AVERT BLOODSHED – Sinkamba
…Abductions a serious threat to peace if not stopped now, warns Sinkamba
By Mast Reporter
THERE is a big risk that Zambians may start killing one another because State House is condoning abductions and torture of citizens by suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres, Green Party (GP) president Peter Sinkamba has said.
And former comedian and now politician Thomas Sipalo has described his near-abduction by a gang of UPND cadres armed with pistols, tasers and pangas as ugly, life-threatening and inhumane.
Commenting on the abduction and beating of a Patriotic Front (PF) supporter Joe Nyondo, 34, popularly known as Black Apple, at Leopards Hill Memorial Park in Lusaka a week ago, Sinkamba expressed sadness at the inaction by President Hakainde Hichilema’s government on the increasing impunity by the ruling party’s cadres.
He said the UPND government had failed to stop and denounce abductions, warning the cadres torturing critics and political rivals risked putting the country on fire.
“I don’t know. Where are we going as a country with all these abductions? Mr President, act. And why are the police not picking up the abductors? Is it that they are working with them or they have just ignored the case because UPND cadres are involved?” Sinkamba said.
He said the recent spate of abductions and torture of innocent citizens by well-known UPND cadres was a repeat of what used to happen under the Patriotic Front (PF) government, which was heavily condemned by the same people doing it now.
Sinkamba said the PF had such behaviour in its so-called commanders who could not listen to anyone until they lost power.
He said it was unfortunate that today the UPND had mafia-like gangsters who were ready to kill.
“What we saw yesterday when that gentleman was abducted and was being tortured in the public domain by people who are known is not only shameful but dehumanising, traumatising and illegal. People behind that torture are well-known UPND cadres, thugs and criminals,” Sinkamba said.
“And this is escalating by the day. Their behaviour is getting worse than what it was in the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and the PF. So, for us as the Green Party and also the opposition, we are very, very worried that this behaviour is likely to cause a serious loss of lives as we approach elections.” Sinkamba said what was worrying the opposition more was that the criminals were committing the crimes in the name of the President and he was quiet about this.
“This is a total human rights abuse. This is total torture,” Sinkamba said.
And former comedian and now politician Thomas Sipalo has described his near-abduction by the gang of known UPND cadres armed with pistols, tasers and pangas as ugly, life-threatening and inhumane.
“A group of suspected UPND thugs in a Toyota Hiace Quantum ambushed me and my friend Joel Nyondo aka Black Apple, armed with pistols, electric tasers, and pangas. They dragged us toward their vehicle, overpowering and electrocuting Joel,” Sipalo, popularly known as Difficulty, said.
He said he was rescued by members of the public who forced his assailants to flee with Joel.
Meanwhile, a blogger, Sampa Mwaume, has appealed to UPND national youth chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso to tame his cadres before they begin murdering citiens again.
Mwaume recounted how UPND cadres brutally killed his friend after leaving the party to rejoin then ruling party PF, a situation he described as traumatising.
“In 2020, a youth very close to me, Mutale Terence, was killed in cold blood by suspected UPND cadres in Kanyama. His death was heartbreaking to me, and I almost quit politics because the people suspected to have taken his life were people him and I worked with when we were both in UPND. We ate together, mobilised together and protected President Hichilema together in opposition,” he said.
He said the only crime Mutale committed was rejoining the PF.
“My call goes directly to my brother, Gilbert Liswaniso, to publicly condemn this incident and help the Zambia Police Service to arrest those youths. When we criticise the President, it doesn’t mean we hate him and deserve to die at the hands of cadres; it’s because we want the President to do better for the benefit of the Zambian people. If this was condemned under PF, why should it not be condemned under UPND? People actually voted PF out because of violence, which we all know UPND was part of because it takes two to tango,” Mwaume said.
And UPND Lusaka Province chairman Obvious Mwaliteta has denounced the violence, warning the perpetrators that the party would not protect them.
“I strongly condemn the actions of the youths involved in the disturbing, trending violence. They acted independently and will face the full consequences of their behaviour, as their conduct is in clear violation of the President’s directive against political violence,” Mwaliteta said.
On Monday, police in Lusaka announced the arrest of 33-year-old Malaki Shadreck Ngeke of Matero Township in connection with the abduction and assault of Nyondo.
According to the police, a grey Toyota Quantum, registration number ADF 6524, carrying about 12 to 16 people, some armed with offensive weapons, stormed Leopards Hill Memorial Park burial site, causing panic before abducting the victim.
