RULING Patriotic Front (PF) member of the mobilization committee Bizwell Mutale says the UPND thuggery exhibited by the people of Monze District is a representation of Hakainde Hichilema alone and not of all Tongas.

In a statement, Monday, Mutale charged that the attempt by UPND cadres in Monze to stone President Edgar Lungu’s entourage was of Hichilema’s bidding and area member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu and should be condemned.

“The reckless talk and provocative behaviour by Hon Jack Mwiimbu resulting in UPND cadres attempting to stone and embarrass the Head of State, His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on his recent visit to Monze District was very irresponsible, shameful and extremely disgusting! As a proud Tonga from Monze, I am with many other tribemates from Southern Province, who are extremely disappointed by Hakainde Hichilema, Mwiimbu and UPND thuggery as it goes against the traditional values of Ba Tonga people who practice a culture of respect for elders and authority,” Mutale stated.

He charged that the UPND leadership under HH had a deliberate strategy calculated at inciting anarchy and igniting confusion in the country.

“Zambians must be reminded that this is not happening for the first time. It is clear that the UPND leadership, under HH, have a very deliberate strategy calculated at inciting anarchy and igniting confusion by provoking the Presidential convoy and State security whenever the Head of State goes on developmental tours in perceived UPND strongholds. It is the same thing that HH did in Mongu where he attempted to compete with the Presidential convoy and it is also the same thing he repeated in Kaoma and then Sesheke when he turned a blind eye to his cadres, who put big rocks and boulders to block the road the Presidential convoy was using, thereby, endangering the life of the Head of State and putting the entire nation at great risk in the process,” Mutale added.

He stated that the malicious irresponsibility of Hichilema, Mwiimbu and the UPND is capable of plunging the country into chaos.

“It must be condemned in the strongest terms. HH’s lust for power at all costs is now a disgrace to Ba Tonga. He does not represent the nationalism of our forefathers such as Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, Mainza Chona and Elijah Haatuakali Mudenda to name a few. The UPND leader and his party’s morally-deficient character does not represent the spirit of nationalism,” Mutale stated.

“How can HH and UPND fix anything when he and his officials are either preoccupied with frustrating government development projects everywhere in Southern Province or busy inciting civil unrest and destr[uction]? Why needlessly risk ethnic bloodshed breaking out in Monze and spreading nationwide just to satisfy one man’s selfish ego? The waywardness of one man can never be bigger than the honour of the entire Tonga-speaking ethnic group of Southern Province.”

He stated that it had been a habit of the UPND in Southern Province to victimize and brutalize people who were not members of their party.

“HH and Mwiimbu want to make it look as if all southerners are UPND when in fact not. The truth is that UPND in Southern Province victimize and brutalize any southerner that is not UPND. It is even much worse how they mistreat non-southerners affiliated to other political parties in the province. It is shameful! HH is not the messiah of Southern Province or anyone else as he claims. He is in fact a liability to Southern Province. Under his instructions, UPND members of parliament and councillors are shunning progressive engagements with key government officials, including the Head of State, and frustrating government development efforts in Southern Province,” Mutale stated.

He further charged that Monze had continued to remain undeveloped because of Mwiimbu’s unwillingness to work with successive governments.

“Honourable Jack Mwiimbu has been member of parliament for Monze for 20 years (2001), yet what can he point at? Monze constituency is not as developed as it should be. Why? This not because of unwillingness on the part of successive governments under MMD and PF, but because of Mwiimbu’s unwillingness to work with respective governments of the day to bring development to the people of Monze. He appears to have a misplaced belief that only a ‘government under a Tonga party led by HH’ should bring development to Monze and Southern Province,” stated Mutale.

“In the meantime, Mwiimbu has been drawing a salary and sitting allowances from Parliament, plus gratuity, from the National Assembly since 2001. He appears to have no problems with getting a salary and gratuity from government, but appears to have a big problem with meeting government officials seeking to take development to Monze. This is typical of UPND MPs and councillors in Southern Province. I appeal to my fellow southerners in Monze and across Southern Province to open their eyes!”