By Raila Odinga
Last August, politicians across the Continent watched with mounting concern as the drama surrounding the elections in Zambia unfolded.
Without doubt the election result was close; many alleged it was stolen.
Hakainde Hichilema (HH), the leader of the main opposition party, the UPND, was arrested on charges of treason and so far, both the African and the wider international response have been muted.
Now is the time for African democrats to speak out.
The run up to the 2016 Zambian elections were acknowledged by election monitors to have been lopsided.
SHUT MEDIA OUTLETS
President Edgar Lungu’s Patriotic Front used state resources to support their cause, shut down media outlets, and deliberately disrupt the opposition campaign.
Even the EU election-observation mission noted that “the campaign period was marred by systematic bias in state media, which failed to provide fair and equitable coverage of the campaigns of all parties, limiting the possibility for voters to make an informed choice.”
Then once voting was over, the counting started to slow and numerous allegations of vote-rigging and tampering emerged. When the result was finally announced Lungu won by just 16,000 votes.
The UPND appealed to the constitutional court which eventually sat, first it postponed the hearing, and then, with a decision that defies justice, decided that the appeal was out of time and did not even consider the case.
There could easily been violent protests but the UPND, keen to play by the rules, kept their supporters in check despite the widespread feeling of electoral theft.
VIOLET PROTESTS
They still do not accept the result then, and many still do not today.
Now popular discontent with both the result and the very challenging economic circumstances faced by Zambia is on the rise.
Thus, in some respects it is unsurprising that last Tuesday the Zambian Police launched an aggressive assault on HH’s family compound using excessive violence, including CS gas, against his both his family and his employees.
H.H has now been detained, is charged with treason, and has been denied proper access to both his legal team and his family.
The pretext for this was a traffic incident involving the presidential motorcade: treason for a traffic incident – this speaks of vengeance not justice.
Frankly, the international response has been weak. Both the EU and the US have issued statements but in reality, are fixed on other more pressing international problems and will only up their engagement if stability appears threatened, which is a dangerous position to take.
CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Ruling parties don’t go easily, even when they lose. We know about this in Kenya, with the last two national elections in 2007 and 2013 the subject of rigging and, in the case of the former, extreme violence.
For these reasons we continue to urge critical engagement by Africa and the international community well before, during and after the polls.
Still, Afrobarometer records that democracy is the style of government that the vast majority of Africans want.
This is no surprise. Democracy has proven best at delivering both the economic growth and the stability we need, particularly as we face the challenges that stem from rapid population growth.
At its heart democracy is about a competition of ideas and it is that healthy competition that drives long-term, improved performance.
DISASTROUS ROUTE
The idea that one man and one party knows best and that all alternatives should be repressed has, throughout history, proven a disastrous route to follow.
We Africans need to stand up and be counted when democracy is under threat on our continent, whether it’s in Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Congo or my own country Kenya.
It is our destiny that is at stake. We need to be clear about what we want and what we will no longer put up with. The costs of doing nothing are huge.
What has been happening in Zambia must not pass without comment. It is a direct assault on Zambia’s democratic traditions and a stain on the continent’s record.
DEMOCRATIC PROGRESS
It has long-term costs for Zambians and other Africans alike. That much, too, should be recognised by those international actors and donors who profess to hold African development dear.
But the onus is on African politicians everywhere to speak out. When they don’t, their populations should be asking why not?
I would urge those in power in Zambia to take a step back from the brink and move back onto the path of democratic progress while they still can, before irreversible damage is done.
Quickly releasing HH would be a good first step for the cause of democracy in Zambia and Africa.
The Author is the former Prime Minister of Kenya and current Leader of the Opposition in Kenya
Utter nonsense, does this guy know why we have laws in this county?
HH looks happy in that free ride, keep him there.
Well articulate Munone.
You took the words out of my mouth.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
You misbehave alone and rot alone in jail.
tHIS IS NONSENSE HH SHALL BE FREE AND UPND SHALL EMERGE VICTORIUOS WATCH THIS SPACE.
