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The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has urged law enforcement agencies to act decisively and impartially to curb all forms of political violence and protect the safety of citizens, regardless of their political affiliation.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson, Elvis Nkandu, said the party was deeply disturbed by two recent acts of political intimidation that again exposed the entrenched culture of alleged thuggery and cadreism within the Patriotic Front (PF).
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Nkandu said the PF should rise above violence and thuggery, stressing that politics should be about ideas, not intimidation.
“Zambians vividly remember the dark days of PF cadreism — from the bus stops to the markets — when violence, fear, and intimidation became tools of political control,” he said.
Nkandu said the same tendencies had sadly resurfaced as factions within the PF jostle for power and influence.
He cited the recent incident in which Acting PF President, Given Lubinda, was forced to cancel a scheduled radio interview at Phoenix FM after suspected PF cadres surrounded the station, creating a hostile and unsafe environment.
Nkandu also pointed to another incident in which suspected PF cadres invaded the home of Tonse Alliance Spokesperson, Sean Tembo, disrupting a planned press briefing, blocking journalists’ access, and violating the sanctity of a private residence.
“These are not isolated occurrences. They are deliberate tactics designed to commandeer power through fear rather than persuasion. The UPND condemns such conduct in the strongest possible terms,” he said.
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Nkandu called on all PF factions, including those aligned with Lubinda and Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile, to immediately disown violent methods, restore discipline among their members, and commit to issue-based politics rooted in dialogue and democratic values.
“If this behaviour remains unchecked, it will send shivers through the electorate and the general citizenry, raising fears that the 2026 elections may not be violence-free, potentially discouraging voter participation,” Nkandu warned.
He claimed that under the UPND, Zambia had recorded a succession of peaceful, violence-free by-elections.
“Our country must never again allow violence and cadreism to enter its politics. Democracy is built on freedom, respect, and the rule of law,” Nkandu stated.
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