PF defends YALI

PF media director Sunday Chanda has expressed concern at the attacks aimed Isaac Mwanza of YALI by the opposition UPND.

Chanda said YALI members have the right to express their views and should not be victimised for holding personal views on matters.

“YALI has every right to hold any view and none of their members should be victimised by anyone, including the UPND. YALI,like other civil society groups, does not owe any political party any duty to represent any particular view in a manner that one or more political parties find acceptable.  The Patriotic Front in government has committed that there must exist within our society sufficient space for the contestation of ideas without any form of fear, victimisation or retribution from any quarter.

“In condemning the attack against the YALI leader, we therefore call on the UPND leadership to condemn the attack perpetrated by their cadres against Mr. Mwanza. We further demand that UPND assures YALI’s officials safety otherwise they should take responsibility should anything happen to anyone of them,” he said.

He said his party hopes to see more tolerance among political players.

“Lastly, it is our hope that we shall see more tolerance among political actors. As continuously guided by President Edgar Lungu, the Patriotic Front is determined to lead by example in terms of tolerance and co-existence as we build on the gains of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’.”