By SYLVIA MWEETWA –

THE police command in Central Province has challenged individuals who have allegedly been attacked during the ongoing campaigns in Katuba Constituency to provide evidence for the police to take action.
Provincial commissioner  Standwell Lungu said in Kabwe yesterday that without any evidence, it would be difficult for the police to investigate any allegations of assault or intimidation by the different political players taking part in the campaigns for the February 25, 2014 parliamentary by-election.
Mr Lungu was reacting to concerns raised mostly by opposition political parties participating in the elections who claimed to have been attacked and intimidated by some unknown people.
He said it was not fair for people to accuse the police of failing to arrest the attackers when such matters had not been reported to police.
“As far as we are concerned we have not received any report of someone being assaulted which is the reason why people should make use of the police if we have to act.
“For now we will take reports of assaults or being attacked as rumours. We cannot base our investigations on that,” he said.
MMD Katuba Constituency parliamentary candidate Cecil Holmes said on Tuesday that he and his campaign manager Harold Chandalala were last week forced to abandon the lodge where they were after being confronted by people he described as thugs from Lusaka.
Alliance for Better Zambia leader Frank Bwalya told journalists at Chilo cha ba Lenje in Chibombo District last week on Wednesday that his camp had received threats from people belonging to some opposition parties participating in the by-election.
National Revolution Party president Cosmo Mumba also said he was attacked and injured by unknown people while campaigning for his party’s candidate, Shakespeare Mwakamui.