Which Laws you *****? Masipa
HOW I WISH Raila Odinga CAN KEEP HIS FILTHY MOUTH SHUT. YOU DON’T JUST OPEN YOUR MOUTH WITH BAD BREATH IN PUBLIC FOR THE SAKE OF PUBLICITY. ZAMBIANS KNOW WHY THAT MAN MUST BE KEPT WHERE HE IS, NOW. HE MUST GO THROUGH DUE PROCESS OF ZAMBIA’S LAWS. ODINGA, IS IT WHAT YOU DO IN KENYA- AN ALLEGED CRIMINAL GETS RELEASED WITHOUT TRIAL? PLEASE, LET ZAMBIANS TALK ABOUT SOVEREIGN MATTERS. ZAMBIA HAS A LEGAL SYSTEM THAT WILL HANDLE HH’s CASE. HH HAS ALWAYS THOUGHT HAVING MONEY IS PASSPORT TO BEING UNTOUCHABLE. HIS ARREST AND PROSECUTION HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE. ZAMBIAN ARE QUIET BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE MAN’S LAWLESSNESS AND HIS LACK OF RESPECT FOR ELECTED AUTHORITIES EVEN WHEN HH HAS NEVER BEEN ELECTED IN HIS UPND PRESIDENTIAL OR ANY POSITION. SO, ODINGA JUST KEEP OUT OF THIS. ZAMBIA DOESN’T NEED…
“… and so far, both the African and the wider international response have been muted.”
YES, THEY INDEED ARE. And for good reasons! Days of BLIND SUPPORT for ‘TINPOT’ OPPOSITION LEADERS just because they are in opposition around the world are long gone. Just because someone is an opposition leader does not make one IMMUNE to the LAWS of the Land/Country in which they operate.
In fact, I am surprised that people like this loon, Raila Odinga, don’t understand why the response is muted. Bwana Odinga, days are gone when access to information from and on Africa was difficult and hard to find. Hence scrupulous and shady politicians of your ilk where able to EASILY MANIPULATE FACTS, EVIDENCE and NARRATIVE to dupe the world. Fortunately, this is NOT the case in the age of the INTERNET…
continue:
.. Information and facts are available, almost instantaneously, to anyone around the globe who cares and wants to know what is going on the continent of Africa, and Zambia in particular. So people and leaders around the world saw for themselves the STUP!D and CRIMINAL behavior of the buffoon (HH) in Mongu. Facts and evidence (video) you Mr. Odinga or anybody else, including the criminal himself (HH), can not manipulate or hide from the world.
In fact it is HH himself who first (if I am not mistaken) posted video evidence on his Facebook page in the hope of trying to boast to his cadre sycophants that the PRESIDENCY of Edgar Lunga MEANS NOTHING to him. Forgetting that the Presidency in any Country on earth is an INSTITUTION and not about the INDIVIDUAL—hence the…
continue:
… conundrum HH finds himself in today. And this is the reason why serious leaders and reasonable friends of Zambia around the world are mute. GET IT?!
By the way, who told this Kenyan, Odinga, that Democracy is the OBSCENE OF THE RULE OF LAW? Or the freeing of suspects without trail? And who has such CONSTITUTIONAL powers in a Democracy to do such a thing (freeing suspects)? CERTAINLY NOT THE PRESIDENT—I bet, not even in Kenya can such a thing be allowed to happen. So, Mr. Odinga, Zambia is a Country with relatively mature systems and processes to handle its own business when it comes to CRIMES. Ichilema is not the first (nor the last) person to face charges of TREASON in the history of our Country. And our Judiciary has always risen and adequately met the challenge…
continue:
… of dispensing justice. SO BUTT OUT!!!!
…ZAMBIAN ARE QUIET BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE MAN’S LAWLESSNESS AND HIS LACK OF RESPECT FOR ELECTED AUTHORITIES EVEN WHEN HH HAS NEVER BEEN ELECTED IN HIS UPND PRESIDENTIAL OR ANY POSITION. SO, ODINGA JUST KEEP OUT OF THIS. ZAMBIA DOESN’T NEED YOU.
