Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Patriotic Front (PF) President Edgar Lungu today received a thunderous welcome in Mpika District which is the homeland of late President Michael Sata.
While in Mpika Mr. Lungu took time to visit the relatives of late President Sata and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring continuity of peace in the country.
And business came to a standstill when Mr. Lungu passed through the Central business District on his way to Ichengelo Community Center where he was scheduled to meet some traditional leaders in the District.
Our staffer Albert Mpezeni reports from Mpika that the PF President touched down at Mpika Primary School aboard a chopper where residents had been waiting to have a glimpse of him.
Speaking when he met Chiefs Chikwanda, Mpepo, Mpumba, Luchebe, Kabinga and Mukungule, Mr. Lungu said he will take the full responsibility of the violence that occurred in Shiwan’gandu District on Friday yesterday where the UPND campaign team was attacked.
Mr. Lungu says PF is a peaceful party and does not tolerate violence in any form.
He says he will ensure that he gets to the bottom of the case saying Zambia is a peaceful nation and hence the need to maintain peace in the country.
And representing the traditional leadership, Chief Kabinga, says traditional leaders will never condone violence as far as they remain the custodians of traditions.
Chief Kabinga says Chiefs will also not take part in active politics as Chiefs Acts prohibits them from doing so and that they blame any form of violence in the country.
He says chiefs will just support the government of the day and that that should not be seen as taking part in politics.
Meanwhile Mr. Lungu says he has forgiven all those people who were frustrating prior his becoming the ruling PF president.
He says he is emulating late President Sata who was a forgiving leader.
The ruling party president disclosed this at a mammoth campaign rally he addressed at Mpika Market this afternoon.
Edgar Lungu addressing rally at Mpika Market