ZAMBIA: Zambia President Lungu threatens opposition

Lusaka - Zambian President Edgar Lunga has warned the opposition UPND not to cause trouble after the country’s elections next month, the Lusaka Times reported on Thursday.

Edgar Lungu. (File: AP)

He claimed he was aware of the United Party for National Development’s plans to cause trouble and would not allow this as long as he remained president of the country. 

News24 reported that Lungu had previously called UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema stupid for not conceding defeat in the upcoming August 11 general elections. He threatened to instruct police to "sort out" the opposition. Hichilema said he would not be intimidated by Lungu’s “idle threats” and that Lungu was stupid for using state institutions like the police to intimidate voters.

Lungu, the Patriotic Front leader, recently announced that his government would prioritise development in areas where it received the most votes in next month’s elections.

Lungu said his administration had tried to develop all areas of Zambia in its first term in office, but this approach disadvantaged areas where the party was most popular. He had been president since January 2015.

“We should first develop Mungwi and the Northern Province, because you people have supported us throughout. It is a pity that you have not benefited from your support for the PF, but now this has to change,” Lungu said.

Hichilema said such remarks revealed a lack of understanding of and respect for multi-party democracy and could be read as an attempt to blackmail voters.

News24