Hundreds of Copperbelt PF members on Tuesday held peaceful protests against what they called ‘xenophobic attacks’ on foreign investors.

And the PF members have vowed to make Copperbelt Province a no go area for UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

PF Copperbelt youth Chairman Nathan Chanda said the solidarity march was in support of peace and unity and against incitement of xenophobic attacks on all foreign investors and riots on the Copperbelt Province

The PF cadres marched from Independence Avenue, near the Ndola City Council, through to the Central Business District until they got to Cabinet Office.

Traffic came to a stand still in town as onlookers and shop owners opted to close their businesses.

And in presenting the petition to Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe at his office, Chanda said the youths on the Copperbelt would not allow lawlessness.

“The reason why we are here is to tender a petition to President Edgar Lungu on a number of issues happening in our country especially issues to do with xenophobic attacks on investors. We have seen the opposition inciting members to attack investors, but as youths, we say no. We don’t want them to dare us,” Chanda said.

And Chanda vowed to make Copperbelt Province a no go area for UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

“If things continue, we are ready to to effect citizen’s arrests on those inciting violence on the province. We know what Mr HH has done to the people of Zambia. We will make Copperbelt a no go area for Mr HH and his party. We demand respect for our leaders and acknowledge that there is only one president at a time. We know that UPND are planning to cause havoc and we condemn it. Youths are not tools of violence and should not be used by disgruntled politicans whose agenda do not mean well for Zambia,” said Chanda.

And Nundwe said he would not allow any form of confusion on the Copperbelt.

“Thank you the youths for this peaceful demonstration which shows that Copperbelt is peaceful. I want to run a smart province across the board. Any person that comes to bring any percentage of confusion, the provincial administration, we’ll not condone. There is no prudence to cause confusion,” said Nundwe.

“If I had powers, I could have called President Edgar Lungu; State Counsel, The Doctor, The Professor, because of his unprecedented development. We will defend the name of Edgar Lungu. I have advised the security wings to be on alert for any vehicles coming to the Copperbelt looking suspicious to deal with them nicely.”

Others that joined the march were small scale miners commonly known as jerabos who came in tipper trucks.