Police have confirmed that six people including human rights activist Laura Miti and singer Pilate were arrested this afternoon after they staged a demonstrations outside Parliament over the procurement of the fire trucks.
Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed that Ms Miti and five others arrested and that they will soon be charged.
Ms Katongo said Ms Miti aged 52 of PHI in Lusaka who is Director of Alliance for Community Action was arrested alongside Mika Mwambazi aged 30 of NRDC.
Others arrested are a freelance consultant, male Sean Tembo aged 37 of Lusaka’s Avondale who is Party President for Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), Fumba Chama also known as Pilato aged 33 of Kansenshi in Ndola, Lewis Mwape aged 44 of Balastone Villa who is Executive Director for Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) and Male Bonwell Mwewa aged 43 of PHI in Lusaka.
She said the six are detained in custody and will soon be charged.
And the Alliance for Community Action, the organizers of the demonstrations have confirmed that the arrested ring leaders are in high spirits.
“This afternoon, our colleagues were apprehended and arrested for demanding answers over the 42 fire tenders that cost US$42 million at Parliament. After much search, we found that the males are being held at Emmasdale Police while 2 females, Laura Miti and a colleague are are being held at Garden Police Post. They are well and still in high spirit,” said Alliance Advocacy Officer Jimmy Maliseni.
“In a functioning democracy, no one should and would be arrested for demanding answers from those entrusted with governing our resources. Again we ask, if this is not dictatorship, what is?”
Mr Maliseni said even after fully complying with the Public Order Act, citizens were denied the opportunity and their right to protest peacefully.
He said Police gave the excuse of inadequate manpower but had enough manpower to stop the protest and arrest the protesters.
“Even with the arrests, we will continue to demand answers and accountability. We stand with our colleagues and our fellow citizens arrested this afternoon.”
One day we will take our country back and you bootlickers called police will need to find a new home in Edgar’s back yard.
Laura, wipe that smile off your face. There’s nothing cute about you being behind those bars. Is there a pro bono lawyer who can get her out tonight?
They deserve it.
You had your time and you stole Zpa money which has made you stinking rich and now you have the guts to call others thieves. That’s how it pained us when you were stealing.
Zambia a fourth world country were the police go to sleep over the weekend, i still can’t get it why someone can’t be given police bond on weekends.
But Laura is ugly zoona. Pamenso Kwati nikunuma kwa shomeka
@shooterz ati ”….. you stole Zpa money” ?????? How? Laura lived and stayed in RSA for many years as her husband was (and still is) in exile! Unfortunately, it is true that in a function democracy, a protest is a fundamental part of the democratic process!
I’ve not always agreed with Luara Miti and Pilato BUT RELEASE THEM NOW! They should never have been arrested in the first place!
God is watching!
Let us support what is right. The correct position that I see is that there were many bidders who submitted lower priced bids but were rejected on flimsy grounds AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE LAW, but which is against international practice. These were Post-qualification matters such as litigation status which does not affect the substance of the bid (price). This tender could have been easily awarded to a bidder who put their bid at US$9 Million and today, no one would have cried foul and demonstrated.
Indeed it is surprising that the evaluation committee and the approving authorities were not shaken by recommending award of contract to such a highly priced bidder at US$42 million. Did they have a conscious? They all need to be taken to task. But I very much doubt the involvement of the…
The PF has messed up such a nice country…you won’t be in power forever just wait your time will come soon.
I have strong suspicion that the people that are protesting have crystal clear reasons for doing so while those arresting them have completely no idea why they are effecting such arrests. Peaceful protestations are not a crime, are they? The police; if resources were correctly and sensibly allocated, you conditions of service would be so sweet you would not have to defame your uniforms by desperately seeking to survive on some sort of a bribe (even carrying out shameful unreasonable arrests). I feel so bad and so sorry for you.
Laura for President 2021! Let’s try Iron Lady for positive change!
Every Tax payer and stakeholder in Zambia, and every Tax payer and stakeholder in Countries that fund loans to Zambia has the right to know, the right to question how his/her money is being spent, how his/her interests are being represented and the right to freedom of repression as long as it is PEACEFUL. Period.
This was uncalled for by the police. Protest should be encourage, as long as it is peaceful.
Then when lungu is called a budding dictator he wonders why ??
“a budding dictator” ????
Lungu is a FULLY QUALIFIED lifetime member of the African Dictators Club! He has checked all the boxes for this elite body.