Don’t believe a word from Raila Odinga ,he’s a power hungry liar .He lost by wide margin in 2013 and he engineered the Kenyan bloodbirth of 2008.His flawed barometer says “its true democracy only if i win”
@2: I’m sure you were going to sing praises for Odinga if he supported the arrest of HH.
ODINGA IS JUST A WRONG PERSON TO COMMENT ON ZAMBIA’S DEMOCRACY WHICH HE HAS NEVER ADVOCATED FOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY. LET PEOPLE WITH DEMOCRATIC BLOOD IN THEM COMMENT ON ZAMBIA THE LIBERATER. PERIOD.
“Mr Odinga was yesterday quoted in some sections of the local media as having said that the quick release of Mr Hichilema would be the first good step to promote democracy in Zambia and Africa.”
ODINGA’s DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY IS, ‘THE QUICK RELEASE OF ALLEGED CRIMINALS WITHOUT TRIAL’. NONSENSE.
Odinga has spoken well. What has he said that is nonsense? There’s a complaint s Woodlands Police against officers who arrested HH for damage and theft at his home.The same officers who killed Mark Choonga and have locked up several people for fake reasons.Instances of abuse of power are numerous space is too little to document. The Kasama raid on GBM residence in similar manner and loss of money.This is not about UPND,I don’t support UPND,but wrong is wrong. If UPND is bad let the people see by themselves not FORCE by POLICE.
Yes he has spoken well. But speaking well while mixing up separate issues does not make what he is saying factual or his demands attainable or lawful.
How does the manner in which HH was arrested negate the crimes he is accused of? Fixing how the Police conducts themselves during arrests is one thing. CLAIMING HH never committed a crime and should be released as a function of the alleged Police misconduct and a litany of pre-election shenanigans is really clutching at the proverbial straws.
Very wise words from raila. A true son of Africa. Even Zuma told off lungu at the just ended summit in South Africa. Zambia is a dictatorship. Am so embarrassed
Unless the world accepts disrespect, they will speak. There in no country in the world were the President is called a Clueless Hyena. There is no country in the world were a President is constantly insulted. There is no country in the world were a Presidential motor cade is insulted and a fake security instructs his vehicle to move into the way of the Presidential motor cade. There is no country in the world were a losing candidate claims to take over power after a court hearing. Odinga is just one of those losers who created killings in Kenya and no one will listen to such satanic voices. There are many Zambians who do not agree with the behavior of HH and UPND towards the presidency regardless of the possible irregularities in the elections which by the way even Trump claimed of illegal…
Unless the world accepts disrespect, they will speak. There in no country in the world were the President is called a Clueless Hyena. There is no country in the world were a President is constantly insulted. There is no country in the world were a Presidential motor cade is insulted and a fake security instructs his vehicle to move into the way of the Presidential motor cade. There is no country in the world were a losing candidate claims to take over power after a court hearing. Odinga is just one of those losers who created killings in Kenya and no one will listen to such satanic voices. There are many Zambians who do not agree with the behavior of HH and UPND towards the presidency regardless of the possible irregularities in the elections which by the way even Trump claimed of illegal…
@mamba, remember ‘crooked Hillary?’ Lets learn to differentiate between rhetoric and reality. Bring charges for a case committed not calling it something else.
Where’s a full statement of Zuma. When did Zuma become a darling for the UPND?
Let the world speak but let upnd realise dat its not the world dat vote for leaders. Its the citizens of those countries
WE never voted for Lungu if you did say i voted for Lungu NOT we please!
Mmmm @Kaputo Davies, where did @chandwa peter say “WE” voted for Lungu? READ HIS SIMPLE AND SHORT POST AGAIN?
