The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has postponed to an unknown date its public rally which was scheduled to take place in Lusaka’s Chawama township today.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said the decision was arrived at following the party’s consultations with civil society, the church and students unions after police refused to grant them permission to hold the public meeting.
In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Mweetwa said the party will in due course announce a later date on which the rally would be held.
He has since called on UPND party members, sympathisers, students and the nation at large to remain calm as the party was still holding consultations with the relevant stakeholders.
Mr Mweetwa further appealed to the police not to bow to political pressure but to uphold human rights and remain focused in their execution of duty.
Mr. Mweetwa who is also UPND Choma Central Member Of Parliament alleged that Police in Lusaka had deployed officers around strategic points to prevent people from entering Chawama township.
Police in Lusaka yesterday threatened to take action if the UPND went ahead with its planned public rally which was to be held in Chawama today.
Last week the UPND indicated that it would hold a public rally addressed by party president Hakainde Hichilema, and representatives from civil society organisations, trade unions, market associations and students unions.
[pullquote]“We were surprised that the Police who earlier said they were insufficient man power to police our rally this morning around 06 Hours sent over 500 police officers in riot gear to stop people from gathering,” Mr. Kakoma said.[/pullquote]
And UPND Spokesman Charles Kakoma confirmed that the rally would not go ahead.
“We were surprised that the Police who earlier said they were insufficient man power to police our rally this morning around 06 Hours sent over 500 police officers in riot gear to stop people from gathering,” Mr. Kakoma said.
He said, “We also received intelligence information that the PF youths had been mobilized and stationed near the venue to cause harm to innocent people who wanted to attend.”
“After all considerations had been made, we decided to call off the rally in order to safeguard peace.”
“They wanted to provoke us so that they see bloodshed and we don’t want to be associated with bloodshed.”
Mr. Kakoma condemned the actions of the police to block the UPND from going ahead with the Chawama rally.
“We are celebrating Africa Freedom Day and yet within this continent, there are people being denied their constitutional rights and freedoms,” Mr. Kakoma said.
Meanwhile, Lusaka Police Chief Joyce Kasosa confirmed sending the police to Chawama Basic School Grounds.
“We had informed them not to go ahead with the rally due to security concerns and advised them to come back to us for dialogue but they insisted on going ahead with the rally,” Mrs. Kasosa said.
“For us, security is paramount and the current security situation cannot warrant a public rally especially in areas such as Chawama.”
ZANIS
wait until you get elected then we will see whether you have the balls to re-introduce the subsidies-the truth is the country can not afford to spend amounts equal to the euro bond every year when the countries infrastructure and public services are not fit for use and purpose
Which infrastructure are you talking about? You mean Sata’s personal infrastructure which he is building for himself? 200% salary and allowance increments for himself!
K1.5 bn allowance for his wife. 100% salary and allowance increments for Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. 800 litres monthly fuel allowance for all these leeches.
These fcuking Socialism for Sata and his leeches. And for everyone else it is fully fledged capitalism. Go hang with your fake infrastructure!
use your head to think not your ,,,,,,,,
so you would rather spend the money on consumption and that on just one crop maize ? than build schools and hospitals and upgrade our power grid? 50yrs after independence we still have double or may l say even triple sessions in our schools due to few schools while we spend 1/2bn dollars on maize every year
@Al, you do not need to starve people to build a school. Why is every Minister and Deputy receiving 800 litres of free fuel every month from taxpayers? Is this normal to you or are supporting this because you’re a beneficiary of this criminality? Don’t these people get a salary like anyone else? This is daylight robbery. Why are these people getting over $1600 per month from taxpayers to cover their fuel expenses? Why?
Wise decision.Thumbs up UPND.I can`t wait to see you holding a very peaceful one in the near future. Aluta continua !!!
If he was in Europe, Mweetwa would have undergone hair transplant like Rooney………..
“We were surprised that the Police who earlier said they were insufficient man power to police our rally this morning around 06 Hours sent over 500 police officers in riot gear to stop people from gathering,” Mr. Kakoma said.
THOSE POLICE OFFICERS WERE THERE TO QUASH THE UNREST THAT UPND WANTED TO PROVOKE. THE IDEA WAS TO CRUSH THE VERY FIRST GATHERERS WHO COULD BE FEW AND EASY TO MANAGE THAN WAIT FOR A BIGGER CROWD OF UPND THUGS.
Instructions matter
Zambia’s race to the bottom. Banana republic par excellence! You cannot expect a baboon that vigorously campaigned for Chiluba’s Third Term to respect the tenets of a democratic system. There will be chaos and blood letting when it finally dawns upon Sata that Zambians are tired of his dictatorship. Those police men and women he is treating as his guard dogs will desert him once they realize he is a naked emperor! What type of popular leader can be scared of a political rally? 50 years of independence and the country still has backward and primitive leaders. If you won’t allow people to peacefully campaign then you’re inviting them to take up arms against you!
Under the circumstances it was the wisest thing to do. There was no need to put our people to harms way with an unschooled Police force assisted by Mai mai Bufi militias. The real loser is once more Sata. The heroes are the hungry and poor masses whose anger is being compacted and bottled up with no relief to let off steam, due to denial of their freedoms of speech and association. How sad, so sad.
50 years after independence, the security situation in the country is still not ok. This surely is a pointer to bad governance practices. What has made the situation bad now because PF used to hold rallies during Manawasa and Ruphia’s reign?
Pf old rogue booed outside and despised within the country yo days are coming to an end viva HH and UPND!
lola oko iwe kabwa ukutumpa
UPND capable of defending itself against uncivilised pf thugs!
THE UPND BLOGGERS ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM A VERY VIVID FACT THAT UPND LAMENTABLY AND EMBARRASSINGLY FAILED TO HOLD A RALLY AFTER PROMISSING TO HOLD A POWERFUL RALLY. THIS IS ANOTHER FAILED RALLY LIKE THE ONE THEY ATTEMPTED TO HOLD IN KABWATA. ITS LIKE A DOG THAT GOES BACK TO EAT ITS VOMITS WITH ITS TAIL BETWEEN ITS HIND LEGS. THESE ARE SIGNS OF A PARTY THAT HAS A SHORT-LIVED STRATEGY.
HATS OFF TO UPND FOR EMBRACING PEACE. TIME IS COMING WHEN YOU WILL HOLD AS MANY PEACEFUL RALLIES AS YOU WISH. PATIENCE PAYS.
if them are explaining the reasons they removed the subsidy why are they denying others to express the views about it, Am don`t support politics but i see bunch selfish people in power.
Mweetwa is a lawyer and he should be the last person to believe in hearsay without proof!
You were just afraid of ‘ponoks’ just as you will be afraid of being ‘pononad’ in future.