9 November 2009
REPUBLICAN Vice-President George Kunda has said the PF-UPND Pact has introduced violence in the campaigns for the November 19 Solwezi Central parliamentary by-elections, saying MMD and the people of Solwezi were peaceful.
Condemning the violence on arrival in Solwezi yesterdayto drum up support for the MMD candidate, Albert Chifita, Mr Kunda said the two Pact members had a long history of violence in previous by-elections.
He said it was well-documented that while PF president, Michael Sata spearheaded the violence in the Chawama by-election where people were injured, the UPND were also known for violence, the Mapatizya formula.
Mr Kunda said MMD was committed to the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation and would not engage in violence, which was allegedly perpetrated by the youths, which the opposition parties imported from other provinces.
"With us we have the Chitambo formula, which is about peace. We don't want violence, we have maintained peace from 1991. With peace, we can protect investments, investors can feel free to come to Zambia," he said.
Mr Kunda, who was accompanied by senior Government leaders, including Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa and Mr Kapembwa Simbao, said it appeared UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema would not stand in 2011 and was selling Mr Sata.
"Even in this by-election, Mr Hichilema is selling Mr Sata. But here in Solwezi and the rest of the province, people don't vote for Sata. In Central, Southern, Eastern .. people don't vote for Mr Sata," Mr Kunda said.
The North-Western Province had a great future for Zambia and should not be handed into wrong hands that had nothing to lose.
Acting MMD provincial chairperson, Pinakin Patel said Solwezi Central was still intact as an MMD constituency and the ruling party would on November 19 beat the Pact that had no root in the province and had resorted to provocations by pulling down campaign materials.
And Mr Chifita, whom Mr Kunda introduced as the most formidable and popular candidate, said he was the best candidate as he understood the needs of Solwezi, unlike some of his rivals who stayed in Lusaka and only came to Solwezi to stand as parliamentary candidates.
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