Don’t always assume anybody who says anything contrary to your UPND sycophantic way of seeing things “VOTED” or is a support of PF or Lungu. This is why you people NEVER take advice and will always LOSE elections in Zambia—because @chandwe’s advice is simple yet profound—but what does he get from UPND clueless sickles?…RUBBISH!
iwe chi Davies… a typical tonga cattle herder who cant read… just sees HHHH everywhere.
I also voted for ECL so it makes …WE…fine . You kachema and your clan is excluded and we don’t ECL does not need Kachema votes. WENYO!
“Edgar Lungu’s hatred for hichilema is unbelievable; this guy has so much hatred in his head. You block your father from visiting a patient in hospital, and yet you want people to praise you as Christian. I have not seen this in my entire life. Blocking Dr. KK from seeing Hichilema is a bad sign for Zambia” said scott.
@Semekila, it is the other way round, HH is the one who hates ECL or havent’ you heard how HH insults venom at ECL? where did you hear ECL insult HH? Tell us now or forever hold your fire!
The desperation of UPND for international attention is sickening! I expect Raila Odinga to disown this post with the contempt it deserves as fake news!
Let the disgraceful Kenyan loser concentrate on his election campaign in his country where again this year, he is going to be walloped…
the price of insolence
Well said Mzee Odinga! The World must speak up and take practical measures to stop Dictator Lungu from driving Zambia into a Civil War. Lungu has fixed his mind to eleminating his main opponent HH and establishing a One Man Party Dictatorship and Rule Zambia with an Iron Fist.Lungu’s rising Dictatorship Is violating all our Human Rights. HH is being punished for Petitioning the 2016 Election Results and refusing to recognize Lungu as Legitimate President b4 the Petition is heard.Lungu knows he stole the Election and any Petition Hearing in Court will reveal this and convict him for Electoral Theft and Treason for abrogating the Zambian Constitution. Hence Lungu will never allow the Petition to be heard in Court. Instead Lungu has resolved to kill the Petition by imprisoning or killing…
Are these the purveyors of true democracy? What a laughing stock!
Was it the world driving?the world don’t intervene in criminal cases.
Can’t read this rubbish .HH is going through the courts of law and nothing wrong with the process. If HH is not guilty or not found guilty he has the right to sue the government and then everyone will support him. We can’t be talking about misbehaving of the biggest opposition leader as good for democracy, which democracy. Why must he not lead by example. If what HH is going through is not fair then there is no law in Zambia. Leave everything to the court of law.
JUST WHEN I REACHED:”…Then once voting was over, the counting started to slow and numerous allegations of vote-rigging and tampering emerged. When the result was finally announced Lungu won by just 16,000 votes…” I STOPPED READING, THIS 1DIOT IS A WASTE OF TIME, NO WONDER KENYANS CAN NEVER ALLOW SUCH LOW CALIBRE LEADERS TO RULE THEM!!!
Mr Raila Odinga has vast experience in politics and in administration of Government in Kenya. We know that the Luos, Akambas and Kikuyus have a fair share of intellectuals able to interpret national and international issues rationally.
Mr. Odiga’s experience in Govt should have prompted him to consult the Kenyan Embassy in Zambia to get the correct facts on the political and economic status in Zambia. This is the man who is hoping to be Kenya’s President, a country that is economically tied to the SADC Region. If Oginda were to be next Kenyan President how will his Govt interact with SADC and Zambia in particular? Odinga is mounting on a flawed diplomatic course to isolate Kenya from SADC economically.
