Mwaliteta denies ordering cadres to collect money in markets, bus stations

By ADRIAN MWANZA I DID not instruct any UPND cadres to collect money from traders and bus drivers, UPND Lusaka Province chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta has said. Mr Mwaliteta called on the police to arrest any cadres who would be found collecting money or harassing marketeers and bus drivers. He said his name had been thrown in the dirt and challenged drivers and others who operated in public facilities to report any lawlessness to the police. This follows reports that Mr Mwaliteta had allowed UPND cadres to help local authorities to collect revenue. He said that all those found wanting should be reported and face the wrath of the law because he had given clear instructions that no one should harass individuals. Mr Mwaliteta said that the police needed to nab the individuals and if they claimed he was involved they could then point at him. “My suggestion is let the police pick the suspects and then we can meet there so that I exonerate myself from these accusations levelled against me,” he said. He said it was not fair that people were maligning his name making it look as if he was defying the President’s directive. And the Patriotic Front has warned the ruling party that they risk being in power for only a term if they did not tame their cadres who were causing mayhem in markets and bus stations. PF member, Chishimba Kambwili, said that cadres had gone on rampage getting money from traders with impunity. This came to light when aggrieved marketeers complained that UPND cadres were asking for money even when the government assured them that there would be no collection of money from them. The marketeers said that the UPND cadres had been going round markets asking for operation fees from the time Mr Mwaliteta instructed them to open up offices in bus stations and the markets. Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili said he witnessed first-hand a situation where cadres were collecting money from people in Eastern Province and directly defying President Hakainde Hichilema’s directives. Mr Kambwili said it was a similar scenario in Lusaka as most marketeers and bus drivers were forced to give out money to the cadres on the pretext of helping the local authorities. He said the cadres were working under instructions of Mr Mwaliteta. “Cadres are still harassing people in stations all because of Mr Mwaliteta who has instructed them to get money from these institutions at the expense of the local authorities,” he said.