SOME KITWE MOBILE MONEY OPERATORS ALLEGEDLY HARASSED BY UPND CADRES FOR NOT VOTING FOR PRESIDENT HICHILEMA
By Raphael Mulenga
Mobile Money Operators in Kitwe on the Copperbelt have appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to intervene after they were allegedly chased from operating in the central business district by suspected UPND cadres for not voting for the president and the UPND in last week’s general election.
Giving an account of Wednesday’s incident, the operators have told Phoenix News that suspected UPND cadres stormed oxford bus station claiming to have taken over operations at the bus station before extending their actions to Mobile Money Operators in the central business district.
The operators have questioned how political party cadres can remove them from conducting business in the central business district, saying their mobile money business is their only source of livelihood.
They are now calling on government and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene, restore their right to conduct business, and ensure that political affiliation does not determine who is allowed to operate in the city centre.
But UPND Copperbelt Province Information And Publicity Secretary Timothy Mfula says the party maintains its position against party cadres taking over public spaces.
PHOENIX NEWS