HOME Affairs Minister, Lameck Mangani has said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata and other opposition leaders should support police efforts to maintain law and order in Solwezi instead of condemning their presence.

Mr Mangani said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it was surprising that Mr Sata and some other opposition leaders were criticising the police instead of supporting the efforts aimed at ensuring that the by-election was held under peaceful conditions.

Mr Sata said on Radio Phoenix monitored in Lusaka yesterday that the decision to send at least 300 police officers to Solwezi was intended to boost the MMD's chances of winning the November 19 by-election.

The minister warned that whoever was causing trouble in Solwezi where violence erupted on nomination day ahead of the parliamentary by-election would face the wrath of the law.

Mr Mangani said police had not been dispatched to intimidate voters, saying the officers were in the district to maintain peace and order for Solwezi residents.

He said the sad thing in Solwezi was that political parties had imported cadres from other districts who were causing problems for local residents.

He said Solwezi was a small town and there was no way thousands of cadres from other towns could be flooded there when they were not the ones who were voting.

"Politicians should not import cadres from other districts because the election is for the people of Solwezi who have a right to freely vote for their member of Parliament (MP)," he said.

He said although political parties were free to campaign in Solwezi, anyone who would be found forcing people to vote for any candidate would face the wrath of the law.

He said it was against the Electoral Code of Conduct for any person or party to force voters to vote for a candidate that was not of their choice.

"This is an election for Solwezi residents and no one should deny them chance to freely choose their leader in a free and fair election," he said.

The minister said the people of Solwezi should be given a chance to vote for an MP of their choice without any undue influence.

He said any cadre regardless of their party would be dealt with if they were found breaking the law because it did not make sense for people who were not voters to intimidate the voters.