ECZ, Police’s conduct during by-elections irks UPND

UPND Secretary General Steven Katuka

The opposition UPND has condemned the Zambia Police Service and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for the manner in which they conducted the just ended local government by-elections.

Party Secretary General Steven Katuka has accused the two institutions of allowing Patriotic Front members to disfranchise the electorate by way of nodding the violence they allegedly perpetrated.

Mr. Katuka says it has become a lifestyle for the ECZ and the Zambia Police Service to remain quite whenever PF members are allegedly barricading roads and threatening all those intending to vote for the UPND.

He says it is regrettable that when the UPND members act in self defence, the Police are quick to arrest them, yet they watch with ease when the people are being attacked by PF members.

Mr. Katuka says UPND members will from now onwards defend themselves in all upcoming elections.

He says what happened in Ntumbachushi ward of Kawambwa where the UPND National Chairperson Mutale Nalumango was attacked, and in Chinsali where party Vice President Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and his team were attacked is a clear demonstration that the police are bias.