UPND national youth chairman Likando Mufalali says ruling party youths’ attack on Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda should be an eye opener to the PF that the same cadres used to intimidate political opponents are capable of turning violent against their own masters.

In a statement, Monday, Mufalali, however, hoped police would prosecute the culprits behind Lubinda’s assault to serve as a deterrent ahead of the Katuba by-elections.

“The Patriotic Front is keeping a group of dangerous pythons which will swallow them one day. The abominable attack on Justice Minister Given Lubinda by members of his party the Patriotic Front is a clear warning that maintaining violent cadres in a political party is a waiting time bomb. A casual analysis might pass these criminal elements in the name of party cadres as a necessary army to defend the party or attack its enemies. A more serious analysis will show that these same cadres used to intimidate political opponents are capable of turning violent against their own masters,” Mufalali stated.

He stated that much as his party sympathized with Lubinda, UPND had no doubt that the PF and it’s leadership was responsible for the devastating crime against its member.

“Events surrounding his assault hurts the people that respect the elderly, that cherish peace among people, that look for the path of moral principles. As we go into Katuba constituency for the by election, the UPND is committed to practicing politics devoid of violence and our hope and prayer is that police will this time around arrest and prosecute the culprits behind Mr Lubinda’s assault, an action that must serve as a deterrent to violence in Katuba. Much as we sympathize with Mr Lubinda, the UPND has no doubt that the PF and it’s leadership is morally responsible for the devastating crime against one of its leaders. By their action to retire police officers, who stopped their violent cadres in the Sesheke parliamentary by election, the PF has explicitly expressed approval for supporters committing violence in the name of the party,” Mufalali stated.

And Mufalali stated that the country had witnessed unprecedented levels of violence under the PF regime.

“It is under the PF regime that the country has witnessed unacceptable levels of political violence perpetrated against those expressing views contrary to those held by the PF. Those perceived to be opponents of the PF are attacked, assaulted, their meetings disrupted while a highly compromised police looks on. PF thugs openly carry weapons and state publicly, in the presence of the police, their intent to harm their opponents but they are never arrested. The Government reaction, when not blaming the victims for the violence that befalls them, has been to disclaim any responsibility for the actions being perpetrated by party cadres. It is in this vein that we challenge President Lungu to put an end to this violence like his predecessor President Levy Mwanawasa did during his time,” stated Mufalali.

“As Commander in chief of the Zambian armed forces, Mr Lungu has power to end this violence with just one word to the police top brass. In this vein, we also want to warn the Zambian people to remember that tyranny, once allowed to take root, deprives the people of their capacity to resist bad governance because of the pervasive atmosphere of terror, fear and insecurity created in them by repeated arrests, police harassment and unwarranted prosecutions.”