Chipata MMD members accuses police of being bias

Chipata MMD members accuses police of being bias

Chipata, July 19, ZANIS ——The opposition Movement for Multi party Democracy (MMD) cadres yesterday protested at the Chipata central police accusing the police of being biased towards the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party.

The cadres who were led by their Chipata District Chairperson Mathews Phiri charged that the PF cadres have on several occasions been found removing their campaign materials and causing violence of the July 25th by-election.

Mr Phiri told ZANIS in an interview in Chipata that despite reporting the matter to the police, no action has been taken.

He alleged that the PF is causing violence to disturb the election mood so that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) deferrers the election.

He also charged that the ruling party has seen that it will be difficult for them to scoop the Chipata Central hence want the election to be deferred so that they prepare adequately.

Mr Phiri added that the electoral code of conduct has been abrogated on several occasions by the ruling party.

Meanwhile, when contacted for a comment, PF Provincial Chairperson Mike Tembo refuted the allegations and urged the opposition party to concentrate on campaigning and stop engaging them on petty issues.

Mr Tembo noted that the PF is a party that does not entertain violence and always concentrated on issue based campaigns in order to have free and fair elections.

He said the PF party has been in support of peaceful and violence free elections therefore no PF member can have the courage to go against the party’s directive.

He explained that the party has been encouraging its members especially the youths not to involve themselves in any acts of violence.

Mr Tembo alleged that the MMD has discovered that this time around the election period is not in their favour and would use all sorts of excuses to justify their lose.

He charged that it is clear that the PF candidate will emerge victorious come July 25th.

People of Chipata Central are on 25th July 2013 will be going to the polls to elect their Member of Parliament following the nullification of the seat by the Supreme Court.

The PF has filled in Lameck Mangani, MMD has settled for Reuben Mutole Phiri, UNIP has Elina Nyirenda while Kazemba Daka is contesting on the NAREP ticket and Penelope Nkunika is contesting on an independent.