By CHILA NAMAIKO –

.Siliya

THE Government has condemned the incidents of violence that occurred in some parts of the country in the just-ended local government by-elections and has urged political leaders to tame their members so that they refrain from the vice.
Chief Government spokesperson Dora Siliya said it was unfortunate and unacceptable that violence was perpetuated by some party members at the expense of the country’s peace.
Ms Siliya, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said yesterday that violence had no place in Zambia’s flourishing democracy which provided for diversity in views and political persuasion.
She told journalists at a media briefing that all political members should be law-abiding and avoid acts of provocation against each other as the Government would not tolerate those championing acts of violence.
“Government is strongly condemning the incidents of violence during the local government by-elections and I want to advise all political parties to embrace inter-party democracy and carry out campaigns in a civil manner,” she said.
Ms Siliya hailed Kantanshi Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Mumba, who recently featured on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation’s Sunday Interview programme and discussed important matters while criticising the Government in a civilised manner.
She said Mr Mumba had set a good example to opposition political parties.
She warned the Government would allow Zambians to be driven off their land by some selfish individuals seeking to amass huge tracts of land, stating that nobody was allowed to own more 250 hectares of land without the permission of the President.
She said President Edgar Lungu would tomorrow relaunch the now transformed and reloaded “Keep Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy Campaign” and afterwards everybody would be required to participate in a cleanup exercise every last weekend of every month to clean communities, plant trees, flowers and take care of landscape in order to stay healthy.
Meanwhile, Ms Siliya warned of stern action against individuals abusing social media platforms such as Facebook to commit criminal activities such as defamation of character and swindling unsuspecting people out of their monies on employment opportunities.
She also said six districts have been created and the seventh one, Lupososhi, was being processed and that such development would bring infrastructure closer to people.
She assured residents of Lusaka that challenges of erratic water supply would by June this year end following huge investment in upgrading of water project by Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company.

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