriotic Front Monze district secretary Harrison Chanda was on Monday evening killed by identifiable political opponents. It is the duty of the police to identify them and bring them to book.
All those who made statements that bordered on inciting violence should be made to account for their contribution to that sad event that led to the assassination of Chanda. Chanda was a human being and should not be allowed to die like a dog which is thrown or buried without much ado when it's found dead by the roadside. Chanda was a dear son, husband, father, brother, nephew, uncle, grandson, relative, friend to someone. All these people want to know who killed him and why he had to die that way.
And the police have a duty to find who killed Chanda and account for his death to all these people.
This is the only way we can remove violence from our politics. While other criminal acts have received the full weight of the law, political crimes have been allowed to go unpunished. This is not a recipe for peaceful politics, especially in an immature multiparty political dispensation. Let the full weight of the law be put on the shoulders of all those who played a role, no matter how small it may be, in the death or events that led to the death of Chanda.
And as we have stated before, no politics or aggressive election campaigns can justify such murderous acts, such atrocities as the physical elimination of an innocent political opponent. No murders or any crime for that matter should be allowed to be committed in the name of politics or election campaigns. Those behind that murder should be found, arrested, prosecuted, and if found guilty sent to jail on the maximum of sentences permitted by the law.
Killings in the name of politics should never be allowed because they can do only one thing, and that is to breed counter-killings. People who kill others in the name of politics, election campaigns are no better than animals.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, HARRISON CHANDA, PF, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, UPND
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HH had a rough night in police cells - Kapita
By Staff Reporters
Thu 28 Feb. 2013, 13:00 CAT
OPPOSITION UPND has complained that its party leader, Hakainde Hichilema, spent a rough night in cells on Tuesday. And Southern Province police commissioner Charity Katanga says Hichilema has pure personal hatred against her.
Meanwhile, Wynter Kabimba says the PF is dismayed by what he called Hichilema's heartless but futile attempts to turn his party from culprits of the heinous crime in Livingstone, to victims of it.
And the Electoral Commission of Zambia has postponed today's by-election in Livingstone to March 14 due to political violence which led to the death of PF member Harrison Chanda.
Hichilema has since been released on a KR2,000 bail after meeting the bail conditions of two working sureties.
Hakainde, who appeared before magistrate Chola Musonda, yesterday afternoon pleaded not guilty to the charge of proposing violence.
During the proceedings, the defence applied that the case be transferred to Kalomo for security reasons and that the accused would interfere with witnesses.
The court has set March 27 and April 25, 2013 as dates for Hichilema's mention while trial dates have been set for May 26, 27 and 29.
And the case involving nine UPND cadres also arrested in connection with Chanda's death will be taken to the High Court and the accused will remain in police custody until they appear for mention on March 13.
Owing to the political violence in Livingstone, ECZ chairperson justice Irene Mambilima disclosed at a press briefing yesterday that the postponement does not affect by-elections in Mpongwe and six local government polls in various districts.
Section 28 of the electoral Act empowers the ECZ to postpone an election.
UPND cadres on Monday night attacked their PF counterparts, killing Chanda in the process.
Hichilema was on Tuesday arrested with several other party members in connection with Chanda's death.
Justice Mambilima said the Commission's assessment of the political environment in Livingstone had shown that it is not conducive to hold a free and fair election, hence the postponement.
"All stakeholders have a duty to ensure that there is a level playing field during elections and the Zambian electorate should not have to endure the trauma, intimidation or violence," she said.
Justice Mambilima said since the election campaign period expired on February 26, 2013 at 06:00 hours, there will be no political party campaigns in form of political party rallies until March 14 and advised political parties to only campaign using the print and electronic media.
And speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Kapita warned of countrywide protests should police refuse to grant Hichilema a police bond after his arrest on Tuesday.
He said the UPND lawyers had been trying to obtain bond or bail for Hichilema but that both were denied.
Kapita said police had hinted that Hichilema would be moved to Kalomo for his safety from would-be-reactors to the death of PF member Harrison Chanda.
Hichilema was on Tuesday arrested and charged with the offence of inciting violence which police had linked to the death of Chanda on Monday night.
"The president spent a rough night in cells. Our lawyers are still trying to get bail for him. Unfortunately, knowing that the police are not acting professionally and that they are receiving instructions from State House, I will not be surprised if he is not released on bail," Kapita said.
"We have also heard that they are trying to move him to Kalomo. They say that is for safety, but against who? Against what? As I speak to you, even our polling agents in Livingstone have been arrested. This is to ensure that the PF can rig elections. I appeal to our members; if you are near Mpongwe, go and help your colleagues in Mpongwe. If you are near Livingstone, jump on a bus go and monitor elections."
He said that Chanda was murdered by his fellow PF colleagues while they were jostling for money and that his blood was not on UPND.
Kapita also dismissed claims by police that various weapons were confiscated from the party's command centre.
"We have heard those reports of fights over money on a moving vehicle and they pushed that person out of the vehicle and they want to lay this blame on us. Sylvia Masebo,Obvious Mwaliteta will have blood on their hands after this matter has been concluded," said Kapita.
