Police in Kafue this afternoon used teargas canisters to disperse a protest by Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia, NCZ, workers.
The workers gathered to conduct a protest match to State House following the alleged failure by government to address their plight.
The workers, who defied Zambia Police caution that retrained them from proceeding with the planned protest on the Kafue-Lusaka Highway, were rounded up at Ngwenya Corner this morning.
A battalion of Kafue Police officers, led by Officer-In-charge, John Milambo, were forced to use tear gas canisters to disperse the protesting workers.
Traffic flow from both Lusaka and Kafue was temporarily suspended as police fought running battles with the workers.
At least Five protestors, who were allegedly beaten by Police officers, were apprehended and charged with conduct likely to breach public order and peace.
After Police action to disperse the protesters, the workers later regrouped at Shikoswe Bus Station and blocked the road with stones and logs.
Kafue Police Officer-In-Charge, John Milambo, declined to comment, when contacted by ZANIS, on Police action to use force when dispersing the protesters.
But National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers President, Seth Paradza, condemned Police action saying the protesters did not pose any threat to national peace to sanction the use of force and tear gas canisters by Police.
Mr Paradza said the union regretted the move by Police to allegedly beat up some protesting workers during confusion.
He said the protest was peaceful, hence vowed that the use of force will not kill the spirit of workers, who are demanding for a just cause.
Mr Paradza has since appealed to President Rupiah Banda to intervene and help the workers get their terminal benefits since both minister for agriculture, Brian Chituwo, and area Member of Parliament, Bradford Machila, have failed to resolve NCZ problems.
And MMD Kafue Constituency Information and Publicity Secretary, Isaac Mulenga, condemned police for using force on peaceful protesters.
ZANIS/ENDS/BS/SJK
What?
Imwe mwe Bantu. Please what is this?
Awe twanwa!! Numbala l-)
How much does tear gas cost? Does anyone know?
:o:o:o:o
Those demostrators am sure had a valid reason to demostrate and am sure it was more of a peaceful than an aggressive protest so why ukubapona.It is not fair bane
You just can not condem the Police!! Who gave them the instructions? Make him accountable please.
Zambian president shouldn’t get himself or the nation embroiled in the middle east political problems. Hamas know what they are doing. The only people who get hurt are the supporters. When a person cries wolf one too many times, only the unwise men and women answer his cries.
These things are now happening every where.Just immagine it happened in Zimbabwe.It will be breaking news on BBC,SKY,FOX,CNN and many more news channels in the world.
Wen u protest/demonstrate dont make innocent souls suffer.why blocking the road and damaging private property? RB uses a chopper not CR.The cops were right.
10. Anonymous TALK TO MY =;
sad reading, when are we going to stop using tear gas in Zambia on innocent civilians?
People have must have rights to have a peaceful demo,Why shower them teargas?It shows how backwards our zedi is.how can u express views. [-([-([-(
If only people knew what the NCZ workers are going through one should sympathise with their situation.They carried out a PEACEFUL march to air their problems to the higher authorities, but as usual the police mentality is that of not thinking but acting out of impulses.
The NCZ problem has been there for many years ,please Mr RB go to kafue and sort out the problem.
Anyone interested in getting a new passport forms for the new passport without having to go through the hassle of TRAVELLING to ZED, Please contact. [email protected].
Thankyu
imwe baka pokola let your friends fight for thier benefits
Who has given ba buju the right to beat innocent Zambians? Its not only illegal but also ignorant. Employees have legal rights under the law of employment to air their grevances through a peaceful demonstration. Ubututu baka pokola. Who is the commander in charge?
#10 niwe kapokola? how do you support such a barbaric behaviour from the police?
I do not support the brutal tactics of Zambian police but sometimes I do not blame them. Maybe if more light is shed on how the demonstration was carried out and if it was peaceful would be needed. This is because when people demonstrate soemtimes they turn into an angry mob that vandalises innocent people’s property like stoning cars and damaging infrustracture
We nah like police an’ police nah like we…a so we stay!
