Thursday, March 28, 2024

Fire trucks protests set for Friday despite Police objection

Share

Organizers of the Fire trucks protests set for Friday
Organizers of the Fire trucks protests set for Friday

Police in Lusaka have advised the Joint Action for Accountability in Zambia not to proceed with their planned protest at Parliament this Friday over the controversial procurement of the 42 fire tenders.

Organisation Chairperson Laura Miti disclosed at a media briefing in Lusaka that police yesterday advised them not to go ahead with the protest but put their grievances in writing to the relevant authorities.

Ms. Miti said the police also advised the grouping not to demonstrate as they risk being attacked by rival groups because the placards they will be displaying are likely to have insulting language.

But Ms. Miti go said the organization is going ahead with its peaceful protest at Parliament this Friday because the reasons advanced by the police are unconstitutional.

She has since urged members of the public to turn up in large numbers and dress in national colors.

Below is the full statement

CITIZEN DEMONSTRATION TO DEMAND FULL DISCLOUSURE OF PUBLIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRIOCESSES LEADING TO PURCHASE OF 42 FIRE TENDERS FOR $42 MILLION

 

Press Statement – 26 September 2017
Alliance for Community Action Offices

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we would like to take the opportunity this morning to introduce to you the Joint Action for Accountability in Zambia (JAAZ).

JAAZ is an initiative that seeks to combine the voices of civil society organisations as well as citizen actors advocating for strengthened public resource accountability in Zambia.
In particular, this morning JAAZ seeks to provide details for its first activity, which is a peaceful demonstration planned for this Friday the 29th of September, at Parliament.

The planned demonstration will demand that the full public resource management processes that led to the purchase of the 42 fire trucks by the Ministry of Local government at a cost of 42 million US dollars, be opened to public scrutiny.

It is the collective view of the parties to JAAZ that the budgetary choice making and procurement process of the fire engines represents the kind of imprudent use and mismanagement of public resources that must be brought to an end if the quality of life of ordinary Zambian citizens is to improve. It is a mismanagement of resources that the country can ill afford.

We would like to make mention of the fact that in accordance with the provisions of section 5 subsection (4) of the Public Order Act, Chapter 113 of the Laws of Zambia, the Alliance for Community Action, on behalf of wider civil society, on Wednesday 20 September, notified the police of its intention to hold the peaceful demonstration.

Yesterday, the 25th of September, the ACA was called to Lusaka Central Police where they were told that the police would not allow the protest for the following reasons:

1) The police were of the view that the matters that were to be raised through the demonstration should be put down in a letter to the appropriate authority or other ways found to communicate with government

2) Citizens could not be allowed to protest at Parliament

3) That some placards could have insulting language

4) Demonstrators could be attacked by counter protestors. The police command were asked to put their response in writing, something which they have not yet done.

JAAZ would like to take this opportunity to notify Zambians that the peaceful protest will proceed as planned this Friday, 29 September for the following reasons:

1) The reasons given by the police for preventing the peaceful demonstration for which they were given timely notification, are all unconstitutional. The law does not allow the police to decide how citizens will exercise their right to be heard.

2) It is the constitutional right of citizens to protest and the duty of the police to facilitate that protest

3) The matter for which JAAZ would like to lead citizens in protest is critical and of public concern and citizens have chosen budget day to call attention to Members of Parliament of their duty to protect public resources. There is no justifiable reason why citizen cannot stand quietly on Parliament road with placards that articulate their concerns

4) Once the police have been duly notified in a timely manner, the law does not allow them to refuse permission for any of the reasons verbally given to ACA.

JAAZ takes this opportunity to call on the police to carry out their mandate to facilitate this citizen protest. The convenors of this protest are not interested in defying the police. Our objective is to carry out our constitutional right and duty to call the attention of elected leaders to an issue in our democracy that we are concerned about.
We further call on the Members of Parliament from both the ruling and opposition parties to speak up and defend the constitutional right of citizens to be heard and to engage them

JAAZ calls on members of the general public to turn out in large numbers for this peaceful demonstration dressed up in the colours of the flag.

