By Isaac Zulu
William Banda is propagating political violence with the blessings of the UPND top leadership, Charles Kabwita has charged.
Speaking with Daily Revelation on the video that has gone viral in which William Banda, who is the UPND national chairman for special duties, is issuing threats against Patriot Front members ahead of the Kabwata Parliamentary by-election, Kabwita has urged President Hakainde Hichilema to tame his party members.
Kabwita, who is the National Democractic Congress faction interim secretary general, charged that the UPND top leadership is using Banda as a tool of political violence.
“We thought that by the status quo of them being in government, the UPND will stop being a violent political party. It’s unfortunate that the UPND has continued to engage in political violence, even after forming government. It is extremely shocking that William Banda can even have the audacity to stand before the camera and propose violence in Kabwata Constituency because this person is coming from the ruling party,” explained Kabwita in an interview. “And going by the way political parties operate, William Banda cannot say what he said without the blessings of President Hakainde Hichilema or the top leadership of the UPND. It’s very unfortunate that they are hiding behind William Banda as a tool of political violence, when in fact it is the top leadership that is propagating political violence.”
He urged residents of Kabwata to reject violence by voting for an opposition political party in the January 20 parliamentary by-election.
“I don’t think that the people of Kabwata are interested in violence which William Banda is proposing. And I appeal to the people of Kabwata to reject the UPND because they are advocating for violence, instead of taking development there,” said Kabwita. “And I pray to God that the people of Kabwata will reject violence in the strongest terms by voting for the opposition. I pray to God that UPND will be taught a lesson that Zambians cannot be used as tools of political violence.”
Kabwita also stated that the UPND government should concentrate on delivering on its campaign promises, as opposed to encouraging party members to engage in political violence.
“They lied that the UPND leadership will ensure that fuel is cheap, but to the contrary we are now buying fuel at a high cost. Prices of essential commodities have gone up because of bad leadership and planning. The people of Zambia now know that they voted for liars. Today we have leaders in government who are just lying for political expediency and want to divert our attention from what they promised during campaigns,” he said. “All of us are yearning for the development that the Hakainde Hichilema promised the people of Zambia.”
Kabwita further advised William Banda to be exemplary by not engaging in politics of hooliganism.
“Ba William Banda is an old man. And at his age he should be ashamed to be advocating for political violence. The old man should be providing wisdom and advice to us the young people who will be taking over from them. William Banda should strive to inspire young people, instead of propagating political violence. He should be exemplary and stop engaging in politics of hooliganism,” added Kabwita.
