Democratic Party president Harry Kalaba says government has sent workers into destitution by failing to pay their salaries for months and later on subjecting them to violence from PF cadres for merely protesting over none payment.

And Kalaba has warned that political violence being perpetuated by by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres will have serious consequences on the country if not curtailed.

In a statement, Kalaba condemned PF cadres for attacking striking Kabwe council workers.

“The Political violence by the Patriotic Front, if not curtailed, will have serious consequences and repercussions for mother Zambia. President Lungu has perched his PF cadres on a pedestal and are above the law. The Police cannot perform their duties when PF cadres are involved. This level of lawlessness is unprecedented in the history of Zambia. You saw what happened to me and my team in Kasempa and the police could not do anything. The district commissioner for Kasempa had the audacity to brag that Kasempa is a no-go area for a non PF. Is that right? Every Zambian has an equal and inherent right to free movement just like the PF cadres,” he stated.

“The harassment and beating of Kabwe Council workers by the PF cadres has not just shocked Zambians but the entire world is in shock at the kind of lawless state Zambia has degenerated into. The Council workers have a legitimate claim to their salaries which have not been paid for the last four to six months. And every worker has a legitimate claim to his wage for the work done. You have council workers not getting their salaries for months. You have Zampost workers not getting their salaries for months. How do you expect them to survive? We are turning our working class into destitutes. Why should cadres with no connection to the civil service and councils go and order them back to work? And beat them? Cadres supervising the works of civil servants? Where on earth?”

He observed that Zambia was at a crossroads and that the actions of the top leaders would determine the difference between total transformation with redemption and total disintegration with the end of the road for Zambia.

“The current leadership’s dysfunction has not only driven Zambia’s socio-economic stand to the doldrums but has totally collapsed systems for the rule of law, governance and accountability, a situation which continues to abet corruption and lawlessness and further their stay in power. It is alarming that political violence continues to escalate even with lip service pronouncements by political leadership to end the vice. It’s not an accident that every election is now characterized by violence. It is by design, and meant to disrupt the electoral processes and campaigns as well as threaten the voters of opposing parties from exercising their right to vote… what unites us is much more than our differences. Let us not allow this violence to be the new norm in Zambia. Let us stay united and redefine the political stage with peace, patriotism and desire to do the right thing for you, your neighbor and for future generations,” Kalaba stated.

Kalaba called on all well meaning Zambians to join hands and liberate the country from “PF’s tyranny”.

“The seed of discord sowed by President Lungu demonstrates his determination that there shall be no Zambia without him as President. Countrymen and women, let’s wake up. We only have one Zambia. Let us not allow the Patriotic Front to tie the end of Zambia to the end of their tenure. I urge the Zambian youth, the peace lovers to join hands with us in the Democratic Party as we continue with our peaceful revolution to end the PF tyranny through the 2021 vote. Let’s work together and create the Zambia you and I want. I urge the Police to do the right thing and endeavor to be professional and arrest all those perpetrating violence, regardless of political affiliation. The end of disrespect for the man and woman doing the important task of maintaining law and order is near,” stated Kalaba.