The hashtag for the event will be #42for42Demo

Organizers of the Fire trucks protests set for Friday

58 COMMENTS

  1. I have seen pictures of those fire tenders, they look more like sewage tankers. $1million each ? You cannot be serious! LT show those photos again and draw comparison with state of the art fire tenders worth much less. This is Grand Theft Extreme!!!

    • So the PFOLICE have said that these protesters must put “their grievances in writing to the relevant authorities.”.. but they themselves cannot give their objections in writing !!!!!! Hypocrites !!

      These people have every right to protest. Zambia Police, just do your job. Being Lungus dogs is dishonourable, unpatriotic and a disgrace to mother Zambia.

      You should be investigating the fraud and corruption that has provoked these protests, not trying to suppress them!

    • Protests or no protests, Zambia is living and enduring perhaps the most wasted years of the republic. But what do you expect from a shoal of fish whose head is rotten? Zambians have no one to blame but themselves for entrusting the presidency to arguably the most incompetent, undeserving and clueless president to have emerged from Zambia, even Africa, and most likely the world. Tribalistic Zambians deserve the leadership sewage flowing through Zambia’s treasury.This Firetruch purchase is an open stinking transaction. Now imagine the transactions Zambians do not know about, and may never know. Sad.

    • @Maximus, you should have ended your comment with by Nostra.
      Because I wrote that on Monday, and got 39 points. But its OK, let’s continue hammering them. Kapyongo is in trouble, and broking protesters will just make it worse.

  2. Comment:
    Laura Miti: she once predicted that Michael Sata would never become president of Zambia. And she also predicted that Barack Obama would never become president of the United States. SAD predictions!!!

  3. So the Zambian police are against probity ,integrity and clean running of govt affairs? Are they against the best interests of the Zambian taxpayers?

    The fire trucks tender and the Lsk-Ndola contracts stink of massive corruption.

    • That is the only way to stop the bucket (treasury) from further leaks of cash. I am made to believe that public reaction to the fire fighters deal has sent shivers through the nichekeleko community. Deals are being cancelled or delayed until further notice. Power Of The People At Work.

  4. This girl has just realised hh is not going anywhere. after pf hazz will take over.

    she knows the price of a Lamborghini butterfly doors. a car that a black guy from American ghetto drives after rapping unpritables. what more a fire engine.

    she is just politicking

  5. Protesters should go ahead. These are civil society groups which are the only alternative to offering checks and balances. Political parties have now turned tribal.

  6. the car ka mukuni drives is more expensive than these fire trucks.

    Any way JAAZ is alternative political party. upendi is a tribal party. it will never form government

    • @Laughing matter. Mukuni used his money to buy the car. He did not steal from anyone. You must know the difference. He has every right to do what he wants with his money. On the other hand, the money used to buy the fire trucks is our money. They’re trying to steal money which we work hard to give them for doing nothing. My guess is that you’ve never even paid PA in your life.

    • You can also buy yourself an expensive fire truck from your mothers money. Don’t forget to include a Toyota Hilux, Range Rover and Toyota Landcruiser VX from the change.

  7. That’s Zambians for you always sleeping …this Tender was in the papers two years ago and I remember disagreeing about the amount, even Parliament was aware that would have been the best time to protest but all no you wait until you actually see the goods. It just goes to show we have a poor reading culture!!

  8. WHAT ABOUT ALLOWING THEM TO PROTEST BUT JUST IGNORE THEM. INSTEAD OF CURTAILING THEM. OR WHAT ABOUT DELIVERING A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF HOW THE EXPENSIVE TRUCKS WERE BOUGHT?
    ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE SEEN MANY SUCH PROTESTS YIELD NOTHING. THE BLACK FRIDAYS, THE HOOTINGS ON FRIDAYS ETC ALL HAVE GONE INTO THE ANNALS OF HISTORY AS ACTIVITIES THAT YIELDED NOTHING. SO ALLOW THE CHAPS TO DEMONSTRATE EVEN NAKED IF THEY WANT. IS IT NOT THEIR RIGHT?

  9. JAAZ is a small party working with Upnddonkeys. So what? Come 2021 ifintu ni Lungu. Chinkonko mwikate owe alalila owe. Continue dreaming.

