PF protests Amnesty International report says its “Ruling by Fear and Repression”
LUSAKA Province Patriotic Front chairman Kennedy Kamba has protested against Amnesty International report calling out the ruling party for “ruling by fear repression”.
Kamba contends that the report was deliberately drafted to project the ruling party as generally violent when in fact not.
He says the report was maliciously biased and meant to paint the PF black in the eyes of the right thinking members of the public and electorates ahead of the general elections slated for August 12, 2021.
He says the report by Amnesty International titled ‘Ruling by Fear and Repression’ was in bad taste and extremely unfair to the PF, the Government of Zambia and indeed the people of Zambia who must always know the truth.
Kamba says Zambians will recall very well that when state prosecutor Nsama Nsama and a UPND cadre Joseph Kaunda were shot dead in December 2020, President Edgar Lungu took appropriate action based on the report.
He says “The fact which we all know and is in public domain is that senior police officers were fired because of that unfortunate and unacceptable incident and a police officer alleged to have pulled the trigger is in remand prison and appearing before the courts of law charged with murder.
Kamba says President Lungu and the PF have endeavoured to ensure Zambians continue to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms of expression without fear or favour.
The PF Lusaka Province Chairperson says it is, therefore, extremely unacceptable for Amenesty International Zambia to put the blame of isolated, unfortunate incidents of shooting on the PF and claim they were killed by state officials or supporters of the Patriotic Front, when perpetrators were identified and facing the law.
“Reports such as the one from Amnesty International is highly provocative and we condemn it in strongest terms,” he says.
“President Lungu has always cautioned citizens regardless of political affiliation and especially us in the PF that he is not worth dying for and that we must all stay away from all forms of violence.
President Lungu’s Commitment and none violent approach to politics is undoubted in this regard,”.
We expected Amnesty International, he says, to talk about the blood shed and burning of cars and property that is evidently attributed to the opposition UPND that has left a trail of violence whenever they have campaigned.
He says ” If you read papers today, even one of the tabloids has tabulated how the UPND has continued to perpetrate violent campaigns with ordinary citizens assaulted in Mandevu and Kanyama here in Lusaka.
Kamba says the ruling party has heard any strong condemnation from institutions such as Amnesty International.
He says just recently on June 10, a vehicle belonging to an ordinary Zambian was burnt to ashes with the owner Musonda Sinkamba beaten and assaulted badly.
Kamba says the same happened to Steven Simbeye but nobody is highlighting such evil deeds orchestrated by the UPND.
“We want to advise the nation to ignore the malicious and biased reports from Amensty International.
They will not manage to bring down a good man in the name of President Edgar Lungu because he hates violence and whenever it shows its ugly head, President Lungu and his governmennt acts decisively,” he says.
Kamba says “As the PF in Lusaka we pray for peace to prevail ahead of the August 12 elections and we are confident that victory is certain for President Lungu and the PF.
Credit: Smart Eagles