The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has commended Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu for allowing the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to hold its planned public rally in Kabwata constituency today.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi said Mr. Lungu has shown mature leadership by allowing UPND to hold a rally.
Mr. Chipenzi said the intervention of the Home Affairs Minister over the holding of a political rally in Kabwata comes at the right time when the country’s democratic credentials where on the spot light.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Mr. Lungu’s intervention was timely and one that was done in good faith.
He said it was imperative that political parties were given an opportunity to share their views and aspirations with the members of the public through holding political rallies.
Mr Chipenzi said democracy was all about competition of ideas and that it cannot thrive when the voices of certain quarters of society were stifled.
The FODEP chief said allowing the UPND to go ahead with the planned rally after protracted debates between the opposition and the police was an indication of better things to come.
He urged the leadership of the UPND to control their cadres in order to ensure that they behave in an orderly and non violent manner.
He said the UPND leadership has a moral, political and constitution duty to demonstrate to the Zambian people that it was capable of holding violent free rallies.
Mr. Chipenzi said what will transpire in Kabwata today will be a true reflection of the calibre of the opposition party in as far as was concerned.
Yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs allowed the UPND to hold a rally in Kabwata.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema welcomed the move and urged the police to handle the gathering today professionally.
ZANIS
I hope he will not lose his JOB for the action, already one people have already their JOBS.
One people ? Chisungu chakumabala ?
PF must just let these guys talk. We must let them hold rallies and we must concentrate on delivering. Building roads and railway lines, health centres and hospitals, schools and universities, improving the local government system, delivering the long awaited constitution and thereby creating employment etc. That is what will make us go on ruling.
That is what people have been asking for! PF people are scared of their own shadows. PF should know that democracy means allowing people to air their political views. Hopefully PF cadres have now learnt what democracy is. Zambia is for everyone; PF and every other party.
Chavuma-Mutanda Road? Sata….nists, you’re indeed a funny lot!
Galileo I agree with you,the pf shouldn’t waste time on them.2016 ni milo so pliz try and deliver
Why should lungu be praised? I don’t understand, can somebody explain why a minister should be praised for an existing constitutional right?
Most dont know about constitutional rights. Politicians talk about constitutional rights in installments and as suitable to them. So the Minister showed that he is one who thinks in a civilised manner. We will see if HH behaves in a civilised manner.
upnd is not has not been violent hh has not lied he is never bloodthirsty. pf thugs we know are the ones carrying catapults instilling fear there so that upnd has its rally cancelled. pf by nature is led by violent president using security wings to rule zambia.
This is utter nonsense from FODEP! Praise Lungu for what? Is it Lungu’s goodwill to allow Rally? If FODEP can sink so low on constitutional rights, what about my grandmother in Petauke who might not even have heard about Constitutional Rights?
FODEP, DO NOT BE SHALLOW MINDED. DO U KNOW WHAT IS REALLY ON THE GROUND FOR YOU TO PRAISE LUNGU. PLEASE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY WITH YOUR FALSE PRAISES.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LUNGU BUT THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA ON THEIR OWN.
WE WANT OUR FREEDOM BACK
Stu.pid outpouring gratitude for something you are entitled to. Sata…nists should be condemned for their bad governance.
Lungu did it in bad faith. He said go ahead but police will not be there and he deployed his PF thugs to go there and cause confusion
Lungu is a Lunatic. What is suprising is that no PF leader told his cadres not to go where they are not wanted/ So Lungu should not be praised but need to be questioned for not telling the police to go and check who will bring havoc to the rally.
eeeyeeeeeee! ka rally, i thought upnd is popular. its only popular in sp
pf sperms are *****s..we wish you long suffering ..