ALVIN CHIINGA & STEVEN MVULA, Lusaka
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema says the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should ban all offensive weapons such as pangas and knives from being sold on the streets until after the presidential election on Tuesday.
And Mr Hichilema has appealed to his members to preach peace and love in the face of provocation from other political parties.
In a statement released by the party’s publicity and information office yesterday, Mr Hichilema condemned political parties instigating and causing political violence which he said must be condemned in the strongest terms.
“Political parties instigating and causing political violence must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said that there should be amnesty and a withdrawal of all offensive weapons, adding that the police should move in strongly on people who have those weapons.
He said that reports suggesting that UPND is causing any form of violence in some parts of the country are regrettable and must be condemned.
Mr Hichilema urged the police to act professionally and swiftly in accordance with the law to arrest perpetrators of violence.
And UPND chairperson for women affairs Namakau Kabwiku has denounced violence and urged party members to remain peaceful even under provocation.
Ms Kabwiku said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that violence breeds more violence and so UPND members should stay away.
She said Zambia is a democracy and so everyone must be allowed to express their views without being intimidated.
“We don’t want violence in this country. Our youths are capable of hitting back but we want peace,” Ms Kabwiku said.