Odinga has spoken. SADC and Zuma have told Lungu the same but as a Stobborn Rising Dictator he is defying them. Lungu is now acting like a mental Patient.His obsession with killing HH is unprecedented for a normal person. Lungu is failing to see the dire consequences of killing or harming HH. HH’s dead body will not recognize Lungu as President and millions of his followers and right thinking Zambians will not recognize Lungu’s Presidency either. The economy will collapse and Zambia will be engulfed into a Civil War. Lungu and his Cabal will be sanctioned and indicted to ICC for committing crimes against humanity. Lungu and his Cabal will suffer the same fate as Habre and Lorrent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast. Cant Lungu and his Advisers see this coming? #Release HH and let the Petition be…
@15Mwansa..May be you have to understanding better international politics before you equate Gbagbo’s fate to that Hissen Habre and then before you even Lungu can have the same fate. Gbagbo is at the ICC at the instigation of France b’coz he is patriot who wanted France to cede its overwhelming control of the Ivorian economy into the hands of Ivorians and other international players. Habre is facing the African Union courts as a payback for having been a stooge of both France and America during the cold war. They used him to kill his own people to stay in power to safeguard American and French interests but later abandon after the end of the cold war. They agreed to let him be tried in Africa since he was their tool rather than humiliate him at the ICC like Gbagbo since the latter was…
The hate in this so called Christian Country is nauseous!
All in the name of tribal Stu**pidity!
HH does not deserve this sh***T.
Raila’s father, Oginga Odinga, was a formidable Kenyan politician whose political philosophy is embodied in the book he wrote titled: “NOT YET UHURU” Raila’s father could not have sunk so low to the level of serving the interests western ideologies that seek to perpetually ridicule the African States.
We can only speculate that Raila Oginda, at the advice of former President Obasanjo, has chosen to pick on criticizing Zambia with a devilish prayer to seek money from the Anglo-American’s Brenthurst Foundation to prop up his election campaign in Kenya. The African Union must note that Kenya and Southern Rhodesia was planned to be British Colonies, but the independence of these two countries has never pleased the colonialists.
@17 Not yet..I think you meant..”must note that Kenya and Southern Rhodesia was planned to be British SETTLER COUNTRIES, but the independence of these two countries has never pleased the colonialists”
i will read ater but we need support from people like Odinga and the whole world need to confront Changwa and his cronies
Why are the PF kaponyas not disputing the ” lungu won by 16,000 votes “
That shows you the mediocrity of the article. He is even lying on numbers. Where did he get 16,000. This was around the number for the by election. And you call such a lair seasoned politician. no WONDER Kenya CANT ELECT HIM for fear of misrepresentation of numbers
RAILA HAS CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO GROWTH OF KENYA’s DEMOCRACY, picking up from his father Oginga Odinga. HOWEVER, his recent political engagements have demonstrated HIS DESIRE TO GET INTO POWER FOR POSSIBLE RETRIBUTION BASED ON ETHNICITY. In 2008 he partnered with the now Vice President William Ruto in coalition of Luos and Kalenjins in a bid to “oust” Kikuyus from power. He later fell out with Ruto and thus lost the support of Kalenjins,the 3rd largest ethnic group after Kikuyus,Luos and the largest miniority. In 2013, both Ruto and Uhuru were facing the ICC charges and Raila thot he would sweep the polls bcoz of that and uniting all miniorities against the Uhuru-Ruto coalition-he lost! He was OVER SUPPORTED BY THE WEST thus the LOCAL POPULATION REJECTED HIM AS SELL OUT! ..continued..
The danger in life is failure to listen to your enemies because you presume that nothing good can come from them. It is easier to label your enemy with bad names than give your friends hot coals.
Remember King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon….
Can this generation of bloggers be wiser than the generation of old folks like KK, Odinga, VJ,Thabo Mbeki, Zuma, Mandela etc… Today there are more insults than KK era…
Mandela’s fight was not only against white dominion but also black dominion. It is easier for blackman to mistreat fellow blackman than the white man mistreat blackman. It is racism or apartheid white man mistreat blackman but democracy if blackman to mistreat fellow blackman.
See how our leaders treat white investor and foreigners like Dangote… The local investors…
See how our leaders treat white investor and foreigners like Dangote… The local investors are called s.a.t.a.n.i.s.ts……. if an individual owns more cows than Luapulaprovince cows(10,000), we call such an individual as Kachema, s.a.t.a.n.i.s.ts, tribalist…. What a shame
Truly Zambians let us work hard and develop our country…..
