Friday, March 29, 2024

Chaos in Luanshya as Police teargas UPND supporters

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Mr Hichilema addressing UPND supporters who were injured in Kitwe
Mr Hichilema addressing UPND supporters who were injured in Kitwe

Police in full riot gear this afternoon tear gassed the entire Luanshya Central Business District to prevent UPND President Hakainde Hichilema from addressing a huge crowd that had gathered to catch a glimpse of the UPND leader.

This was shortly after a similar incident occurred in Kitwe in the morning when a horde of PF cadres attacked UPND officials at the party’s secretariat who were having their planning meeting.

An impromptu crowd had converged around the city centre in Luanshya after word went round that Mr Hichilema would be passing through town from Kitwe.

Mr Hichilema who was in the company of his Vice President Geoffrey Mwamba, Major Richard Kachingwe and other provincial leaders had planned to make Luanshya their last stop on their Copperbelt tour.

The team had to abort the Luanshya visit and embark on their journey back to Lusaka via Mpongwe after Police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

Police first attempted to block the UPND entourage from entering Lusaka at the Welcome top Luanshya point but the UPND team led by Mr Mwamba forced its way through and secured passage for Mr Hichilema and other officials.

When the entourage reached the town centre, it was greeted by heavy presence of riot police who immediately fired tear gas which prevented Mr Hichilema from addressing the people.

Police also used batons to forcibly remove the UPND supporters from the city centre and ensure that the gathering was disturbed.

Many Luanshya residents and passerby by were hit by the tear gas leaving their eyes red.

And Mr Hichilema condemned the actions of the police as barbaric.

‘We cannot believe that 51 years after independence, we still have to fight for our freedom in Zambia. This was the same case this morning when our Kitwe Secretariat came under severe attack from both Police and hired PF thugs,’ Mr Hichilema said.

‘In this era and age, our energies must be on fixing the ailing economy. Like we said yesterday, we have no issues with these innocent law enforcement agencies and police officers, the problem lies in our political competitors who are giving them wrong commands that result in injuries on our people,’ he said.

‘No part of our country is a preserve of any one politician and interest group. We must all be allowed to mingle and interact with our people so that they can make informed decisions come next elections.’

Mr Hichilema vowed that the UPND will not give up in its fight for a better Zambia.

‘May those in PF government know that we are on a move to liberating our country again both from political repression and economic challenges. May those who want to take holidays continue doing so as we keep offering economic solutions and hope to the suffering masses who they have abandoned after electing them.’

Riot Police at the UPND Secretariat in Kitwe
Riot Police at the UPND Secretariat in Kitwe
Some UPND supporters injured in the fracas at the UPND Secretariat
Some UPND supporters injured in the fracas at the UPND Secretariat
Defiant UPND supporters in Luanshya after they were teargased by police
Defiant UPND supporters in Luanshya after they were teargassed by police
Luanshya residents in defiant mood after they were teargased by riot police
Luanshya residents in defiant mood after they were teargassed by riot police
Luanshya residents demonstrating against police intimidation
Luanshya residents demonstrating against police intimidation

62 COMMENTS

    • Zambians doing it for sliced Dandy Crazy’s vest.

      The Zambia Association of Musicians has spoken out against the barbaric attempted murder of musician Wesley Chibambo also known as Dandy Crazy in Mazabuka by United Party for National Development cadres. Dandy jumped a wall fence to escape from ‘blood thirsty’ UPND cadres. The cadres had sliced Dandy Crazy’s vest with knives to the cheer of HH.

      UPND stop your fantasy.

    • 1). UPND Cadres Assault Tayali
      “ACTIVIST Chilufya Tayali was yesterday assaulted by UPND cadres who fished him out of a Press briefing held by party President Hakainde Hichema at Cresta Golfview Hotel.”

      2). Police in Livingstone have arrested five more United Party for National Development (UPND) members in connection with the suspected murder of a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre last night.

      3). UPND slices Dandy Crazy’s vest in a murdering scheme.

    • After the national day of prayer and reconciliation. Now mr lungu should also know that these supporters also participated in prayer day. So this would tell everyone that the day of prayer was just a political launch pad an idea from bishop chomba which landed him a job as PS.

    • Is there freedom of assembly in Zambia?The PF’s unconstitutional rule should be condemned.The ruling party is using Gestapo methods to oppress Zambians.As 2016 approaches,the PF is going to use brutal methods to try and silence the opposition parties but such undemocratic tactics will fail to succeed.

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  1. Done for slicing of Dandy Crazy’s vest.

    Its nothing compared to the UPND cadre’s slicing of Dandy Crazy’s vest in Choma 51 years after independence.
    Sadly, HH has been its cheerleader with a deafening silence on condemning it.

    • It’s Mazabuka not Choma……lol. PF have Thugs too like Kamba, Chama, Dandy Crazy himself and many others.

  2. This is exactly wat upnd does to pf supporters in southern province..! How does it feel..? Those who live in class houses should not through stones..! Stop beating up pf supporters in your strong holds and u shall not be beaten up in others strong holds…!

