UPND vice-president Mutale Nalumango says the tragedy around political violence in the country now is that culprits and victims are put at par.
Nalumango regrets that Zambians have failed to name the culprit who is spearheading political violence in the country today.
“We get victims and put them at par [with culprits]. You (the media) have always carried the narrative that UPND and PF are both violent. But anybody can see who is perpetrating evil and who is a victim,” Nalumango said on Spring 24 TV’s Crossfire programme on Monday night.
“When did UPND go to attack PF at their meeting? You don’t have an incident where PF had a meeting and UPND went to fight.”
She pointed out that the buck stops at President Edgar Lungu, when it comes to curtailing political violence.
“His pronouncement against political violence, the police will act if he means it. Not a situation where today you say ‘we don’t want violence’ and when the police arrest violent ruling party cadres, you fire them, the police officers,” she complained.
“We are in opposition and we don’t have the instruments of power…Let ba Lungu balande (speak out) if he is not a beneficiary of violence.”
Asked by the programme host, Gloria Mumba Kalambo, what plans the UPND currently has to stop political violence, Nalumango answered: “I don’t know whether I should say we have a plan, because we are the victims.”
“We have a plan to run away or to defend ourselves [from violent PF cadres],” Nalumango said. “The worst part for the police today is that they are suffering, just like we are, in the sense that Patriotic Front cadres seem to have more power to intimidate the police.”
She promised police officers that: “once again, you’ll be professionals.”
“You’ll be treated as professionals after 12th August 2021, because UPND will not run a government of cadres, where cadres can enter offices and harass people. Where cadres can run into a police station and beat you up! That will not happen,” pledged Nalumango. “I have said this many times; if there was political will to stop violence…President Lungu has power to stop political violence but he does the opposite. If he honestly said today that ‘I don’t want political violence and that whoever is found attacking another team, police don’t wait for any instruction,’ do you think violence will continue? UPND is not a violent party and we refuse. We tell our boys and girls not to be violent.”