It’s like some people on this forum are paid/employed to make stupid comments; especially on UPND;
regardless of the news article making sense or not…
We have people opposing a statement that would benefit themselves and their country….
The idiocy levels are quite alarming…
continued.. Raila petitioned results BUT FAILED to show concrete evidence in the allocated time for disputing Uhuru’s win. His arguments were most of the time far fetched,thus his petition was dismissed for LACKING SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. RAILA CANNOT SAY: “Quickly releasing HH would be a good first step for the cause of democracy in Zambia and Africa”!! The DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW HAS ALREADY STARTED TO EITHER FREE OR CONVICT HH! HOW can he be RELEASED unless the prosecution say they have no case(which can be done if the President persuades the DPP to do so) BUT bcoz of HH’s ABUNDANT INSULTS TO THE PRESIDENCY AND OTHER STATE INSTITUTIONS,THE MONGU VIDEO WHICH HAS GONE PUBLIC COMPLICATES HIS CASE TO BE RELEASE UNDER THE “NOLLE PROSEQUI”
Any well meaning Zambian who has watched the barbaric behaviour Hakainde and his people exhibited in Mongu cannot support that. Apart from blocking the presidential motorcade UPND cadres were even uttering insults to the Presidential motorcade! Where on earth do you see such courage for a citizen to behave like that? That is insolence at its highest magnitude that should be punishable!
@ VYAKULOLAVYE,
What barbaric behaviour exactly? If you genuinely claim you mean well, and you are referring to the video clips on You tube, kindly point out what in your opinion is treasonable about what you see? The video clips are self-evident i.e. two convoys of vehicles are going at moderate speed because that stretch of road is in a residential area as evidenced by houses along it. One convoy overtakes the other. The vehicle supposedly carrying Lungu has its side-window wound down because it is safe to do so.
If you read the exact wording of the treason charge and you genuinely mean well and you stand for objective truth, then kindly point out what precisely is treasonable about this whole event. Please clarify from the legal point of view.
@Brabus: “…two convoys of vehicles are going at moderate speed because that stretch of road is in a residential area as evidenced by houses along it. One convoy overtakes the other. The vehicle supposedly carrying Lungu…”
FROM YOUR SENTENCE, IT IS CLEAR YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY COUNTRY HAS WHAT THEY CALL STATE PROTOCOL. AS IT HAS HAPPENED, ONE CONVOY WITH THE VEHICLE “SUPPOSEDLY CARRYING LUNGU” IS WHAT HAS MADE THE PERSON IN THE OTHER CONVOY SQUAT IN A METER SQUARE SPACE IN CHIMBOKAILA AND NOT SLEEP COMFORTABLY IN HIS MANSION NEXT TO HIS WIFE. IF IT WAS A CASUAL ROAD CONVOY MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN TWO COMMON CITIZENS, YOU COULD HAVE EVEN GONE TO THE upnd SECRETARIATE TO SHAKE HANDS WITH hh. AS AT NOW, HE HAS TO SQUAT NEXT TO A SMELLY LATRINE UNTIL YOU ALL REALISE WHO…
…”LUNGU” REALLY IS!!
@Zambian Citizen,
LOL – State protocol? Are you serious? Yangu ba Zambian Citizen wesu, do you actually know what TREASON is? And do you know the legal difference between committing TREASON and breaking State protocol?
Listen, please read and understand the difference. You, my friend, are arguing from serious mind-bending ignorance. Ala fimo muletala mwacita research before you blog. Education is important and knowledge is power. Your ignorance explains why you fail to see that the YouTube Clips do NOT provide evidence for the alleged treason. If anything they prove the opposite as I explained earlier @25.1. You missed the plot.
And the fact that you shout (CAPS) and use derogatory terms when you blog speaks volumes about your lack of capacity to debate like a mature adult.
