The destroyed bill board
Suspected Cadres from the ruling Patriotic Front have gone on rampage and torn campaign materials and expensive bill boards for the opposition UPND in the capital, Lusaka.
The UPND had mounted some billboards and posters on different parts of Lusaka on Sunday night which were seen on Monday when the official campaign period begun. But by Tuesday morning the camaign materials had been brought down.
YALI Governance Adviser Isaac Mwanza has urged the PF leaders to take responsibility and avoid what he called an eminent showdown.
“There is no doubt that some PF members have gone on rampage to try and cause havoc in these campaigns, tearing down campaign materials and some expensive Bill boards for the opposition UPND,” Mwanza says. “This is an act of provocation which must be avoided because you may not know how far the UPND may also go to retaliate against such primitive acts.”
Mwanza says President Lungu has been preaching peace but it appears he is never listened to in the PF. He explains that what is sad is that the Police are doing literally nothing to help the situation out but the moment the UPND may retaliate, it will begin with the top most office of Kanganja to condemn these acts and bring some suspected perpetrators to book.
“I want to appeal to the PF leaders now to not just talk sweet things against violence but walk the talk. Tearing down campaign materials is an act of violence and you must remember that violence begets violence. Let us preach genuine peace, coexistence, tolerance and live in harmony with everyone,” warns Mwanza.
He adds, “I don’t expect the UPND to react with an equal amount of violence because you too will not be said from being called primitive.”