"After many months of trying to get HH behind bars by PF president Mr Sata, yesterday he got his wish and instructed the police to eventually arrest our president without any reasonable charge."
And UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said President Sata and PF were manipulating the violence in Livingstone to link Hakainde to murder through the police.
"He (Sata) is going to bring chaos. We would like to appeal to him to exercise all reasonableness to govern this country. The route that President Sata and the PF is taking is very dangerous," he said.
On Tuesday, before his arrest in Livingstone, Hichilema accused Katanga of being a PF cadre.
But Katanga in an interview yesterday said Hichilema told her that she is too young to hold the position of provincial police commissioner.
"Some of the issues that he says border on personal hatred. Before I was transferred here, I tried to execute my duties professionally as commissioner for Lusaka Province. Mr Hichilema came to my office and confronted me with a lot of other men which somehow I felt that it was bordering on sexual harassment and I wondered if really he meant well for me. I did not run away from my office. He told me that I am too young to occupy that office as commander and that is on record," she said.
"Surprisingly he has never approached other commanders in that manner other than me."
Katanga said it was unfair for Hichilema to accuse her of being "a sworn PF cadre who should not wear police uniform".
"Some utterances which have been made against me in my personal capacity have not been good at all. It is personal hatred. If a person has committed a crime, there are no boundaries. The fact that I am Charity Katanga doesn't come in... I have been condemned by his MPs without a just cause. It's evident that there is too much hatred. It's only that I am strong and I will not relent in my work," she said.
Katanga said it was not true that she received direct instructions from President Sata to make arrests.
"In Lusaka, I advised him (Hichilema) that the matter they wanted to demonstrate on against was in court. I used my understanding of the law that the protest could not be allowed. The President was not even around then. I am not new in the service. I have grown in the Zambia Police having joined before I was 20-years old. I have executed my duties for 17 years with a clean track record. As long as I remain a police officer, I would rather die on duty pursuing the course of justice. As a professional lawyer and also a drafter, I know the interpretation of the law and I will ensure that there is fairness regardless of the political parties involved," she said.
And Katanga said the house being used by the UPND as its command post, where weapons including machetes and knives were recovered, belongs to the party's Livingstone by-election candidate Regina Musokotwane.
"In the early hours of yesterday, we searched the house for UPND candidate madam Regina Musokotwane and you may wish to know that some machetes, knives and stones in the form of bricks were found, confiscated or removed from the house which is a command post for the UPND," she said.
Katanga said police also had information that the assailant who allegedly killed Chanda was hiding in the same house.
"Things happened so simultaneously on that day and we moved in and tried to put the pieces together. We established the likelihood that the assailant who caused that death ran to the same command post," she said.
Katanga said police had so far arrested 44 people who had been charged for various offences.
"Others not necessarily connected to the killing of Chanda were arrested. Some because they formed obstruction when police officers tried to apprehend Mr.
Hichilema. These are facing different charges and are detained in various police stations looking at the capacity of our cells. Others are at Libuyu, 32 are here (Livingstone Central Police) and others are detained at Airport police. Others will appear in court today, (yesterday)," said Katanga.
And in a statement yesterday, Kabimba stated that the PF found it disturbing that the UPND had spent the last 24 hours after the cold blooded murder of Chanda holding press briefings and using media platforms to cry for themselves instead of crying for the life they needlessly took away.
He stated that the behaviour by the UPND was typical of their "spine-chilling selfishness" and high levels of immorality that had made Zambians continue rejecting the opposition party.
"It is even more hair-raising that the UPND, immediately after murdering Mr Chanda, rather than show remorse, respect and sympathy for the dead and his family, decided to announce their strategies of how they were going to 'secure' their blood-stained votes in Livingstone," stated Kabimba who is justice minister and PF secretary general.
He stated that those who support the UPND ought to be ashamed that their topmost leadership, including Hichilema, Kapita and Kakoma, rushed to the media in an attempt to wish away the crime, made no mention of the innocent victim, but were quick to try and gain political sympathy out of it.
Kabimba added that the crime committed by the UPND in Livingstone was in line with the 'Mapatizya 'formula' which the UPND leadership had been preaching loudly and with pride.
He reminded the public that the PF had for a long time now and at several times warned against tolerating the Mapatizya formula because it was premised on terror, crime and violence, and its results were murderous acts such as the killing of Chanda.
Kabimba wondered if that was the type of behaviour for which the UPND has been seeking the support of the Commonwealth and the international community.
He stated that politics should be about safeguarding rather than taking away innocent lives.
Kabimba thanked all PF supporters and cadres, especially those in Livingstone during 'this particularly provocative period', for remaining calm and leaving the matter in the hands of the law enforcers.
He encouraged the members and supporters of the party to mourn Chanda with the dignity he deserved and continue with the maturity and peaceful conduct they had exhibited.
Kabimba expressed the party's 'utmost condolences' to the family of Chanda and assured them that the party would stand with them during this extremely painful moment.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CHARITY KATANGA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, HARRISON CHANDA, IRENE MAMBILIMA, JAILS, WYNTER KABIMBA
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