"They Are Attacking Themselves" — Kawana

Permanent Secretary for Information and Media Thabo Kawana has accused unnamed political players of deliberately staging violent incidents in Western, North-Western and Southern Provinces, with the aim of provoking police tear gas responses and pinning the blame on the ruling UPND ahead of the 13 August election.

"We are aware of a plan by political players to try and paint this government, and particularly the President, black as the country is going towards elections," Kawana said. "These sporadic violence incidents that you are seeing are orchestrated. They are planned, they are practised, they are rehearsed, and they are implemented."

Kawana alleged that some of the unrest is designed specifically to draw a police response. "Even where you see police getting involved and discharging tear gas, it is because the deliberate plan is equally to engage the police and ensure that the police react," he said, describing a scenario in which provocateurs throw sand at police in Western Province to trigger dispersal action.

He said government was aware the same pattern was planned to extend into Southern Province, and alleged that some individuals have worn ruling party regalia while causing disorder specifically so that UPND, and by extension the President as its candidate, would be blamed.

Kawana said he believed the strategy was aimed at discouraging Zambians from voting for Hichilema on the assumption that voters "abhor violence," but argued the public would instead recall past violence associated with other political actors.

"Zambians know who was born out of violence, who was bred out of violence, who bred the violence," he said. "These are violent characters, unrepentant, and will never change."

The remarks come amid a string of violent incidents reported during the campaign period, including in Kalingalinga, Mongu, Luampa, Mwembeshi, Kaputa and Mazabuka. President Hichilema has separately issued public statements condemning political violence and calling for calm ahead of polling day.