1. Stolen ELECTIONS
2. Control of the Courts and Judges
3. Stolen MILLIONS of public money
4. Eliminated Freedom of Speech and the free Press
5. JAILED the opposition on trumped up charges
Did I miss anything?
weldone
SWALLOW THE KEY AS WELL ……….
Laura is disgusting.
@Spaka is disgusting too! UPND is losing party with a record holding losing dictator!
Welcome done Zambia police.people should have manners.when ZP advise you not to protest,we must all obey the law.but those who take laws in their hands should be kept behind bars!!!
Please keep those trouble makers behind bars for more than 14 days so that we can see if HH who encouraged them to protest can free them!!!
ACC comunication manager today confirmed that those fire engines tender was cleared in 2016 by ACC,so who are we to reject the opinion given by experts with authority to control corruption in Zambia?Kainde was encouraging Zambians to protest,but for what?AM TOO HAPPY SEEING THOSE FO0LISH TROUBLE MAKERS BEHIND BARS!!PLEASE ZP ARREST SOME MORE.the sole aim of those in opposition is to make Zambia ungovernambe-SHAME!!Laura Miti,Pilato are known die hard Kainde…
2021 is too far so these crowns will sleep in many police cells and FOR NOTHING because the man(HH)they are suffering for will lose once more in 2021.
My friend’s uncle had a stroke in 2016 after HH lost because he was promised a job in foreign mission by upnd.he sold one of his houses and donated the money to upnd or used the money for campaigns.After Judge Esau Elliot Chulu (ECZ Chairperson) declared Edgar Lungu as 2016 winner,this poor uncle of ours had a stroke.up to now,he is sick!!THAT IS WHAT IS AWAITING LAURA MITI,PILATO AND MANY OTHERS WHO SUPPORT A LOSER HH.right now they are cheating themselves again that 2021 is for HH because Kambwili will split PF votes in its strongholds,but come 2021 reality will catch up with them again(A RECORD 6TH DEFEAT FOR HH)!!!!
What’s wrong with this god forsaken travesty of a christian nation? I am firmly convinced that the black man is incapable governing themselves.
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Through corruption,money laundering and other dubious and very sophisticated means Kagame Paul has stolen billions of money from the coffers of Rwanda over a period of 24 years now and he has hidden it in some countries like Panama,Mauritius,Singapore,and others. We are appealing to any one who could have any information of where else Kagame Paul has been hiding this Rwandan stolen huge amount of money to give us a hint and he or she will be given a some of 5.000 US Dollars . We want corrupt,thief and bandit Paul Kagame to bring back our money.
Please,Kindly Support Kagame Paul,#BringBackOurMoney Campaign!
@Dr Chaos Theory:please note that God is God of law and order.nobody said that since Zambia is a Christian nation then its citizens should be misbehaving.all law abiding citizens like myself shall never see the inside of a police cell because of such political protests-never!!BUT IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT BATTLES FOR POLITICIANS,THEN PREPARE FOR SUCH CALAMITIES!!
The Police is there to maintain law and order in our country.so when they advise you not to do certain things,you must obey because if you fail to obey and dare them,then jail or police cells must be your next home-period!!ITS AS SIMPLE AS DRINKING WATER!!CERTAIN THINGS IN LIFE ARE DONE AT OWN PERIL!!
I thought Laura Miti was a beautiful girl, even handsome would be fine, but she looks like a Donkeylet. Didn’t she was so ugly. I think she can keep under5 good company in Mukobeko. Birds of a feather, I mean jail birds!
Malibu yakuilombela Laura nyina alimushimbe so that girl with no guidance.
The price is too high for the sake of one man’s desire to occupy State House. He himself does not want democracy to prevail in his party. Go for internal elections please.
Lusaka times typing error…who is Pilate ? breaker
I look to a time when Lungu, Kaizer, Kanganja, Kampyongo and others shall spend some days in cells for their thugary. PF has taken Zambia backwards while Lungu is stealing Zambian money every week through his wreck less travels. Every dog has his own day.
Mwanya ilyauma ati to spend the weekend in Jail. Tali mwanya bakolwe imwe fikapokola nafintweno.
When they call you dictators you lose your minds, but you can’t even allow people to express them
selves.is this democracy or dictatorship?
Citizens requiring answers to acts of Parliament should really seek out their local MP, not cause dissent in the country through fake protests. Hope they had a good stay behind bars.
Laura Miti, along with her partner LAZ President Kasonde, are mere appendages of UPND who thoughtlessly thrive on media attention.