A CIVIC organisation has advised the 18 civil society organisations opposed to the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba to focus on issues affecting the people instead of championing causes they do not understand.

Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG) trustee Gershom Musonda said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that his organisation believed in specialisation, strategic planning and focused activities aimed at changing Government policy and actions.

He challenged the civil society organisations to get involved in the issues affecting the people and champion national causes.

"We are wondering where all these groups were on the World Prisons Day on September 26 when we expected them to campaign for penitentiary reforms aimed at decongesting the prisons and implementation of community service orders with Government.

"On September 15, the world marked the International Day of Democracy (IDD) under the auspices of the United Nations.

"NGOs and political parties were expected to rise to the occasion and reflect on how best Zambia needed to entrench its fragile democracy," he said.

He appealed to the Government to open doors for dialogue with key political parties so that the country could move beyond petty politics.

He said the Government should engage the diplomatic community in reducing tension in Zambia.

"We feel this is the best way to go about resolving national problems, rather than leaving things to the coalition of NGOs and political parties whose agendas are unclear and activities unsustainable," he said.

And MMD youths on the Copperbelt have threatened to start holding counter demonstrations, carrying banners and placards denouncing the opposition, some NGOs and their financiers.

Provincial youth chairperson Evans Chibanda said in an interview yesterday that his party members were set to deal with their opposition counterparts, if they continued attacking the ruling party and continued compromising national security.

"We are going to hit back as Copperbelt MMD youths, it's just a matter of time, we are not going to remain idle, our decision to take a wait and see stance should not be taken for granted," he said.

Mr Chibanda said MMD youths wanted to conduct their political activities within the limits of the laws but they were now being provoked by the activities of some opposition political parties and sections of the civil society.

"We are not going to allow a situation where the opposition and some NGOs, who are not part of the three arms of Government to start forcing the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal against the acquittal of Dr Chiluba," Mr Chibanda said.

He alleged that some opposition political parties were determined to extend their hatred and vindictiveness of Dr Chiluba to the rest of the nation.