WE will now start dealing with the PF, Zambia is in wrong hands, says Godfrey Beene.
Narrating how PF cadres assaulted him at Intercity Bus Terminus on Wednesday, Beene, a former Itezhi Tezhi UPND member of parliament, said President Edgar Lungu had brought lawlessness in the country.
He said PF as a political party had become a local ‘terrorist’ group.
Beene, a UPND senior national trustee, narrated how PF cadres attacked him
Been had gone to Intercity to pick up his sister-in-law.
“I went to pick up my sister in-law at the Intercity Bus Terminus at 14:00 hours. When she came, we started packing the items she had in my vehicle. In the front cabin of my Landcruiser, I had my party ID hanged on the view mirror, so when some cadres saw my card, two of them came rushing to the vehicle on the passenger’s door saying this is ‘UPND, bamene bafuna kutipoka chalo, mudala ni UPND uyu (they want to get power from of us, he is UPND)’ and immediately started beating me. Some wrestled with me as they tried to force themselves in my vehicle,” Beene narrated.
He said the cadres insisted on conducting an illegal search of his vehicle, stating that there were cards for the party which they wanted to see and authenticate whether he was indeed UPND.
Beene said as he tried to stop the handful that besieged his car, a mob of cadres joined in punching, kicking him as others reached for his pockets and helped themselves to items that were in the vehicle.
“I was punched, beaten over just a party card; you can see how my face is. I held on to the steering wheel but some said ‘tiyeni timupeleke mukati (intercity Bus terminus). They now wanted to abduct me during the day, as people were watching, imagine! Others went into my pockets and stole a phone worth over K4,000, they also removed my wallet, my IDs and bank cards,” he said. “As I dropped on the ground, while I fought back, they hit me and tried to drag me away from the vehicle. I couldn’t fight back anymore, they were too many, others also wanted to steal my in-law’s handbag.”
Beene said after the ordeal, he got a medical report form from Lusaka Central Police Station where he complained of swollen right eye, bruises on the right elbow and a cut on his lower lip.
He further complained that a doctor at UTH refused to sign his medical report form claiming that such were only signed on Mondays.
Beene said the doctor’s refusal to sign the medical report form was after she learnt that the attackers were PF cadres.
“I get a police report and go to UTH but after the doctors at UTH realise that this is a political thing and I was attacked by PF thugs, the doctor who attended to me, Dr Chilufya, a lady, upon learning about that she said she could not sign my medical report. She said police reports are only signed on Mondays, but a pre-requisite to have those criminals arrested was to sign the medical forms but as it is a docket can’t be opened…How are we going to find the criminals? Doctors are now collaborating with criminals,” he complained. “UTH cannot sign my forms. I am beaten today, on Wednesday, but cannot have a medical report signed unless on Monday next week in room 4, really! Since when?”
Beene said the undertones suggest that even people in the medical field were afraid to be fired the way police officers get fired when they reprimand those who break the law.
“We need to defend this country. This is what is going to happen in this country but as UPND all options to defend ourselves are going to be explored. Are going to be on the table to deal with PF but we will be civilised and follow the law… Defend yourself, do it so that you don’t lose your life. The country is in wrong hands, PF as a political party has become a local terrorist group which needs to be handled firmly,” said Beene.