UPND DISOWNS CADRES

By Kalobwe Bwalya

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) in Lusaka says it will identify all the youths who allegedly caused confusion at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) when the former First Family was summoned and that those who caused unnecessary kerfuffle will be dealt with severely.

UPND has warned that it will not hesitate to take any disciplinary action against its cadres who

will be found waiting for causing confusion during the questioning of the former first Lady Easter Lungu or any other.

UPND Lusaka province youth chairman Anderson Banda said President Hakainde Hichilema had made it clear that he did not want any of his party cadres to continue with the behaviour of PF cadres but that there were elements within the party that had remained defiant to the warning.

Mr. Banda said there was no need for anyone from the UPND to go to DEC to cause confusion as the Commission needed to work freely without any undue interference or confusion and that those behind this truant behaviour should brace themselves for tougher action because the party had for a long time been warning members against engaging in vices that brought the party into bad light. 

He said it was wrong for any youth to engaging themselves in such behaviour to try and disrupt a peaceful proceeding during the interrogations adding that violence was not part of the ruling UPND’s agenda.

He warned that those who will be found wanting will be dealt with accordingly because by not heeding to what President Hichilema had directed, they were going against the party and were taking the law in their own hands and therefore, must be disciplined.

He also urged those who were aggrieved by last week’s incident to report those who caused confusion and urged the police to bring them to book for attempting to disrupt peace at DEC.

He warned that the party would not condone such thuggery behaviour as it was tarnishing its image adding that the UPND believed that every citizen was protected by the laws of Zambia, including its opponents.

“We are not like those who want confusion and we shall continue to preach peace and unity no matter how we are provoked for the sake of our country. Anyone who would be found wanting will be on their own and will appear before the discipline committee because UPND does not subscribe to such thuggery behaviour. President Hakainde Hichilema is not a violent person,” Mr. Banda warned.

Last week, suspected UPND attempted to cause confusion at the DEC offices during the summoning and consequent interrogation of the former First Family.