By Scoop Reporter
WE are concerned at the degenerating political space in the country at the hands of the Patriotic Front, National Restoration Party (NAREP) deputy Secretary General, Martin Mulenga has said.
Commenting on the bizarre activities by PF thugs which have gone on rampage in Muchinga Province where they are disrupting radio programmes for the opposition and attacking media personnel, Mr. Mulenga says what is happening is barbaric and unprecedented.
He says the ugly and dirty developments in Muchinga Province witnessed in the last few days are disturbing and regrettable adding that these acts, which are perpetuated by PF cadres and some known District Commissioners, are not only perturbing but criminal in nature.
“We wish to bring this to your attention President Edgar Lungu, in case the system is not informing you well about these barbaric and criminal attacks by your own members against Zambians. Mr. President, we are saddened by the developments in Muchinga Province where your cadres have taken over all institutions of governance shrinking both the media and the political space in the country.
“We wish to remind you Mr. President that the political space under your reign has collapsed to unimaginable levels as cadres have become more powerful than you President Lungu. This can be observed in the manner your cadres have disregarded your directives to end political violence,” Mr. Mulenga said.
He says these events are well planned and schemed to instilling fear in the people of Zambia, the media, political parties, the church and civil society organization ahead of the 2021 general elections.
“We have to remind the Patriotic Front leadership and you President Edgar Lungu in particular who the people of Zambia voted for in 2016 that, you are failing to protect property and human life by allowing and paying a blind eye on the cadres who have gone on rampant hacking and destroying people’s property.
“President Lungu was not only elected to govern the PF but everyone else. This includes even those that did not vote for him. Sadly, to state that President Lungu has failed to govern this country as his cadres have become more powerful than even the police that surrounds him,” he said.
He says President Lungu needs to wake up from his comfort zone and stop these acts of violence as they have the potential to divide the country.
“It is regrettable and heartbreaking that President Lungu’s silence on these criminal acts by well-known members of the PF is not helping to build this country at all but working towards destroying the strides our forefather’s worked tirelessly for.
“Your silence Mr. President on the recent happenings in Mpika, Chinsali and now Isoka involving well-known PF criminals during the UPND paid for programmes is an indication that violence under your leadership is now a new norm Zambians should live with,” he said.
He has reminded President Lungu that Zambia is a democracy and therefore, freedoms of expression, movement and association need to be respected at all cost and that what is happening and done by his cadres has full blessings of his office.
He says police are now finding it difficult to act against these criminals because of the impression he has created by choosing to remain quiet on these critical matters that threaten the promotion of governance and democratic principles in the country.
“We therefore, condemn the attacks on the radio station staff in Mpika, Chinsali and Isoka, as well the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and his team in Muchinga Province by PF thugs in the strongest term possible and we demand that these criminals be arrested forthwith.
“We also urge the church to reclaim its prophetic role and call for an urgent national political party leader’s indaba where matters of national interest that threaten the peace and stability of our lovely country Zambia will be addressed,” he said.
