By KALOBWE BWALYA
ANDERSON Banda, the UPND Lusaka youth chairperson has regurgitated his threat of taking over the management of markets and bus stations and has instead warned that the ruling party shall not condone the thuggery and criminal behaviour the country has been subjected by unruly cadres.
Mr Banda while addressing the media last week threatened that the UPND cadres were ready to take over the running of bus stations and markets because according to him, the Zambia Police and the Lusaka City Council (LCC) had failed to discharge their mandates of maintaining law and order in public places.
On Monday, Mr Gilbert Liswaniso, the UPND national youth chairman warned that the ruling party risked being voted out of power if its cadres were going to continue annoying Zambians with their unruly behaviour of harassment and intimidation.
But now, Mr Banda has branded the behaviour of UPND who have been harassing some opposition political leaders and causing terror in communities as criminal and that those involved should be arrested to face the law.
Mr Banda said thuggery and criminal behaviour that was being exhibited by some UPND cadres shall not be condoned, stating the country had experienced enough of the lawlessness in the previous administration and anyone found wanting shall be dealt with without considering political affiliation.
“President Hakainde Hichilema is interested in taking development to all parts of the country and fulfilling his desire for a better Zambia and not violence and criminal activities. Therefore, anyone found wanting should be arrested. We cannot continue with the criminal behavior that the country experienced in the administration. Criminal and wanton unruly behaviour shall not be condoned,” Mr Banda said.
And Mr Banda says he will not shield or protect any youth who would be caught perpetrating criminal activities because the party did not entertain callous and politically uncouth behaviour.
Mr Banda said he was aware of some UPND youths who were determined to bring anarchy in the ruling party by conducting themselves in a manner that was against the ethos of President Hichilema and the entire leadership of the ruling party.
He said violence and anarchy should be a thing of the past because Zambians voted the Patriotic Front out of the office due to violence and thuggery behaviour.
He said the party shall not be available to render support not support to any of its cadres who would be found to have transgressed against the law.
Mr Banda said UPND was a political organisation that believed in unity and discipline and that any member working against the party values was on his own.
He stated that President Hichilema had continued to preach peace, love and harmony among Zambians and it was wrong for the UPND youth to engage in vices that were being frowned upon by its leadership.
Mr Banda has since called on the police to bring to book the culprits promoting violence, stating that such acts were retrogressive and against the tenets of national development and peace building.