    • It is tulu, Polofesa!!!2021 tule dununa again. Laura Miti??? The pessimist who has all the bad things to say about her country; Pilato, the foul mouthed upnd cadre??? Please, these characters are an abomination to the country!!! Police are right, they should use appropriate channels: ZPPA?? Parliament?? Why don’t they put pressure on parliament instead on why the Public Protector isn’t functional??? Total waste of time, Laura Miti missing the oasis forum heydays and trying hard to revive them.

    • Call them what you want but they are Zambians too. This patch of land called Zambia doesn’t belong to you alone but all of us including people perceived to be tribalists. We all are stakeholders.

  10. OK, WHAT MAKES THIS WORSE IS THE FACT THAT SALARIES HAVE ALSO DELAYED. WHAT IS HAPPENING?
    WAS THE MONEY SPENT ON THESE TRUCKS OR ON BY-ELECTIONS OR ON THE TRIP TO USA?

  11. It is so sad that in Zambia, Police are giving themselves authority they do not have. And this continues and happens everyday as if it is normal. And it appears there is absolutely nobody to guide them.

  12. Kapoyongo and chitotela will send their paid thugs to attack the protesters……..

    You can guarantee lungu pocketed in the region of 5 to 10 million dollars in this deal.
    That is why he is silent and stayed in Angola and will never do a thing about this…..kambwili is right , lungu is a theif.

  13. Poor country!where on earth can u procure useless fire trucks at that price?I have never seen such poor minds in the world.pipo are being taxed heavely but nothing is happening.Lungu is now taking us for granted after voting for him.What made me vote MMD out was because of corruption.Ba Lungu we voted for u so that u can improve lives of Zambians not to consolidate your staying in power.We’ll see 2021.If you’ll won’t be lack jail is waiting for you.We Zambians are not happy.You have destroyed my party PF.U should have humanity before procuring certain things.We still love PF but the leadership you’re offering is a sham to the nation.It’s like everyone is enjoying stealing govt money.U can’t even control ministers bcoz u’re part of them.We are paying too much to govt in terms of…

    • Moscow, some of us are not against PF or for UPND but are against the immoral, rotten leadership of lungu.

      Lungu has destroyed all institutions for good governance in Zambia. Any credibility of the judiciary, police and other ministries is gone.

      At this point in time even kambwili seems a better alternative to lungu, at least kambwili attempts to deny allegations of corruption on him….

  14. ZP have really been reduced to To PF police cadres. The people are demonstrating peacefully to parliamentarians; who are the other people who will counteract them to shield corruption? Corrupt PF police shielding their corrupt masters; We need a another protest against street vending; already a little boy has died in Ndola who could not have died if there was not stup1d street vending;

  15. This is truly now the downfall of PF. If Lungu does not open his eyes and start doing what is right in the eyes of Zambians, his down fall will be like Banda. He needs to open up to people so that he can see the damages his goverment is causing to both the economy and treasuly. I have been a full supporter of PF but if things dont change, count me out!

  16. Spaka like lilo the same type of fire tenders were purchased at $1.3m right here in Zambia before Lungu came in what do you say? Is it the hate for Lungu or what? Even the said purchase was started way back before Lungu became President, can you please stop this nonsense the sell has already been done and good delivered. It was an open tender every one knew about it, all these silly questions were supposed to be asked before not now.

    • Sit down iwe.. Havent you read that the company that was awarded the tender was formed in the same year of the tender and the promoters are ‘friends’ of high people? What expertise or experience did the company have with fire engines to be given such a mammoth contract?

  17. I stand in opposition of corruption. I think this protest must be allowed and be supported by all well meaning Zambians. But then I dont think UPND understand their current role. They are preoccupied with the presidency and their ficticious government to provide credible opposition. Dr Kambwili is doing their work but he has no credibility having been in government yesterday

    • I love CK for the whistle blowing mentality. Having been in the play field, he is able to keep track of the ball.

      Whether his rants are out of frustrations or not, our interest is to make use of his information. Like EL said, we need investigative wings to take keen interest in these rants. Its clue enough to get started.

