PF Cadres Assault Female UPND Supporter For Third Time

On Wednesday, several Patriotic Front cadres reportedly assaulted a woman in Woodlands, Lusaka for displaying United Party for National Development regalia at her roadside stall.

Mercy Changwe, 51, says this is the third time supporters of the ruling party have attacked her in the last eleven months. 

Recounting the brutal ordeal in an interview, Ms Changwe said that a ‘horde’ of PF supporters brandishing weapons had charged her while she was serving customers at her stall. 

The attack occurred at around 2 o’clock after the thugs first failed to find Ms Changwe at her home.

“It was around 14 hours this afternoon when an unregistered Toyota Alphard drove to my stand (Woodlands). The people on board were PF cadres, they threatened me and said they were going to burn me to death or pour acid on me. After I challenged them to they decided to drive off. Around 16 hours, the same vehicle reappeared but this time around with buses behind it. That’s how those on the buses started beating me with iron bars and other weapons,” she said.

The cadres reportedly stole K3,000 in cash as well as K2,000 worth of merchandise.

Ms Changwe suffered several injuries, including a broken ankle, bleeding ears and fractured arms. She is currently receiving treatment at the Chilenje clinic. 

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema offered his condolences to Ms Changwe on social media, describing the behaviour of the PF cadres as “barbaric”.

“How on earth can a normal person assault a defenseless woman like Mercy Changwe, for no reason other than wearing UPND Party regalia? The PF need to tame their blood thirst cadres forthwith because Zambians are tired of their thuggery,” he wrote.

The crime has been reported to Woodlands police, who have not yet commented on the incident. 

Ms Changwe sustained injuries to her head, arms and legs.

This is the third time Ms Changwe’s stall has been targeted for selling UPND merchandise.