MWALITETA WARNS PF YOUTHS

By Kalobwe Bwalya

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka provincial chairman Obvious Mwaliteta has warned that the ruling party will not take kindly on any disgruntled youth bringing confusion in public places, especially markets and bus stations.

In an interview, Mr. Mwaliteta charged that PF cadres had regrouped and are allegedly harassing and extorting money from bus drivers and marketeers in Lusaka under the guise of being UPND.

He cited Shibuyunji, Kamwala South’s yellow shop area, Chawama and Mandevu and other surrounding areas as some of the places in which the PF had continued tarnishing the name of the UPND party by engaging in illegal activities.

He said the marketeers had been invaded by cadres that were mounting illegal traffic checkpoints targeted at mainly bus drivers as well as in trading places where marketeers were being levied in the Shibuyunji area.

He explained that this was aimed at frustrating the UPND administration which had placed a zero tolerance on cadreism and lawlessness in markets, bus stops and other public places.

He said it sad that the PF had continued on their path of cadreism, causing anarchy and harassing of innocent citizens in the country and has since called on the police command to enforce Presidential directives on the vice.

“We are aware that the PF youths have regrouped and have now started to frustrate the Government by harassing bus drivers at Shibuyunji station and traders. Therefore, as the UPND in Lusaka, I urge the public to institute citizens’ arrests on anyone found wanting regardless of political status,” Mr. Mwaliteta said.

And Mr. Mwaliteta said the UPND would not protect anyone including UPND cadres who would be found committing offences using the pasty name as it had made it clear that the cadreism that was perpetuated by the PF would not be tolerated under President Hakainde Hichilema’s reign.

He said there was clear instruction from President Hichilema that no youths must go in the markets or harass bus drivers and wondered why indisciplined opposition elements were failing to adhere to the directive.

He warned that that the party will not entertain thuggery and criminality and directed his youth leadership in the province to ensure that order and discipline was restored by flashing out any political cadres fanning disorder in public places.

“We are not going to allow such lawlessness and anarchy to continue in markets and bus stations and those who will be found will be arrested to ensure that they are punished accordingly,” he said.