The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General, Batuke Imenda, has bemoaned the violence allegedly perpetrated by members of the opposition Tonse Alliance during by-election campaigns in Petauke.
Yesterday, violence characterized Minga Ward ahead of the by-elections in Petauke, where members of the opposition Tonse Alliance are said to have disrupted and attacked UPND members and supporters as they held their campaigns.
Speaking in reaction to the incidents that transpired yesterday, Mr. Imenda condemned the violent conduct perpetrated by the opposition faction during the by-elections.
“We all know that even in Kawambwa, things were not going well until the police moved in. We feel as Zambians that before the Tonse Alliance came into the electoral process, elections were proceeding smoothly, but as soon as they arrived, we started seeing violence being practiced,” Mr. Imenda said.
Mr. Imenda further regretted that the former ruling Patriotic Front (PF) still engages in politics of violence even after being voted out of power during the 2021 General Elections.
“When the PF lost the elections in 2021, everyone believed that they had changed or learned a lesson from the bashing the Zambian people gave them. But what happened in Petauke yesterday is shocking, appalling, and unbelievable,” he said.
Mr. Imenda has since urged the Zambia Police to ensure that law and order are upheld during the by-elections by all participants, regardless of their status, as guided by Republican President Hakainde Hichilema.
“We call on the police to make sure that they spare no one, as President Hakainde Hichilema has clearly stated several times: when you break the law, you are on your own,” he said.