  18. MtoWil- that is your right no body is stopping you just as some UPND supporters are also joining the winning party, e.g the last ended elections PF got more votes in Itezhitzhi than what they got last time they even grabbed two UPND sits.

  19. Why do the police refuse to give permits for such things? Do they not realise that these things will be paid for by their children and their children s children? How does the law protect criminals. ZP you are supposed to be protecting all Zambians but instead you are shielding a few individuals criminals raping our country stealing from you and us Zambians.

  20. Let them campaign for their hate.Miti thing is a disaster of hate even using a poor pirato . What are they going to demonstrate for? Who is their subject to be demostrated for,is it what exactly? These people just want to invite chaos on their bodies because deep down their hearts knows that CADRES will be on them

    • Its their constitutional RIGHT to conduct a peaceful demonstration and it is the DUTY of the police to protect them from cadres.

  21. I stand to be corrected.
    Police gathered in massive numbers at thanks giving prayer meeting to stop prayer, they blocked Mr Kambwili from attending ukusefya pa ng’wena ceremony and they are now stoping this peaceful protest. One lame excuse given in all these events is cadres from the other end might counter react and a fight will erupt.

    I thought police is there to stop cadres from harassing people with opposed views. I wont be shocked to see conveners tear gassed and attacking cadres spared. Biased acts from those expected to enforce the law impartially.

  22. The Police are right. The Act needs to be amended. Can youimagine that some bidders were rejected for Post Quaflification reasons. If a firm does not submit a litigation status, that firm cannot change the substance of its bid, hence international practice calls for such a bidder to be requested to submit the litigation status to enable the evaluation committee to consider all such bids. This was not the cases in this tender. Low priced Bidders were eliminated on flimsy grounds.

    To make it worse the Statutory Instrument supports the fact that bidders can be eliminated from the race on post qualification matters. This is the cardinal point of contention. The Zambian Government has lost and will continue to lose huge sums of money as demonstrated in this fire tender case because many…

  23. If the Police advises that do not go there please don’t go there let the organisers themselves go and protest because it is their constitutional right to do that however it’s also unconstitutional not to listen to Police advise…Those who want to die early should not complain of being beaten for disobeying lawful instructions this happens all over the world…

  24. Bravo fellow citizens. Just ensure you have quality footage of the likely Police inaction against the Thugs that the Police anticipate will be there to disrupt. Youtube is real

  25. Kikikikiki…..Spaka lilo and his fellow UP.NDonkeys have something to talk about. Kikikikiki….just lock up Laura Miti TONIGHT and release her on Tuesday afternoon….we have a budget to attend to on Friday……not under5 and his UP.NDonkeys and Donkeylets like Laura…..kikikikikikiki.

  26. And of course for ultimate peace in the nation lock up under5 and throw away the keys…….kikikikikiki.

    Aluta Continua Threatened State of Emergency, no retreat!

    Sorry forgot my patent: UP.NDonkeys, shut ’em up!!

  27. You can fool others but you can never fool every one. Kudoos patriotic men and women while our christian president is quietly watching. I hope the UN can start extraditing financial criminals in the name of presidents.

  28. You can f**l others but you can never f**l every one. Kudoos patriotic men and women while our christian president is quietly watching. I hope the UN can start extraditing financial criminals in the name of presidents.

    By the way how far have investigations gone with the woodlands sex rampage.
    we must not be quiet we had children as young as 13 years of age that’s defilement or both?
    what happened with the planned counselling?
    has the owner of the premises been questioned?

    These are issues we should talk about. Lets put corruption fight on halt because we know whose sponsoring it, the best we can do is put it on record and hope for some one to kick the bucket or for another party to hold power and hope they follow up.

  29. Looks like POLICE are CORRUPTED
    Looks like ACC is CORRUPTED
    Looks like JUDICIARY is CORRUPTED
    Looks like AUDITOR GENERAL is CORRUPTED
    Where do we go for justice? Ndalama za nyoko insults will not stop this.
    Should we wait for next GOVERNMENT to LOCK-UP these THIEVES!?
    SOMEONE SOMEWHERE KNOWS HOW TO GET THESE THIEVES, HELP MY PEOPLE NOW.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading