TONSE ALLIANCE PRESS STATEMENT ON RECENT RANTINGS BY CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON HON. CORNELIUS MWEETWA MP
Liberty House, 23rd January 2025
1. The TONSE ALLIANCE has noted with great concern and profound dismay, the recent rantings by the UPND National Spokesperson, who is also the Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa MP.
2. In the first instance, Hon. Mweetwa claims that the opposition and some civil society activists have plotted to taint Zambia’s human rights record in the eyes of the international community. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we wish to categorically inform Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, and through him, his UPND administration, that there is no need for the opposition to make any effort to taint Zambia’s human rights record, because the UPND Government is so far doing a good job of tainting Zambia’s human rights record, all by itself.
3. When you have a situation whereby opposition leaders like Hon. Mumbi Phiri are incarcerated for years, on false charges of murder, only for the State to withdraw the charges on the day of judgement, then the international community can see for itself that these are clear violations of human rights. When you have situations whereby opposition leaders are assaulted inside a police station, in full view of Police Officers, as it happened at Kawambwa Central Police, and all the assailants walk out of the Police Station scot free, with no effort by the Police to apprehended any of them, then the international community can see for itself that the Zambian Government is engaged in clear violations of the human rights of its citizens.
4. When you have a situation whereby crimes such as hate speech and seditious practices are only targeted at the opposition and/or persons that come from the northern and eastern parts of Zambia, but are not applicable to persons that come from Zambezi provinces, then the international community can see for itself that the Zambian Government is engaged in clear violations of human rights against a section of its citizens, which amounts to possible genocide against selected citizens using law-fare.
5. In the second instance, the UPND Spokesperson, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa MP, claims that the UPND has already won the 2026 general election, and that their focus is now on the 2031 general election. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we wish to advise Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, and through him, his UPND administration, to avoid engaging in hallucinations and day-dreaming. The facts on the ground are that Zambians are worse off today, than they were in 2021.
6. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we are confident that, whereas a few selected individuals might be, the majority of the Zambian people are not foolish enough to re-elect a Government that has brought so much misery on them. A Government that taxes its own citizens to the bone, while giving massive tax holidays to foreign investors. A Government that has institutionalized tribalism and regionalism by only appointing tribes-mates and church mates of the President to key positions, despite the fact that the President was himself elected by the entire Zambia in 2021. A Government that has weaponized the judiciary, whereby almost all Police Officers, Magistrates and Judges handling political cases come from the Zambezi region, and almost all accused persons as well as those that have already been convicted, come from the northern and eastern parts of Zambia.
7. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we are confident that the majority of the Zambian people know for certain that the UPND Administration is the worst curse that has ever happened to this nation, since it’s birth on 24th October 1964. We are further confident that the majority of the Zambian people are counting down to 13th August 2026, so that they can vote out the UPND party from office, and allow the nation to once again heal, unite and erase the regional divisions and tribalism that the UPND administration has shamelessly introduced, and continues to perpetuate.
8. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we wish to take this opportunity to advise Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa MP, and through him, his UPND administration, not to be misled by the fabricated victories that they have been enjoying in recent by-elections. Whereas the ruling UPND can concentrate it’s Government machinery in a by-election, it will not be able to do so in a general election. On 13th August 2026, it will be each for himself and God for us all. Lastly, we wish to advise Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa MP, and through him, his UPND administration, to avoid engaging in any additional illegalities in the 19 months remaining up to the 2026 general election. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we wish to reduce the need to pursue UPND members and supporters that would have abused their positions, when we form Government in 2026. Our preference is to focus on rebuilding our country’s tattered economy and restoring the national unity and cohesion that our nation once enjoyed, when citizens were not cautious of their surnames.
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ISSUED BY:
Sean E. Tembo (SET)
PeP PRESIDENT & TONSE ALLIANCE SPOKESPERSON
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA