PRESIDENTIAL PRESS BRIEFING REACTION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2024
In his inaugural speech at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, President Hakainde Hichilema known to his adoring praise singers as Bally, promised Zambians that the New Dawn Government would end hunger, unemployment among youths, caderism, shortages of drugs in hospitals, lower the cost of living and doing business, among other things.
Fast forward to June 2024, the New Dawn Government under President Hichilema has achieved the opposite. The level of hunger in our communities is critical, we have high levels of unemployment among youths, there are no drugs in our health institutions, the cost of living and doing business is high and caderism is back in full swing.
We remember very well in one of his daily lectures, President Hichilema sent a stern warning to his political cadres that when they misbehave, they are on their own. But just yesterday, UPND cadres perched on vehicles ran amok in Lusaka harassing and inconveniencing motorists and other road users. None of those cadres were arrested and there hasn’t been any statement either from the Zambia Police Service or the UPND government. The question is, who is authorizing political cadres to go into streets and harass those from the opposition and other innocent members of the public? We know cadres work under instructions.
In today’s edition of the News Diggers, Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba is quoted saying the police cannot allow the opposition to hold public rallies because those unruly cadres in UPND are always ready to attack them.
If the Zambia Police Service cannot defend innocent citizens from getting attacked by unruly UPND cadres then we have the most incompetent police service in the history of this country. We say so because during the previous regime, the UPND used to have rallies. And this is the same regime the UPND claimed to be violent.
We want to remind the UPND Government that you are in control, and it is your responsibility to take care of every Zambian, including former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
As United Liberal Party, we want to remind you that politics of machetes are long gone. This political tension being caused by your political cadres will scare away potential investors willing to invest here and it is the poor Zambians who will suffer in the long run. Tame your unruly political supporters, and remember that politics is about ideas. Avoid using power politics on your opponents, because political power belongs to the people.
Issued by
CHISALA KASAKULA
Vice President
United Liberal Party (ULP