Losers should accept election results-Lungu

PRESIDENT Lungu has said losers in tomorrow’s parliamentary and local government by-elections should gracefully accept the results because that’s what the rule of democracy demands.
And Police in Lusaka have arrested two United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres for allegedly stabbing a Patriotic Front (PF) official in Chawama.

 
In condemning the Chawama violence, President Lungu said no person in this country, himself inclusive, is worth a drop of blood.
President Lungu said losers in tomorrow’s election should accept the results or go to court instead of killing each other.

 

“So I think and hope that my colleagues will tell their followers so that we play politics by rules. If we are aggrieved, the courts of law are there instead of spilling blood.

 

The President was, however, impressed that the election campaigns which end today have been peaceful except for isolated incidences.
“The campaigns have been peaceful but I think we can do better,” he said.
President Lungu said at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on return from Mulobezi where he had gone for an election campaign.
“I want to commend Zambians for maturing in democracy. What is important is to accept that democracy was decided by us Zambians to choose lose or win,” he said.

The President also counselled Zambians to embrace unity regardless of divergent political views.
Mr Lungu said it is unfortunate that some people want to lead the same people they are “eliminating” through violence.
“Then who are you going to lead,” he said.

 

 

Police in Lusaka have arrested two UPND cadres for allegedly stabbing a PF official in Chawama constituency during campaigns for Nkoloma ward one local government by-election, NANCY SIAME reports.
Lusaka province commissioner of police Charity Katanga said in an interview yesterday that John Siamakwa, 45, a UPND official in-charge of security and a resident of John Lainge as well as Chiko Malama, 36, a UPND cadre of Chawama were arrested on Saturday for allegedly stabbing Godwin Bwalya, 43, a PF Chawama constituency chairman.
Bwalya was knifed on his right hand and is admitted to the University Teaching Hospital.

 

Ms Katanga said a third suspect, Joe Matato, is on the run.
“The two camps clashed during campaigns for the local government elections in Nkoloma ward one on the roadside at Katete Lodge in Kuku township on Saturday around 16:00 hours,” she said.
Ms Katanga said after the incident, two UPND cadres, Agnes Chama, 26, of Kuku and Leonard Chyenje, 36, of Chawama reported to police that they had been injured in the fracas.

 

“Ms Chama had her right arm dislocated while Mr Chyenje had his finger wounded,” Ms Katanga said.
She said police are investigating the matter.
PF secretary general Davies Chama condemned the violence and urged the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema to speak out and condemn the vice.

 

Mr Chama said violence is unnecessary and urged cadres to campaign peacefully.
“This is just a local government election and what happened is really not necessary,” he said.
UPND’s national women’s chairperson Namakau Kabwiku also condemned the violence and urged the carders not to fight.
Meanwhile, a 12-year-old boy has died after he was run over by a vehicle which was being driven by a chief inspector at Lilayi Police College.
Ms Katanga said the incident happened on Saturday around 16:30 hours on the Jack-Lilayi road as the juvenile was trying to cross the road.
She named the boy as Elias Maya and the police officer as Fanwell Mwanza, 43, who has since been arrested.

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