Party leader, Bwalya, demands arrest of UPND cadres for alleged attack on Citizens First president, Kalaba

Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP), party leader, Kelvin Fube Bwalya has demanded the arrest of United Party for National Development cadres who allegedly attacked the party president, Harry Kalaba, in Nsama district of Norhern Province.

A video on social media, showed alleged UPND cadres in the company of Youth, Sports and Art Minister, Elvis Nkandu, harassing Kalaba and his entourage in Nsama district.

Bwalya in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday, condemned the attack on Kalaba, saying this was evidence of the shrinking democratic space in Zambia.

The ZMP leader also condemned the arrest of Patriots for Economic Prosperity party (PeP) president, Sean Tembo, for merely presenting his party’s alternative national budget.

He stated that these are the consequences of the recent reckless utterances by President Hakainde Hichilema publicly instigating the persecution of opposition political party leaders.

“It is disappointing that the attack on Kalaba and arrest of Tembo come barely days after church mother bodies, the civil society and key western foreign missions that have been Hichilema’s staunch defenders castigated him,” Bwalya said.

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He stated that Hichilema’s regime had been condemned for clamping down on human rights and for massive official corruption.

Bwalya insisted that the continued harassment of opposition political parties was unacceptable and should stop.

“Instead of attacking political rivals the UPND must direct its anger on the high cost of living, collapsing economy and dying kwacha whose rate is now racing towards a record K24 to a $1,” he said.

Bwalya warned that his party would soon begin taking legal action against blatant human rights abuses and plunder of national resources by the UPND government.

He said that ZMP was compiling evidence and would soon begin presenting it before the courts of law to hold the alleged dictatorial and corrupt regime to account.

“Those excited UPND cadres who followed and attacked Kalaba’s convoy in Nsama district are well known thugs who must be immediately arrested,” Bwalya said.

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