ZAMBIA: Cadres clash ahead of poll

  1. Posted on Monday 29 August 2011 - 10:07
    Sanday
    Image of Sanday
    Sanday Chongo Kabange in Hong Kong
    Violent and bloody clashes erupted in Zambia's capital, Lusaka less than two weeks before Zambians elect a new president. Supporters of the governing Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) clashed Friday within Lusaka's Central Business District, disrupting business for close to two hours.
    Zambia opposition supporters teem up to acknowledge their leader Photo_Alex Mukuka
    Main city central highways like Lumumba, Freedom Way, Ben Bella and Chachacha Roads were blocked as they turned into battle ground.

    The clashes in Lusaka erupted over the removal of rival campaign posters by the cadres of the two political parties.

    Unconfirmed reports say one person has been killed in the election standoff that has tensed up the mood in the southern Africa state.

    Supporters of the opposition PF are claiming that one of its supporters was killed by MMD cadres in a nearby south-eastern slum of Kanyama and this prompted the riots.

    The claim of the death by the PF is yet to be confirmed.

    Business was interrupted and shops were closed as business operators and residents ran for cover amid mass unrest in the Zambian capital.

    Some cadres are said to have possessed machetes and other dangerous weapons.

    Fears of looting have heightened and police have since been placed on high alert.
    No arrests have been made, reported one private radio station in Lusaka.

    Zambia Police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana has warned that any person perpetrating violence during and after the September 20 vote would face the law.

    For the first time in Zambia’s election history, the U.S State Department has warned its citizens to be alert when getting into Zambia during the election period as signs of a violent poll were eminent.

Latest News

  1. OPINION: Welcome to African Green Revolution24/05For the past century and a half, Africa has tried various agricultural approaches without much success.
  2. Egyptians vote in historic election23/05Egyptians began voting freely on Wednesday for the first time to pick their president in a wide open election that pits Islamists against men who serv…
  3. Africa Day 2012 - a moment for reflection and…22/0525th May is Africa Day. For many years it has been a celebration of African unity. It dates back to 1963 when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) …
  4. South Africa's African agenda21/05The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Mothlanthe paid a rare visit to Ghana in April at the invitation of John Dramani Mahama …
  5. Women struggle to rinse hunger, poverty stains21/05Just looking at her one clearly appreciates that she is old and frail therefore in need of support for food, clothing and shelter to live comfortably …
  6. Climate Climate change affects migratory birds…21/05Changes in the climate globally have affected the movement of both migratory and resident species of birds, Nature Uganda has said.
  7. Ghana: Foreign retailers cited for currency…18/05The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is attributing the sharp depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies to the illegal activiti…
  8. Kenya: Community radio brings succour to…18/05Korogocho, a slum in northeastern Nairobi with 100,000 inhabitants, had many of the ingredients for a political explosion similar to those that rocked…
  9. Veld fires 'flame' Zimbabwe's…16/05Over the years, Zimbabwe has experienced the scourge of veld fires destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
  10. Liberia commends ECOWAS for support14/05The induction training of pioneer Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Volunteers for Liberia kicked off in Monrovia, with the Deputy Mi…
  11. Vanishing Lake Chad puts 30m lives at risk14/05As you approach the Lake Chad basin from Maiduguri, in north-eastern Nigeria, the evidence of despair is telling.
  12. Heavy rains cause havoc in Kenya14/05Heavy Rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country leading to the suspension of relief food in some parts of the country as most roads in Turk…
  13. Zimbabwe: Growth points lie dormant14/05The Zimbabwean government mooted the concept of growth points in the 1980s as a means of decongesting cities and towns.
  14. Sierra Leone improves in infant mortality11/05Sierra Leone has improved in infant mortality cases according to Save the Children- World Motherhood index 2012 report. The West Africa country descri…
  15. Zimbabwe: Resettled farmers fail to utilize…10/05Resettled farmers in Zimbabwe are failing to utilize land due to inadequate farming inputs and lack of resources.
News archive