PATRIOTIC Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says youths who engage in violence should be ashamed of themselves for being foolish enough to fight amongst each other as brothers and sisters.

And Phiri says it is embarrassing to the ruling party for PF youths to continue breaking the law even when President Edgar Lungu had spoken against their actions, warning that anyone found wanting would be firmly dealt with by the police.

Addressing youths on a PF blog, Saturday afternoon, Phiri said violence among PF youths was embarrassing the party as President Lungu, who is also the ruling party president, had always spoken against political violence.

She warned that those defying party instructions against violence by acting otherwise would be dealt with by the police and that the party would not protect them.

“Good afternoon ba youths pali (on) this blog. Some of these things which are happening, bupuba bwenu (it’s because of your own foolishness). You are so foolish; why should you agree, even me in my position to pay you to go and start fighting with your own brother? Throwing stones in the name of politics? Naiwe waima bupuba bupuba waya mukucita (and you even agree foolishly to do that), why don’t you challenge me if I am doing that? I am a mother of seven and my children are at school or seated at home. But iwe waima ati nibu politician (but you want to be violent in the name of politics), ubupuba bweka bweka (that’s complete foolishness). If it’s HH who sends you, mind you in case you don’t know, he has three children. HH’s children are not even here in Zambia, they are either in America or England. Elo iwe balekutuma waima bupuba bupuba (yet they are sending you to engage in violence and out of foolishness you are also accepting to do that),” Phiri said.

“My brother Chishimba Kambwili has five children; his first born is a female Doctor schooled here in Zambia and the second born is a lawyer. Have you ever seen Chishimba Kambwili’s children throwing stones? Some of them are overseas in England. So why should you agree to be used as tools of violence? Bupuba bupuba (how foolish), you should not accept such things! You should challenge us as politicians to take our children; if it’s a good fight, then challenge us to use our own children. One of my children is a doctor and another is a pilot, mulenjeba ‘mayo sendeni abana benu ebo babe ama (ma’am get your own children to be) front liners [of violence].”

She reminded youths that there was no benefit in being violent except to be killed or injured.

“Ba youth lekeni ubupuba (stop being foolish youths), you are to blame for having your bones and ribs broken [by the police] and when you die, you will just remain in the statistics like ulya (that) Mapenzi Chibulo uwali ku Chawama bupuba bupuba alecita demonstrate (who was in Chawama township demonstrating like a fool). What did the family benefit? It’s just statistics. And each time HH goes on Radio, he just says ‘Chibulo Chibulo’, what will the family benefit from that? Lekeni ubupuba (stop being foolish). Nga politician ulefwaya ukulwa atuma abana bakwe (if any politician wants to fight, let them use their own children), full stop!” Phiri said.

Meanwhile, Phiri warned the PF youths that the party would not protect them from the police if they engaged in violence.

“The people who are saying Kapeso and Kanganja should go are not thinking straight because you are always blaming us as leaders that we are the ones who send you to engage in violence. I, for instance, have never sent anybody, I have never made anyone drunk and then give them money to go and start misbehaving. I want anybody to challenge me on that. My conscious and my biblical teaching doesn’t allow me to use other people’s children, giving them the beer which I can’t give to my own children just for them to engage in fights,” said Phiri.

“And those leaders sending you to do this, I was telling the other people on the other blog, ‘HH is quarantined at his house but he’s sending you to go and engage in violence and you are also accepting. But he has three children who live abroad and he’s not asking them to go and throw stones, so why should you do it?’ Otherwise mwilatubepesha at (don’t blame us saying ) ‘leaders, leaders’. As for me, if police beat you up because you are misbehaving, I won’t say anything. The law should take its course and this is the stance of the secretariat. You are embarrassing us. The boss has been saying publicly and it’s not lip service what the President has been saying, he means it. But you are acting otherwise, so police will deal with you.”