  3. I declare interest in this particular sad story, since Luanshya is our home town, birth place and have relatives and investments there. The people actually can no longer wait to cast their vote (their voice). It is clear on their minds who to vote out, and who in turn, to vote in. They were some uncertain, but bo Inonge’s decree of banning UPND from crossing into the CB, has given the opposition a front foot. It is left to ones imagination the crowds that will gather in December, when the opposition is officially allowed to visit the CB. It is now about the very voters that are being tear gassed and battered; extremely hard to expect a vote in return…….I think, but I could be wrong, who knows.

  4. Hh is stupid… What better Zambia is he talking about….You sold companies with Chiluba ..today you even have the boldness to talk about the economy…. You animal.

    • You abuse your fellow Zambian, but you worship the IMF that sold you the structural adjustment program. What the fcuk is wrong with you people? Huh?
      You don’t say nothing about the whites who negotiated down from where HH recommended they should be. Don’t be a cu-nt!

      Ba cifita, PHD ikamipaya!

  5. Only in a banana republic like Zed do we teargas people gathered to advance their ideas and vision.Its only tyrant governments like GRZ who thrive in keeping their people ignorant.

  6. PF IS NOW SHOWING DESPERATION. WHAT REASON DO THEY HAVE FOR BANNING THE OPPOSITION FROM ADRESSING THIER SUPPORTERS IN ANY PART OF THE COUNTRY. IT IS OBVIOUS PEOPLE WANT CHANGE AND THE ARROGANCE OF LUNGU AND HIS COHORTS HAS CUAGHT UP WITH THEM. PEOPLE ARE FED UP OF THE PF INCOMPETENCE. NO AMOUNT OF INTIMIDATION OR UNDERHANDED TACTICS WILL STOP US NOW. THE PEOPLE WANT CHANGE. ITS OVER FOR PF!!!!!

  7. What is ECL scared of.this is clear abuse of the police,it will backfire on you.just allow HH to have his meetings and people will make their own decisions as to who to vote for. Zambia is not just for you and Esther who can’t spend a day at home,busy flying around and changing wigs and busy showing off her new acquired wardrobe at the expense of the huge suffering of Zambians.
    Iam disappointed with you Mr President,I thought you were above these type of behavior,.i honestly thought you would be a different leader something like late Madiba

  8. HH and his criminals deserve it, this isn’t a lawlessness country where you feel you are above the law. Do that in your house

  9. …scenes like these remind me of the chachacha days….bloggers under 50 may not understand what i’m referring to…so don’t comment otherwise… you were not there….
    …the last time HH was treated like this under MCS he went crying before the UN/AU/SADC…why cant he do the same now….
    …I wonder what goes thru ECL’s mind when reads such news…how about those in PF who believe in democracy…..When RB sorted out rioters in Western province…MCS literally camped there without any restrictions in the name of taking advantage of the situation then,,,,,

  10. @ Nubian Princess – iin the light of State repression on freedom and liberty, you choose to say that this is what HH likes. Anyway, much of what you have exhibited on this blogging site takes us back to the dark ages. You are cousins with PF ignorant sychophants who deem that governing is preoccupying yourself with eliminating the opposition at all costs. Together,
    you have no inkling or idea of what liberty or the rule of law means – nor any exercise of normal mental faculties that tell you that such action is the architect ofthe bbeginning of many a nations doomsday.

  11. ..advice to HH…if the restriction is CB only…if he cannot go to CB let CB go to him…organise a rally in Kapiri or Kabwe and hire buses to ferry CB sympathisers….period

  12. Two wrongs do not make a right but the UPND must itself stop assault of PF supporters in its Southern Province strongholds. PF is simply reciprocating and who will stand to lose because the PF strongholds have large populations and therefore a bigger voter base than the UPND strongholds…. They are shooting themselves in the foot or hoisting their own petard.

    • you are such a big liar and a big shame lungu has been inciting his hooligans known as cadres to harass innocent citizens because he is insecure if at all he has developed this country why has he resorted to violence?

  13. When a leader oppresses fellow Zambians like what KK used to say oppression of man by man and when a president fails to condemn the violence, I don’t care how good he may be in other areas. Such a leader needs to be removed from power. Sad that people like Dora who used to condemn police brutality under Sata are now quiet. Sad that we have people like the Nubian are able to condone such brutality from PF police & PF cadres. Imagine if the injured were your family members. What would you say? We condemn the Boers for imposing restrictions of blacks in their own land and some PF cadres in Diaspora are rejoicing at PF restrictions. What has the police not barred Lungu’s wife from going to Jembo? Is she not indirectly campaigning for Changwa there?

  14. PF was in opposition but I can’t remember them creating excitement among their members without political direction. Even five years before 2011 they had already established structures right upto Branch Levels and no wonder they managed to win elections in opposition2011. But if a Party like UPND, less than ten months before general elections , just to organise a Party Office Rarry they had to PA System the entire Luanshya town. This shows that the opposition Party doesn’t grassroots and still have a real challenge if forming Govt is their real dream

  15. PF is still ‘ruling’ instead of leading. This will bounce back like a boomerang the day you go looking for votes. Paranoia.

