HAKAINDE Hichilema says his conscience is clear about his government containing the hazard of political cadres in public places like markets, bus stops and stations.
Hichilema, the UPND leader, is troubled that the PF has turned Lusaka Intercity Bus Terminus into an “alternative secretariat,” where most of its cadres engage into tax-collection.
In an interview, the opposition leader assured that the first month of his presidency would be for “reparation.”
“My conscience is clear about what is needed to be done in this lovely country. Once we are solemnly sworn-in next year, the people of Zambia will feel for themselves an aura of decency in the way business is done in these public places – be at bus stops, markets, bus stations,” Hichilema said.
“The first month of our being in government will be a period of reparation, if you like – ensuring that there is real normalcy in society, in as far as healing the ruin that political cadres for the party in government have done for close to a decade now.”
He underscored that a UPND government would need: “to take off on a ground of law and order, and this is a real sense explanation.”
“There is no way political cadres will be allowed to move freely and hack supporters of different political parties in public places. How can we allow that? These political cadres who are today freely blocking motorways in towns when they feel like will be caged by the police,” he promised.
“Police officers would retain their constitutional mandate of protecting life and property. Obviously, you might dismiss what we repeatedly say as mere political talk. But HH means everything that he says. This is something that we are going to earnestly do once we are in government, courtesy of God, the people of Zambia.”
Hichilema further pledged that there would be thousands of job and business opportunities for young Zambians.
“So, there will be no time for them to be menacing in markets and bus stops and stations. And it doesn’t matter whether those political cadres belong to the UPND, the PF and any other political party. Politics will be confined to political party secretariats and other relevant public platforms,” he said. “You can’t allow political thugs to be intimidating poor bus drivers, taxi drivers, marketeers in places where business is conducted from. But this is what is playing out today! Intercity bus terminus is like an alternative PF secretariat where its menacing cadres have turned themselves into tax-collectors from bus operators. Yet the PF leadership is quiet about all these stark illegalities by its people! If the current silence from the PF leadership about illegalities in bus stations and markets is not equivalent to them being collaborators, then kisikamani (what’s that)?”
Hichilema added that PF cadres are everyday implanting fear among citizens in markets and bus stations across the country because: “they know that their criminal activities will attract no punishment from any quarter.”
“But time has run out for them – both these PF cadres and their godfathers in the PF hierarchy. From where we stand, this country needs a leadership that is unequivocally determined to urgently end this PF baked violence and then engage into grand economic revival,” explained Hichilema. “But for all these things to be done, the people of Zambia, from chief Kambombo in Chama to Sikongo, Kaputa, Chadiza, Kashinakazhi in Mwinilunga, Lusaka, the Copperbelt and everywhere in this country must go out and register as voters. Secure your voter’s card and then come August next year, vote for the UPND at all levels. Then you would have voted for total peace, prosperity and unity in diversity. That’s what HH is assuring you!”