By BRIAN HATYOKA –
THE Livingstone Press Club (LPC) has condemned the abduction of journalists and other Government officers by United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres in Bweengwa Constituency in Monze district.
The journalists were abducted after covering President Edgar Lungu’s rally in Bweengwa on Saturday.
LPC Secretary General Edwin Mbulo said it was uncalled-for and unacceptable for UPND cadres to adduct journalists and other Government officers’ whom they kept  hostage for about two hours until police officers rescued them.
Speaking at a media briefing in Livingstone yesterday, Mr Mbulo said it was unfortunate that such criminal acts could happen in the country 50 years after independence.
“Worse still, the suspected cadres were using stones as well as machetes and guns to scare innocent and unarmed journalists and other officers.
“We wish to urge all political parties to tame their cadres so that we can have free, fair and violent free elections in August this year,” he said.
Mr Mbulo said journalists were not cadres and that they did not mean any harm to any political party.
“Zambia’s democratic dispensation can only be complete if the media is allowed to operate in a free environment.
“Political parties should tolerate each other and provide a favourable environment where the media will freely cover their activities,” Mr Mbulo said.
He also urged the police and other law enforcers to take stern action against the culprits to set an example to would-be offenders.
“Going forward, measures must be in place to protect journalists as they will be covering the 2016 general elections.
“People who have a habit of harassing and beating journalists especially as they carry out their duties must be prosecuted,” he said.
Mr Mbulo said journalists played an important role of informing, educating and entertaining the nation and hence they should not be mistaken for enemies.
The journalists who were abducted are Frederick Macha, Charles Mangwato, James Chilufya all ZANIS employees.
Mr Macha, who is Monze district information officer and a member of the LPC, said in an interview yesterday that his life was threatened when his team was abducted.
“The suspected UPND cadres, who used unpalatable language against Government, kept us at Bweengwa School for about two hours.
“Afterwards, the police came and started firing teargas around the area and then the cadres ran away,” Mr Macha said.