By Oliver Chisenga
UPND national chairman Steven Katuka has wondered whether President Edgar Lungu is not embarrassed that the PF have been brutalising his opponents and other Zambians have turned into “monsters” unafraid of waging a bloody intraparty fight at the ruling party’s headquarters.
In a statement on Tuesday, Katuka also wondered whether it was not equally shameful that the violence broke out at the PF secretariat where President Lungu’s portrait as party president and Head of State towers above everyone.
On May 1, PF cadres brutalised their colleagues, severely beating self-styled party national commander Innocent Kalimanshi with fists and iron bars, leaving several people, including journalists and police officers injured.
Katuka said those who provide a fertile ground for political thugs to flourish, sooner or later, become victims.
“The bloody confrontation at the PF secretariat, which houses the office of the chief executive of the party, has sent a strong message to the Zambian people that political thuggery and violence within the governing party no longer have limits,” he said. “If the PF cadres could fearlessly disrespect the office of their secretary general, it goes without saying that this is their attitude towards Mr Lungu’s authority in the party.”
Katuka said it was not an exaggeration to say “the PF was rotten to the core and was full of political monsters” who have pushed a once peaceful and respected country to the verge of lawlessness.
He noted that the PF leadership had fed and nurtured political monsters who would eventually also consume them.
“While the political mayhem at the PF secretariat demonstrated indiscipline at the highest level and lack of respect for authority and the law, it should equally serve as a wake-up call to the Zambian people that political power is in wrong hands. It is a clear warning that if the PF is not voted out in the forthcoming general elections, our country is headed to a violent future led by political monsters,” Katuka said.
He said if PF cadres could spill blood within their own circles at the party’s highest office, with the “portrait of President Lungu state staring at them”, then ordinary citizens might be headed for real trouble.
Katuka urged Zambians to stand up and protect the country’s future by showing the PF government the exit on August 12.
“As they cast their votes on that day, Zambians should realise that the destiny of this country is in their own hands. Unless peace-loving Zambians unite and confine the PF regime to the dustbin of history, Zambia could be damaged beyond repair. All they simply need to do is to speak through the ballot and rescue this country from the PF thuggery and hooliganism,” he said. “But this has not come as a surprise to the citizens of this country. With the amount of violence escalated by the PF within its own ranks, the safety of Zambian citizens is under serious threat. Unfortunately, it is not only the barbaric incident at the PF secretariat which has exposed the high levels of political thuggery and violence in the ruling party.”
Katuka recalled that shortly after the May 1 brawl, Zambians saw, through a video that had gone viral, PF cadres delighting in burning campaign regalia belonging to the UPND.
Katuka said the PF cadres were seen celebrating the senseless act while hurling unpalatable language at the UPND leadership.
“It was clear from the behaviour of the cadres burning UPND material that they were intoxicated on ‘tujilijili’ [illicit brew] sponsored by their masters. There is no way those party cadres could risk to venture into such criminality without a nod from somewhere up their ranks. What type of Zambia is the PF under Mr Lungu’s leadership driving this country to? Is this the Zambia we want beyond 2021?” he asked.
Katuka wondered what other heinous acts PF cadres have not done to the country and its people.
“Are they not the ones who descended on the Lusaka Central Police [Station] and punched the men and women in uniform with impunity? Haven’t they fought in the presence of their party president before? Don’t they have a track record of slapping and punching their own party leaders?” he asked.
Katuka said the PF regime thrives on violence and intimidation of the masses to perpetuate its stay in power.
He said the UPND, under Hakainde Hichilema, promises a better Zambia by curtailing PF’s evil tradition of nurturing political monsters.
This country does not need political monsters in power but a new set of leaders dedicated to the country’s peace and democracy,” said Katuka.