The Patriotic Front has denied killing a UPND cadre in the violent attacks that occurred on Sunday in Kaoma District of Western Province.

Police spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed that one UPND cadre was shot by a PF cadre, contrary to information earlier issued by Western Province Police Commissioner Charles Lungu.

“Initial investigations revealed that suspected UPND cadres, who were on a UPND-branded motor vehicle, had attacked people believed to be Patriotic Front cadres, who were in a white Toyota Hilux using stones, which led to the one of the occupants identified as female Namataa Lubasi Brumo aged 51 of Yeta Compound also a District PF Chair lady of Mongu to jump off the motor vehicle in an attempt to run to safety,” stated Katongo in a statement released, Monday.

“It was reported that Namataa was followed by unknown suspected UPND cadre only identified by his nickname Gadhafi who gave chase and grabbed her hand bag but Namataa managed to run to safety. It is alleged that one occupant on a white Toyota Hilux pulled out a pistol and shot at Gadhafi who died in the process of evacuation to UTH.”

But speaking to journalists in Kaoma, Tuesday, PF Secretary General Davies Mwila claimed that the slain UPND cadre was shot by his fellow UPND members.

“I want to give a correct picture on what happened the day before yesterday (Sunday). Normally, our people every week distribute food that is the foot soldiers and whilst they were distributing food, our colleagues from the UPND confronted our people; followed our people and the gentleman who had a (Toyota) Prado from the UPND started shooting!” Mwila said.

“When he was shooting, he shot three people and one of them was UPND and three of our people in the PF. So, that what transpired…because what has been reported in the media that there was a clash, there was no clash! What had happened was that our people from UPND, our friends from UPND, they did attack us and that is how, eventually, we lost a life.”

He said the party had been information that the UPND had imported cadres from Chawama constituency who were the perpetrators of violence.

“First and foremost, I want to say: the people who are involved in violence are coming from outside (of Kaoma), and that is the more reason we have given instructions that we want campaigns to be done by local people. Once the campaigns are done by local people, you will find that there is no violence. Our colleagues have imported cadres from Chawama! We have that information and that is the more reason you have seen that there is violence, and we are able to lose a life,” he said.

Mwila said it was the responsibility of all political parties to refrain their cadres from committing violent acts.

“But we think that this is a responsibility of all the political parties to talk to cadres; to ensure that all of them refrain from acts of violence as we approach 2021. We have been given instructions by the President that we want issue-based campaigns because here in Kaoma the people want development, and I think that is our focus,” said Mwila.