PF And UPND In Ndola Sign Peace Accord For Peaceful Campaigns To Honour KK
THE Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) have signed a peace accord aimed at conducting peaceful campaigns ahead of the August 12th elections.
Kabushi PF parliamentary candidate Bowman Lusambo said there is need to bury the shame that people have on the two political parties that they are violent.
Mr Lusambo was speaking at a joint media briefing with UPND Ndola Central Parliamentary candidate Frank Tayali held at the Urban Hotel in Ndola.
Mr Lusambo said there is need to promote peace during campaigns.
“Today we are here as a team UPND and PF, during this mourning period of our father Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, we want to reaffirm what President Dr. Kaunda fought for.
Dr Kaunda fought political violence and tribalism and that is why we are here today. Dr. Kaunda pushed for marriages to ensure that we are one people. Dr. Kaunda promoted inter marriages. In today’s politics, tribal politics should not have any space. Today we want to honor Dr. Kaunda for the things he wanted to see and fight. Today after several engagements with our friends. We need to be honest with each other that we need to challenge each other with ideas,” Mr Lusambo said.
He said it is now time to do politics in a different manner after the many achievements the country has recorded.
“We are now fighting for economic freedom. The people of Ndola, do not want to see who is more powerful. Let me apologise to other political parties, but today we are only have two parties, we are not only the two participating in these elections. We need to come up with a new page. In Kabushi there is no violence.”
Mr Lusambo said it is the responsibility of the aspiring candidates to ensure that campaigns are free.
“I want to promise you that the way we have campaigned in Kabushi, this behavior should go to all the Constituencies here in Ndola. It is our responsibility me and you to make sure that the remaining campaign days, we conduct ourselves like human beings. We are one brothers and sisters. The Zambian people are laughing at us thinking we are not normal but fighting each other,” Mr Lusambo said.
And UPND Ndola Central Constituency parliamentary candidate Frank Tayali says young boys who go to the gym and call themselves Commanders and Generals are the ones perpetrating violence.
Mr Tayali said the police have the duty to protect every citizen.
“It is the duty of the police to police everyone. There is no need to accuse the police of colliding with the colleagues from PF. Why should campaign materials, be removed because we are in the opposition. This should be stopped and the police are the ones that should act. We want a non violent campaign. It is not fair that we should be stopped to do so. The reason why we have not seen violence, is that we have restrained ourselves.”
He said the PF should accept the outcome of the elections.
“We have examples in this country, KK never allowed violence. We challenge our colleagues in the PF to accept what will happen, and know that the Zambian people are watching and following us closely. We are servants of the people. Let the Zambian people to make their own independent decisions not under duress. This commitment should stand the test of time,” said Tayali.
Others who were present included PF Ndola District Chairman Benjamin Chitondo, UPND Ndola District Chairman Joseph Phiri and aspiring Candidates for Chifubu, Ndola Central, Bwana Mkubwa and Kabushi from both parties.
