LUSAKA – 06/05/20
Stone throwing, machete wielding and catapult carrying Patriotic Front (PF) thugs this morning disrupted a United Party for National Development (UPND) COVID-19 donation in Lusaka’s Mandevu constituency as they stole the buckets and sanitizers from a taxi rank.
The PF thugs led by Commander Denga arrived in an unregistered V8 Landcruiser vehicle and ordered his youths to smash the distributing vehicle alleging that the vehicle had run over a pedestrian.
The cadres then forcefully grabbed the hygiene products which included buckets, liquid soap and hand sanitizers before driving off.
And UPND Mandevu constituency Chairperson Hendrix Njobvu expressed shock at the level of thuggery and criminality among PF cadres describing the attack as an act of criminality at a time when the country needs combined efforts in the fight against COVID 19.
“This attack has left us very disappointed especially that it targeted the fight against covid19. We were merely distributing what has been donated by our well-wishers. It is so shocking that we can be going through such kind of things in this time and era,” he said.
Mr Njobvu, who described the ordeal as traumatizing, stated that it was wrong for the PF to start politicizing the fight against COVID-19 as it cuts across the country’s political divide.
“It’s so pathetic and traumatizing. I didn’t expect this to be happening in our country today. What we were doing is a noble cause because everybody is affected one way or the other by this COVID-19. It’s not only the UPND, it is everybody in society that is affected. We are all Zambians before we affiliate or join political parties,” he said.
And speaking during the donation, Lusaka provincial deputy chairperson Grace Chivube wondered why the government was not distributing the donated items to needy communities in especially areas that have been identified as epicentres.
Ms Chivube further called for the depoliticising of the covid 19 fight adding that the UPND position and direction as provided by its leader Hakainde Hichilema was very clear.
The items were donated to Mandevu UPND for onward distribution to public places by a local resident and former Zambia Correctional Services Commissioner General, Percy Chato.
UPND MEDIA TEAM
