. Hakainde
By CHILA NAMAIKO and FLAVIUOR CHISHALA –
THERE was confusion in Lusaka yesterday when opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres and their ruling Patriotic Front (PF) rivals clashed in Kanyama and Chawama townships.
The clashes forced the Zambia Police Service to cancel UPND rallies that were supposed to be held in the two areas.
As a result of the confusion, 10 people were arrested before UPND cadres decided to march in the central business district, disturbing peace and business.
In the ensuing confusion, there was an exchange of gunfire involving police and the cadres in which one woman was believed to have died.
Later UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema sought an audience with Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja but he only told journalists that he was not happy with the response.
Lusaka Province Police chief Nelson Phiri said in an interview yesterday that police arrested a group of cadres from the PF and UPND who clashed in Kanyama on Wednesday afternoon while campaigning for their political parties in some parts of the township.
“We arrested over 10 cadres from PF and UPND who were fighting in public and assaulting each other. They clashed while conducting campaigns for their political parties, but the officers moved in and
arrested most of them,” he said.
Mr Phiri said those arrested were being screened while others had already been charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
He said it was due to security concerns and the reports of some cadres planning to cause violence that police cancelled the UPND rallies in Chawama and Kanyama constituencies.
“Yes, we cancelled the rallies mainly because of animosity among the cadres and other security concerns until we see that the situation is conducive to hold the rallies,” Mr Phiri said.
He said the current insecurity in Chawama and Kanyama was not conducive for police to allow the UPND to go ahead with their planned rallies.
Mr Phiri warned that police would be compelled to cancel rallies in the province if cadres continued to engage in violent behaviour.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, however, accused the police of intentionally denying his party permits to hold the rallies in Chawama and Kanyama constituencies.
