MACHETE WIELDING UPND CADRES’ ATTACK ON CATHOLIC-OWNED YUSUFU RADIO
On Sunday, August 25, 2024, footage of a group of UPND cadres clad in party regalia, and threatening to attack security guards with machetes, at the Catholic-owned Yusufu radio in Muchinga province’s Mpika district, went viral on social media.
And yesterday, Catholic Bishop of Mpika, Rt. Rev. Edwin Mulandu confirmed the incident through a statement informing all priests, religious leaders and Catholics in the diocese of what he termed as the invasion of the diocesan pastoral premises and harassment of security staff. Bishop Mulandu narrated that a group of young men dressed in red regalia suspected to be affiliates of a major political party, forcefully entered the premises and that their apparent intent was to disrupt a political program, which was scheduled to air Citizens First president Mr Harry Kalaba. Bishop Mulandu further stated that despite the guard’s attempts to manage the situation calmly and professionally, the intruders continued to act aggressively and threatening the staff members, and residents at the property with offensive weapons.
“We have officially lodged a complaint to the police, here in Mpika, to investigate this matter and take appropriate action against the individuals involved. It is imperative that such incidents are managed to prevent any future occurrences and to ensure the safety and security of our premises and their occupants,” reads the Bishop’s statement in part.
This country has never faced a shameless regime that is resolved to govern through intimidation, persecution, vindictiveness and fear. A regime that uses the police and law enforcement to abuse, pursue and mistreat political competitors and private citizens under the guise of safeguarding peace, national security and order. Certainly, Mr Hakainde Hichilema has calculated to suppress free political expression to prevent opponents and private citizens from holding them to account.
Mr Hichilema and the UPND’s many failures have exposed them as incompetent and incapable of fulfilling the vast campaign promises they made to the people. And now that they can no longer manipulate and deceive the people, they want to dodge responsibility by silencing political rivals and citizens through repression, victimization and draconian laws. Mr Hichilema and his league’s grip on power keep getting tighter and tighter. They’re mercilessly choking everybody and everything that dares to stand in their way. They’ve even stopped pretending about their brutal style of governance. They now wear tyranny as a badge of pride and honor. To them, it’s either their way or no way. They’re determined to entrench themselves without hesitation through manipulation of the law, legislative mischief, malicious abuse of governance systems, and exercise of physical violence and force
This government poses the greatest danger to our rights, freedoms and existence. Our national unity, peace and security is under threat. Anyway, we wait to see what the police will do since Bishop Mulandu has lodged a formal complaint with them. We hope the victims of this attack won’t end up being suspects as this seems to be the trend with Mr Hichilema’s cadre police service.
Indeed, these are dangerous times! But the people’s will shall ultimately prevail. 2026 yena Hichilema aleya!
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
Ati “Red Angels”, they call them.
Now their cadres are wielding pangas in public.
We have seen this movie before. It ended in tears for the government at that time.
Vote wisely in 2026.
I do not see any UPND regalia and even if there were these days people will do anything for three hundred or so kwacha so no tangible proof there.
Those are old tactics which ba PF were using, true and genuine UPND youths and members cannot do such a thing. Kalaba was in Samfya few days ago and said nothing worth of following him up, so who can follow him in Mpika? This was just stage managing at work.
Same idiotic staging like they did with pfidiot jj ayamba kunya matumbo. They’re at it again. Thinking with Matako this man won’t learn!!!
Citizen come on you are very mature . This recently happened in Mansa and the trend is some cadres want to show they have the power and courage to intimidate the Catholic faith. When will HH speak to stop already frail relationship with the catholic. At the rate UPND is doing things I can say forget northern, Luapula, MUchinga and Eastern provinces
These are same old idiotic schemes from your pfools party, and fuledi matako has joined your foolish misinformation stupid acts. Leave the Catholics out of your stupidity it won’t work. You tried to include your tribalism even before 2021 you failed!!!
No are they not Fred ‘s Gym boys not UPND these are political tactics.You have been misleading in suspecting people for a long time now.These are the same false hoods we have been talking about.These are complete fake narratives.
The problem some people have is that they think that there are no Catholics in UPND which is not true. The majority of UPND youths are Catholics, so how can they start attacking their own Church? It doesn’t make sense at all. Moreover, the Catholic Church is the largest Christian Church world over and no one including UPND can intimidate it. There are just some disgruntled elements who want to mislead people portraying that there is a rift between the Government and the Catholic Church when in fact not. Unfortunately, they are failing because things are not going their way. Those who still remember Sishuwa’s article entitled; hh’s five point plan to stay in power at all costs, one of those five points he listed was intimidating the Catholic Church, but to their disappoint and shame, HH and his UPND government are peacefully working very well with the Catholic Church as we saw yesterday in Kabwe. We know that the haters were burning in themselves because that’s not what they want and expected to see. I don’t think Catholic or Anglican Church can invite a person at its function who is at loggerheads with it. HH was recently in Northern, Luapula and Eastern provinces, he was warmly welcomed, he was very happy and people too were very happy and appreciated his visit to their provinces. I was therefore shocked when I read from Pafwenamwine that at the rate UPND is doing things I can say, forget northern, Luapula, Muchinga and Eastern provinces. Honestly, how do we forget when we have gained more ground in these former PF strongholds. We were worried about Luapula and Muchinga provinces but not anymore. HH is now a very good friend of the traditional leaders, farmers, retirees, miners, business men and women, marketeers, students, pupils, youths, civil servants, Soldiers, Police or shall I simply say, defence and security forces. He is the president for all Zambians, no amount of propaganda will work against him, wakuleka fye.