Africa-Press – Zambia. The Alliance for Good Governance has commended President Hakainde Hichilema on his call to the defense forces to ensure that no party cadre is clad in any military uniform.
Alliance for Good Governance president, Joseph Chileshe said it has been his organisation’s wish to see sanity in the country and discouraging cadres from wearing military uniforms being the right step taken to having achieving sanity.
“This is what we have been advocating for too long. What his Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema has done is commendable and it’s in line with the Penal Code Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia section 182(1),(2) A, B and (3),” Mr. Chileshe said.
Mr. Chileshe said President Hichilema’s strong stance against political party cadres and members of the public in the habit of wearing uniforms which are synonymous to those of the defence and security forces deserves a pat on his back.
Mr. Chileshe has also called on political party leaders to help the security agencies to adequately respond to the Head of State’s call by making sure that they discourage them from wearing attire that is synonymous to military.
He said the use of counterfeit military attire has potential to plunge the country into flames as it is one of the major sources of political violence which the country has been witnessing because cadres want to outdo their opponents.
The Alliance for Good Governance leader also called on all political party cadres to be disarmed with immediate effect as they remain a danger to society.
He noted that a good number of cadres are in possession of the guns which they have been flushing in the public with intent to instill fear in vulnerable members of society, hence the need to disarm those who unlawfully acquired them.
“This should as well be curtailed, and those who unlawfully acquired the guns should be prosecuted. This has been the recipe of the violence which we have recently been witnessing as a country,” he said.
Mr. Chileshe said the Head of State’s pronouncements have so far instilled confidence in the general citizenry that has been moving and living in fear because if the heavy presence of political party cadres that had engulfed many public places, most of whom armed.
In his speech after the swearing in ceremony of defense chiefs at state house yesterday, President Hichilema urged the defence force to ensure that no civilian is wearing military attire as this was a preserve of criminal activities.