Ofcourse I know what treason is according to Zambian Laws. Your explanation in 25.1 where you refer to the Republican President as “Lungu” is exactly the insolence that got hh in trouble in the first place. I have not used any derogatory terms but I am merely elaborating the unfortunate position hh has found himself in due to the same insolence. You upnd people and supporters believe you are more educated and better than the rest of us Zambians but all your knowledge condemned your petition to failure and landed your childish leader in jail. You have no respect for the state and other Zambians and that is why you remain bitter and blog rubbish each time a national issue arises. You are despicable creatures, you lot!!!
@Zambian Citizen,
Good you are showing maturity by not shouting. Also noteworthy you now comprehend a treason charge and breaking state protocol are legally two distinctly separate issues. It’s also noteworthy you have FAILED to point out any segment of the YouTube video clips that can be admissible as evidence to legally support the treason charge because there is none. If anything, the inconvenient truth is the video clips prove to the contrary, as I explained @25.1
Now, what’s this about Lungu? LOL – So, calling Lungu Lungu is now insolent and treasonable? Seriously? Are you on medication of some sort or what? Look, your vain attempt to re-invent the meaning of ‘treason’ will not wash, my friend. I now agree with Zuma, most African politicians are title-maniacs. Obama also noted…
Cont’d … Obama also noted the same thing. This is one of the reasons Mandela, who resisted titles, stood out and commanded respect. Ba Zambian Citizen, get a life!. You earn respect in life. you don’t demand it. Period.
As I said earlier, you upnd people think you are smarter and better than the rest of Zambians. No wonder your lawyers are busy wasting time on preliminaries just like they did during the petition. Let me show you this:
Treason is addressed in chapter 87 of the Penal Code Act, under Part II for Crimes and Offences Against Public Order, Section 42 (1) (a) through (f):
43. (1) A person is guilty of treason and shall be liable to suffer death who
(a) prepares or endeavours to overthrow by unlawful means the Government as by law established; or
(b) prepares or endeavours to procure by force any alteration of the law or policies of the Government; or
(c) prepares or endevours to procure by force the setting up of an independent state in ant part of Zambia from the Repblic; or
(d)…
(d) prepares or endevours to carry out by force any enterprise which usurps the executive power of the state in any matter of both a public and a general nature; or
(e) incites or assists any person to invade Zambia with armed force or unlawfully to submit any part of Zambia to attack by land, water or air, to assist in the preparation of any such invasion or attack; or
(f) in time of war and with intent to give assistance to the enemy, does any act which is likely to give such assistance.
Now if you remember, in the mast on the Monday or Tuesday that followed the weekend of the kuomboka, the headline read “THE DAYS OF LUNGU IN STATE HOUSE ARE GETTING SHORTER…” while a sub heading read “our time to state house is very near…” or something like that. This was reported from a…
…press briefing when hh addressed his supporters in Mongu during the Kuomboka. These events and the subsequent blocking of the Presidential not “Lungu’s” Motorcade is what culminated into the unfortunate predicament hh finds himself in today. If the “dull” prosecution lawyers (as you intelligent and educated upnd supporters call them!!) can prove to the High court any of the above clauses in the Penal Code, your hh is in for a long time.
I trust that what I have written above will help you understand the genesis of the treason case our generation has been previleged to witness. As the video clip was taken on the hh motorcade to show the worsd and embarass “Lungu”, it has proved his s.t.u.pidity and childishness in politics and has him squatting next to a latrine and has his…
…supporters wondering who this “Lungu” really is!!!
@Zambian Citizen,
LOL – This is very funny to say the least. More like Bikiloni or Dificoti trying to show evidence of treason.
Firstly, you said HH’s treason charge is based on breaking State Protocol, but failed to point to any admissible evidence. You then changed and said the treason charges are based on calling Lungu by his name, but again failed to make a legal argument to support your assertion.
Now, your latest invention, you say the treason charge is based on reports in the Mast newspaper?…and HH’s mythical blocking of the road? And you do a copy-and-paste of the whole section on treason in the Penal Code, instead of a specific clause or two, to prove what ..?…. It only proves that you have miserably FAILED to point to any admissible evidence to support any of the…
Cont’d ..
