19 November 2008
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata's statement that President Rupiah Banda should be blamed for violence on the Copperbelt and not him is malicious, MMD spokesperson Ben Tetamashimba has charged.
And MMD national secretary has dispelled claims that the Government is promoting dictatorial tendencies by asking defence personnel to be on alert against acts of violence that may disturb the country's peace.
Mr Tetamashimba said in an interview yesterday that the people that were creating anarchy on the Copperbelt were PF cadres.
He said Mr Sata should stop talking about President Banda now that he had petitioned the October 30, election results.
Mr Tetamashimba said that Mr Sata was not being sincere because all those people that were creating anarchy on the Copperbelt were PF cadres.
"Mr Sata is the cause of all these things happening on the Copperbelt. Mr Sata is the one fuelling and supporting such conflicts. In fact he should stop talking about Mr Banda because he has petitioned the results," he said.
Mr Tetamashimba said that from the very start, Mr Sata refused to concede defeat, and should therefore not turn around and blame Mr Banda for conflicts, which he created himself.
He said PF cadres must know that they were Zambians and just like any other Zambian, could be arrested and imprisoned, while Mr Sata would remain and continue to enjoy the freedom.
And the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) has challenged other church organisations in the country to seriously examine political utterances they make on the pulpit and in public.
RCZ Nkana Presbytery moderator, Clement Mwanza said the church should instead partner with Government in fostering economic development and national unity.
He said that the church should be cautious with utterances they make in public and at the pulpit by avoiding messages which breed anarchy.
Reverend Mwanza was reacting to last week's riot, which left a trail of destruction in Kitwe.
He said that the church had an obligation to preserve the future and the next generation in a more sustainable and peaceful manner.
Meanwhile, Dr Kalumba has said it is not strange in extreme cases where the security of the nation was at stake for the army to be called in to reinforce the operations of the civilian police.
Dr Kalumba was reacting to remarks by PF Kasama Central Member of Parliament (MP) Savior Chishimba who said it was dictatorial for President Banda to ask defence personnel to be on alert against any acts of violence.
"It is not unusual that in extreme circumstances the military is called to help. If you sponsor civil strife you do not expect the army to watch with their arms folded," he said.
He said in an interview yesterday that Zambians were interested in preserving the peace that the nation had enjoyed for a long time now and pleaded with politicians not to promote anarchy.
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