    Child: Why is tear gas only making the police cry?

    Parent: They’re not from Luanshya, dear. We grew up inhaling sulphur dioxide and are immune to stu.pidity

  16. Alah, kaili ifintu ni Lungu, you voted for him in multitudes so enjy the fruits of your sweat ba Kasai imwe mwativuta maningi!

  17. And we call ourselves a Christian when we’re always shedding blood. Where are the pastors, apostles, bishops and bishops to condemn violence? Are they busy singing praises to Lungu because of brown envelopes?

    • Exactly…and why are the pf using government property – helicopters – to do campaigning in the suthern province. First Sinazongwe and then Choma handing out pf regalia…….

  18. i didnt know that our IG libongani can sink so low. how can she allow her juniors to behav like bakolwe? she must think of how she got her promotion. wait 2016 is coming u “ll b fired.

  19. I would call it shallow or warped thinking by UPND supporters. In any democracy there is a party which is elected and mandated to govern. In a democracy people follow rules, regulations and procedures if people decide otherwise there will be chaos and that is anarchy. So ECL and the madam are people of Zambia they can be anywhere in the country even in Sourthen Province where ECL did not get votes.

  20. One President (Sata) said he and Mugabe are Siamese twins. The economic situation in Zambia now mirrors that of Zimbabwe.

    This political violence against opposition mirrors Mugabe’s unsatisfiable hunger to cling to power against voters wishes.

    Is this what our leader learnt from dictatorial Mugabe ? A visionless leader who follows a vision of a Siamese twin to Mugabe is more likely to be brutal, dictatorial and undemocratic.

    I pray for our 2016 elections to be divorced from the violence, intolerance that characterized past elections in twin Zimbabwe.

  21. KA CHAGWA LUNGU KAGWA KU COPPERBELT! A STRONG WIND OF CHANGE IS SWEEPING ACROSS COPPERBELT. NOW UPND RULES COPPERBELT, THANKS BE TO GOD. VIVA HH VIVA! VIVA UPND VIVA! VIVA LUANSHYA VIVA! 2016 VOTE HH. IT’S FLIGHT HH 2016!

  22. UPND is a violent party and they defied police advice to cause confusions and hope to attract public sympathy.The cow dung party will never be given votes on C/B no matter what……let them try nega nega in mazabuka.

  23. Police must always remain professional, regardless of which party they personally support. There are always better methods of crowd control, than the sensational south african apartheid era outdated methods they are exhibiting.

  24. Thank God our true living father,the God of Abraham,Isaac & Jacob who showed us who Lungu is, were not swayed by his called for prayer,fasting,reconciliation,without him repenting frm sin,God our father is still protecting our president HH,upnd team until 2016 when we remove this drunken master and his pf lack of vision frm govt,what a shame tear gassing pipo who employed u Chagwa plz think beyond yo nose,than acting in mugabe’s tutorial

  25. This is all thanks to Fred Membe, Mutembo Nchito, Matibini who ‘ushered’ in this barbaric lot and now want to do the same with Wynter Kabimba…’our micheal’…lelo lelo until 2020 this will be the way forward…WE WARNED YOU….but you had no ears…..

  26. Well we may be cool but certainly not stupid, let our beloved leader in govt pretend to ve some civility, we they shamelessly run after umwaiche mutembo nchito but it appears they ve no shame, Mushala might ve ruled better than our new found prophets

  27. Well we may be cool but certainly not stupid, let our beloved leaders in govt pretend to ve some civility, they shamelessly run after umwaiche mutembo nchito but it appears they ve no shame, Mushala might ve ruled better than our new found prophets

    • @UFO get it wright HH will be handed the instruments of power by Lungu next year in October,2016.Dont comit suicide so that you see that day.

  28. For LT to report in this fashion it means that things are bad and they (LT) can no longer support the PF and Zambia Police thuggery. What the opposition UPND should do is to document all these incidents for future prosecutions. Definitely the police commanders in charge of these police thugs will face the music for these deeds one day.

  29. Some dander head bloggers here keep on ranting that HH is not a factor on the Copperbelt, why are they blocking him why not allow him so that he embarrass himself with a low turnout of his supporters? To the contrary they are afraid that the man will pull crowd and that will send wrong signal to the rest of the country. CB is no longer a stronghold of PF that’s a fact. come 2016 bena bazalila maiwe.

  30. ZEDIAN HE DANDER HEAD Z U YOSELF.HH IS TRULY NOT A FAC TOR.ONLY THUGS WILL SUPPORT A THIEF.SERIOUS COPPERBLET RESIDENTS WERE AT WORK DURING THIS TIME OR CONDUCTING BUSINESSES.WE HAVE SEEN THER CADRES FOLLOWING HH’S MOTORCADE AND THESE ARE HUGS WITH NOTHING TO DO.

  31. Oooooh! Son of David have mercy on us.Is this truly the once peaceful Zambia I used to know? No I can no longer believe the happenings.Are these the positive answers of a NATIONAL PRAYER? Well that’s food for thought as we watch from the terraces.

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