MATERO PF Constituency chairman Crispin Kabole has banned area member of parliament Llyod Kaziya and his councillor Annie Chinyanta from speaking to the media until their differences are finally resolved.

Meanwhile, PF provincial secretary for Lusaka Kennedy Kamba says Deputy Inspector General of Police Bonny Kapeso is maliciously dragging the ruling party into an aggravated robbery case involving its Eastern Province chairman Emmanuel Banda, popularly known as Jay Jay.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka, Wednesday, Kabole announced that both Kaziya and Chinyanta should not speak to the media until their ongoing quarrel over illegal land allocations in the constituency was resolved.

“Over the issues, which have transpired in Matero, as a constituency, we took up steps. We wrote to the Honourable MP and the councillor to exculpate themselves against what was going on in the press. And about that, we are waiting for the seven days from which we are going to act. We even advised the MP and the councillor that they are not supposed to speak to the media until this issue is resolved. And that is why, as a judge, because it’s us, the constituency, that are going to make a decision, we are just waiting for the seven days to elapse, that is when we are going to make a decision. Both the MP and the councillor are not supposed to talk to the media. In fact, we don’t allow the people to speak to the media. We have got systems of speaking to the media,” Kabole said.

He said the concerns raised by Kaziya were internal and that the ruling party had channels of airing out grievances rather than resort to using the media.

“The issues which the MP is raising are internal matters and the party has got structures in which all the issues can be conveyed. We don’t go to the press. We have got channels. This is a very well established party where we have got a system of doing things. All we are appealing to the MP is that if he has got any other information, he should use the constituency and we will be able to take this information to the higher authority or take action. So, I am appealing to Honourable Kaziya that we are still waiting for his exculpatory letter. We have already received the exculpatory letter from the councillor and as a party. It’s from this that we will be able to make a decision,” Kabole said.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same briefing, Kamba urged Kapeso to stop dragging the PF into the aggravated robbery case involving Jay Jay when the suspect should be investigated as an individual.

“We take strong exception to the remarks made by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Bonny Kapeso, who is seemingly dragging the ruling party, the PF, in the case involving Eastern Province Youth chairperson Emmanuel Jay Banda, popularly known as Jay Jay. The Deputy Inspector General of Police Bonny Kapeso featured on a Radio Programme at UNZA Radio where he said PF members know where Jay Jay, who is facing aggravated robbery-related cases, was hiding. We strongly feel Mr Kapeso is maliciously dragging the PF, as a ruling party in the alleged misconduct of individuals, who must personally face the law if found wanting rather than dragging the entire party into the misdeeds of a few individuals,” Kamba said.

He insisted that Jay Jay’s criminal conduct did not have the ruling party’s blessings.

“It is not so long ago that we had a meeting with the police command where we assured them that the PF was not above the law or reproach. We assured the police of utmost respect in the discharge of their duties and that no PF supporter, member or leader was expected to undermine the police or police officers. The cases facing ‘Jay Jay’ or any of the PF members, who were accused of raiding the Lusaka Central Police Station, had no blessings of the party and Mr Kapeso knows this very well. If one or two members of the PF have crossed paths with the law, the police must deal with those individuals without dragging the party into such matters,” Kamba said.

And he warned Kapeso not to force party members to demonstrate against some officers, who he said had been “working against the ruling party.”

“To demonstrate how we respect the law and police officers as a party, President Lungu on Saturday during the Central Committee meeting directed Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo to make sure ‘Jay Jay’ was brought to book to face the law. Why, then, should Mr Kapeso turn to the PF and its general membership and say, ‘we know where Jay Jay is hiding?’ Such comments are sheer slander and malicious against the PF! Mr Kapeso should not force us to demonstrate against some police officers whom we know are working against the PF! Jay Jay or any other person, who has issues with the police have no backing of the party and will not be shielded. The police should deal with the matter without involving the PF. The PF is a distinguished party headed by a distinguished man, President Edgar Lungu, who respects the law and the custodians of it,” said Kamba.