SOCIALIST PARTY ZAMBIA PRESS STATEMENT
FRIDAY 21ST APRIL 2023
The temporal setbacks such as our loss in the just ended 3 local government by-elections will not dampen our revolutionary spirit as we endeavour to grow our party into a strong and popular formation.
This is because we fully understand the illegalities that characterised not only the just ended ward by-elections in Chililabombwe, Lupososhi and Serenje, but other by-elections since the UPND formed government in 2021.
Zambians know that the UPND again sponsored violence, intimidation of political competitors as well as voters and engaged in many electoral malpractices such as vote buying.
The UPND also behaved as if they were above the law and even disregarded basic arrangements to facilitate peaceful campaigns such as the agreed timetable facilitated by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Our leader Dr. Fred M’membe and other members were attacked in Serenje and locked up by the police leaving the UPND members who perpetrated the violence scot-free.
In Chililabombwe, our members were also attacked by the UPND and the police were forced to lock up our members only to release them after the campaign period elapsed.
Against this background, our party will not make the mistake of not celebrating the strides we are making in popularising the socialist agenda. The main cause of our celebration is not the good votes our party received in the just ended by-elections but the interest of our people in the socialist programme.
Therefore, our party under the revolutionary leadership of Comrade Dr. Fred M’membe will not relent. We shall continue to engage our people peacefully and with a lot of respect so that more Zambians can appreciate the difference our party would make when given an opportunity to govern.
We know that with growing dissatisfaction with UPND by our people caused by unfulfilled promises and mediocre leadership, the UPND will become even more violent and notorious in breaking the law. We also know that the UPND will continue to use the by-elections as platforms to project a false impression of popularity.
With the police and the ECZ behaving as lapdogs of the ruling party, we think that free and fair elections will continue to elude us. Despite this seemingly hopeless situation, our party will not be discouraged.
Our members will not be intimidated. Instead, they are determined to continue pushing and all of us are ready to pay the price of opposing a corrupt and violent regime. It is aluta continua.
Frank Bwalya
SPOKESPERSON