Police, please be peaceful.
where is the govt to resolve these pipo’s concerns.
They have genuine reasons as to why they were protesting
the MMD
the MMD govt is being scopodononic by not attending to the problems NCZ is facing.these workers must not back down.let them march on till thier message gets through RB’s thick skull. :-l:-l:-l
The chaps at NCZ, Sata told them, pleaded with them for their vote. He promised to fight for their well being, they rejected him and voted for NyamaSoya. This is the result, he is clueless on how to tackle let alone solve this problem just like the mines. I will not be suprized if NyamaSoya decideds to BOMB them next time for peing a nuisense.
Ha My brother a cadet in one of the schools in kafue says one Teargas Canister used by the POLICE (spent)picked up had expirely date of March 1970. So it must have been very toxic. The Medical Council of Zambia must institute investigation of use of ordinances by the police that have expired. This is very dangerous and has long term effects.But knowing the inertia of the council I think I invite the Catholics, Civil Society and P.F. Hikaumba’s ZCTU compromised as their President busy looting through NCC. Vote him out, sold workers to vultures.
But for how long will NCZ be recapitalised by government? GRZ might as well start running it fulltime.
mpangula mputyu,if you have a mistaken belief that comrade sata has solutions to the ills of this country then don`t then it`s your own funerai.the mess at NCZ are what sata and his then benefactor one titus jacob chiluba left.infact NCZ employees started going without
salaries the time when your sata was minister of labour.so the people of kafue know who sata is and the fully understand that the man is a dreamer.he is part and parcel of the genesis of these problems.so to canonise him has a saviour now that he is spicing up issues.tetifibombe.
Ba RB should also look into the plight of NCZ employees with a matter of urgency because during campaigns he promised them.
so they delivered by giving him the vote and now is pay back time
#28.akapondo thanks for your response to my comments from me on #25. At least it shows Bloggers read the comments. Politicians Dont read the free advice available on this net.
NCZ problems started with K.K. He used to get fertilizer, gave neibouring countries & local farmers. Problem was he never followed them to get the money, used it as campaign issue, as a result it went into huge debts. Thats the genesis of problems at NCZ. LPM a devoted farmer failed to Open it. It was Not SATA. Chiluba turned a blind eye due to it’s huge UNIP debt. ask anybody that work at NCZ. It collapsed in UNIP.
#28.akapondo during the onset of Multi partism in 1990, Zambia was importing fertilizer due to NCZ was run down. At that time K.K was in power.
Yes solutions must be found now and as Zambians collectively we have failed to compel politicians to solve this.In LPM era Niyombo Investiments were solerly given a contract to supply fertilizer thoughout Zambia. Open secrete who the directors are & Political Connection they had with the Govt., then. So the fertilizer issue has never been addressed properly, corruption has reined supreme.
Why does Boma not do something about this? they instead think buying fertilizer from South Africa is better. we have the capacity to produce our own fertilizer, we are enjoying subsidized fertilizer bought really expensive when we can produce our own and even export. This should be a matter of priority! :-b
#32 Local Mbuzi, Individual “powerful” chaps in Boma benefit thru their friends importation of fertilizer into Zambia. Greedness and crookedness. We Zambians docile, What else is the reason?
Peaceful demonstration yes, no problem and not blocking the road with logs and big stones inconveniencing innocent road users. They deserve the gas.
It has been too much drama at NCZ when is the Govt going to make a final decision on the operations of these company. If there no long term plan to recapitlize the coy let them get rid from industrial scene. I have not bin paid anything for years from ZIMCO then followed ZPA and ZDA. We engaged lawyers no result. Same story. Those guys should not take law into their own hands they better adapt and find something else to live on. In fact I look to the day being appointed liquidator and sale scrap to Universal Chemicals just across the road. Reason it was sited near by. No logistal hastles. Quick bucksd and end of workers plight.
Hi, Great mail, thank you, i like your concept also!