Cont’d…. any of the clauses in the entire treason section. So now you are trying to gloss over it.
You have the same IQ as the State witnesses who appeared in court today-Wednesday- for cross examination. Hilarious.
this fool called odinga where did he get this 16000 votes figure? is he mad? according to statistings how can hh win an election with just 57mp’s against 92 mps for pf? very dull odinga & his updn kalusa chair man!
QUOTE: “Then once voting was over, the counting started to slow and numerous allegations of vote-rigging and tampering emerged. When the result was finally announced Lungu won by just 16,000 votes.” I have never seen a dull man like this i.diot. In his dreams Lungu won by 16,000 votes. If you don’t have anything to say just shut up you silly masai
Odinga is not a member of an NGO or a pressure group but is a leader of a political party aspiring to form the next govt as such it is not within the diplomatic eticate to comment on the affairs of a sovereign state concerning criminal matters without going through official channels.
That in itself shows that he does not understand how governments operate so conferring him with titles like politician of international repute is abusing the terminology.
@ 25. VYAKULOLAVYE,
What barbaric behaviour exactly? If you genuinely claim you mean well, and you are referring to the video clips on You tube, kindly point out what in your opinion is treasonable about what you see? The video clips are self-evident i.e. two convoys of vehicles are going at moderate speed because that stretch of road is in a residential area as evidenced by houses along it. One convoy overtakes the other. The vehicle supposedly carrying Lungu has its side-window wound down because it is safe to do so.
If you read the exact wording of the treason charge and you genuinely mean well and you stand for objective truth, then kindly point out what precisely is treasonable about this whole event.
Raila Odinga is another professional looser we have in East Africa just like you have in Zambia. I can say Odinga is my brother for I am mixed blood Zambian/ East African born in Zambia. I witnessed the Zambian elections of 2016 and I can assure everyone that Edgar Lungu won genuinely. He won support from 7 out of 10 provinces. HH won landslide victory but in 3 provinces ONLY. This is simple.
Raila Odinga is another professional looser we have in East Africa just like you have HH in Zambia. I can say Odinga is my brother for I am mixed blood Zambian/ East African born in Zambia. I witnessed the Zambian elections of 2016 and I can assure everyone that Edgar Lungu won genuinely. He won support from 7 out of 10 provinces. HH won landslide victory but in 3 provinces ONLY. This is simple.
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Iwe MW ACH I USA the world is mute because they know rebel HH is wrong. Same thing will happen to you if you dispute the coming election results.
Today it is HH tomorrow…..there must be bail available for all cases. Even dictator Mugabe has bail available for Treason!
He who laughs last laughs the loudest. May the almighty continue protecting HH the true son of Zambia. Long Live HH Long live UPND. We will surely win this little battle. Be brave papa. Operation purification is on please i beg you don’t revenge when the battle is won for vengeance belongs to the almighty.
@25.2 Zambian Citizen,
LOL – State protocol? Are you serious? Yangu ba Zambian Citizen wesu, do you actually know what TREASON is? And do you know the legal difference between committing TREASON and breaking State protocol?
Listen, please read and understand the difference. You, my friend, are arguing from serious mind-bending ignorance. Ala fimo muletala mwacita research before you blog. Education is important and knowledge is power. Your ignorance explains why you fail to see that the YouTube Clips do NOT provide evidence for the alleged treason. If anything they prove the opposite as I explained earlier @25.1. You missed the plot.
And the fact that you shout (CAPS) and use derogatory terms when you blog speaks volumes about your lack of capacity to debate like a mature adult.
What vengeance can he mount 7 against 3 that will be political suicide that will force him to go into exile.Zambians will not fight each other they will only fight enemies of peace.When will HH grow up and understand that there is victory in defeat.All these outside forces forcing him to fight on are serving themselves at his expense.Wake up and smell the coffee.