Sata commends ECZ for deferring Livingstone by-election

-President Michael Sata has commended the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for valuing lives more than elections by postponing the Livingstone Parliamentary by-election.

President Sata said this today in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relation George Chellah

Mr Sata said this should demonstrate to all that the ECZ is operating independently and that violence will not be condoned.

And Mr Sata said the UPND leadership, Hakainde Hichilema, ought to be mindful that violence breeds violence and no one will benefit from a culture of bloodshed in politics.

He said it is disgraceful and cruel that those who killed want to pretend to be victims.

“We lost a member in Rufunsa at the hands of UPND; we have lost another member in Livingstone at the hands of UPND yet again. Clearly, these calculated acts of brutality are at the behest of the enemies of democracy whose political thrust is abominable, hate and intolerance,” Mr Sata said.

The President said as a civilised society, our central aim should be to compete on ideas and value and not insults, hate, intolerance and violence.

“No doubt, the UPND have decided that violence is profitable for them, which is why they shamelessly market their so-called ‘Mapatizya formula’, which is a coded language for attacking and maiming political opponents,” President Sata said.

The Head of State said as a responsible Government, sworn to safeguard, defend and protect lives and property in this country, it will not allow this culture to take room in the nation.

President Sata further called on the UPND in particular and all stakeholders in the governance of the country country in general to condemn this systematic reckless loss of innocent lives because it will not benefit anyone.

“I condemn this violence in the strongest terms possible and warn the UPND in particular to either change their approach or face the full wrath of the law”, President Sata warned.

Mr Sata has since urged PF members and other law abiding citizens to desist from retaliatory actions but let the law take its course.

“We have to be proud of our record as a party that in our 10 years journey to victory, we showed love, care and compassion to every Zambian regardless of their political affiliation; we never killed or maimed any person during our struggle in opposition,” President Sata said.

He said this is a record worth emulating by all those aspiring to rule this country in the future.

Mr Sata added that Zambians should be cognisant of the fact that our motherland can only thrive on love and peace.