A chopper dragging a PF banner flies over the UPND rally in Chawama
The ruling PF this afternoon flew a chopper with a “vote Edgar Lungu” in tow over the site of the UPND rally in Chawama, an act the oppositon party has described as a show of wanton lawlessness and intent to provoke.
This happened as multitudes of Chawama residents below waited for UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema and other party officials to address them.
UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka says the party finds it hard to believe that approval was granted for such a venture, particularly given strict requirements and procedures that have seen the party grounded several times simply because a supposed VIP is touring in the same province as them.
He charged that the Department of Civil Aviation who cleared the chopper have done so in clear breach of the Electoral Process Act and challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to act immediately in order to show that such blatant disregard of legal requirements concerning elections are treated with the seriousness they warrant.
He further stated that the clear intent to provoke by PF at a rally when UPND supporters turned out despite intimidation and the terrible events of July 8 is highly irresponsible and shows their complete lack of regard for law and order, as well as their lack of genuine commitment
to promoting peace and unity.
Meanwhile, UPND Lusaka Central parliamentary candidate Charlotte Scott has described the incident as a clear act of aggression seeking to intimidate and provoke a response.
Dr. Scott revealed that the same chopper flew over her campaign walk in the town centre this morning.
“More aggressive behaviour from PF… This chopper flew over my walkabout in the town centre this morning twice. This afternoon it turned up again at the Chawama rally, and circled several times,” Dr. Scott wrote on her Facebook page.
She added: “In both cases, this is a clear act of aggression, seeking to intimidate, and to provoke a response. The consequences at the rally could have been terrible. Thank God there was no crush, stampede or other response that would have caused injury.
“Can ECZ and others really continue to pretend that the political violence we are seeing is not driven by the PF? Can the PF honestly pray for peace while acting with such aggression?”