The United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that the continued police harassment and summoning of its leader Hakainde Hichilema for merely expressing his constitutional rights to expression will not be tolerated.
UPND National Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa who confirmed the police summoning of President Hichilema at a media briefing yesterday morning urged the police to advise President Edgar Lungu against flouting Covid guidelines as that was being unfair to the opposition.
Mr.Mweetwa said the Police could not serve President Hichilema with the summon as his lawyers were unavailable to receive it being a weekend with the legal team out of Lusaka attending to other legal matters involving UPND members.
“The police yesterday wanted to serve a summon on President Hichilema but couldn’t because his legal team was not available to receive it. As you might be aware, most of our lawyers are out of Lusaka attending to other cases involving party members.The police were asked to hold onto the summon for further advice on how to deliver the summon. But the fillers received so far indicate that HH is alleged to have been campaigning in Chongwe against Covid guidelines when we all saw that all he did was to distribute face masks to members of the public as a personal contribution towards the fight against Covid,”he said.
He asked the police to advise President Lungu against flouting Covid regulations as that is making the job of enforcing the guidelines difficult as it is being viewed as the selective application of the law.
“President Lungu has been drawing large crowds in the name of inspecting government projects as was the case at Mtendere market in Lusaka and his visits to Mwinilunga and the Copperbelt where covid guidelines were disregarded.Why is it that the police actively invokes their duty to enforce the Covid regulations on the opposition UPND Alliance but turn a blind eye when Edgar Lungu and his PF flout the same law? Why is it that the ECZ is quick at enforcing its code on the opposition but slow on the PF? Where is democracy? We shall not allow the police to continue to harass one individual who is merely expressing his right to ascend to the highest office of the land and offer his services for the good of the public and the nation,” he added.
Mr.Mweetwa, who has called for calm from among members and wait for direction from the legal team, has since advised all Constituency chairpersons across the country to inform the police of their intentions to peacefully protest at local police stations on the day President Hichilema will be appearing at the police.
The recent police summoning of the UPND leader last December resulted in the shooting and killing by the police of two people which included a state prosecutor.
Why would anyone wear a mask? It doesn’t stop viruses. And in the tropics, it’s pretty ridiculous. There is no flu epidemic, and flu can’t be stopped with a piece of cloth you can breathe through.
Not the best time to give a call out
As tension is high with election
Coming up.From previous experience better to take warn and caution delivered to his home then create a similar situation when two innocent lives
Were lost.
We appeal to the police to rethink on their decision to call out HH as their timing and move is wrong.
As people we have observed that when Kambwili held meetings on Copperbelt and roadshow after banning to conduct such activities, its ECZ that summoned Kambwili and no police force called him.
When President Lungu attracts and addresses people, police just keep quiet.
Police appear to be active when its HH doing the same. This is not fair
Voting is in few weeks time, 3 weeks and disruptions of such kind , they become annoying.
Let peace rein. Police can advise HH lawyers by phone call that their client is flouting laws and remind him that he is not not allowed.
We are fearing that calling out to speak to HH is not the way to go. As you can see if every constituency arise , chaos…
WHEN YOU BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL AND THE SIGNS ARE PF IS LOSING
THIS SORT OF ACTION IT THEIR WAY OF FRUSTRATING THE OPPOSITION
GIVING MASKS IS IT A CRIME ??? OR HUMANITARIAN ACT
WHETHER THEY WORK OR DONT WORK ITS A KIND GESTURE
SO TO HELL WITH PF
Certainly the political playing field is not level for all parties.Lungu continues to campaign under many disguises.
Can’t wait for these elections to be over….UPND act like little babies….issuing threats every day even Mmeembe seem to have a better strategy than UPND
Upnd and hh paneeeeyo panu
1}… Politically, HH is a flip-flop and dim-witted to think through. That does not exclude him from making mistakes. He is human and will make errors of judgement like we all do. He has often played catch up and left 3 steps behind his present and past presidential opponents. We can give at least 45 serious examples from the time he took the reins of UPND from {The Late Mazoka}. He was a Great Man. MHSRP!
2}… On Covid-19, he downplayed the pandemic opted for the sickening Trumpian Laws, went against the Global Science, and accused Lungu of playing politics on lockdowns. Yet again he came out giving a press conference last week, telling his stooges that the Pandemic is A National Disaster and blamed PF. In others eating his own vomit. Now he wants to be the Messiah and Saviour on Covid.
This is the Two-facedness of HH. It’s all about Me, Me and Look at Me !! I am handing out Face Masks !!
If anything, this is the time all opposition parties should work with the government to educate the people and have one voice.
3}… On HH “National Prayers Day” HH vehemently opposed the idea to the extent of saying:
” ” It is a mockery to God for Lungu to set up a National Prayers Day
Lungu ignored him. The prayers day went ahead. It backfired on HH, because majority of Zambians agreed with Lungu, including most of UPND MP’s. Then HH turned up at the Cathedral Holly Cross Church, on the National Prayers Day and sat in the front seats with GBM, exposing his Hypocrisy like a Pharisee.
It is campaign period. Leave politicians alone to woo their supporters. The opposition should keep a record of every frustration and stoppage that the police are imposing on them during this period so it is produced as evidence in case of another presidential petition or indeed any other petition. There’s so much injustice under PF, infact the worst injustices have been committed under this regime
4}… Then HH made sure good pictures were taken by his PR Team while he sat in church on the National Prayers Day, which they plastered on Social Media and Online Media promoting HH as Man of God, when he was totally against the National Prayers Day.
What HH does not realise is that, he is the sum total of his own words and action. And people remember his flip-flops when they go to cast their votes on General Elections. The worst enemy to HH is the man he sees when he stands in the mirror. And it’s HH himself.
UPND is a party that has MP’s who are sons and daughters of Zambia who mean well. But the leader is Bully called Barry.
Srmmoning HH to appear before the police to answer possible charges of flouting the Covid-19 guidelines will just cause more confusion which may result into riots which police may not be able to handle. The police should advise those giving instructions from above to be more concerned with reactions from members of the public. As can be seen from some video footages of the president’s visits to various parts of the country the reception has not been good. But as Head of State and President for all Zambians ECL has the mandate to visit various work in progress projects but the reaction to such noble causes has been negative. The police Command should try to be level headed with the way they handle HH at this stage. Lets learn from the Jacob Zuma affair what started as mere politicking…
i have no respect for this diaspora-based ass** INDEPENDENT OBSERVER who has changed his name by deep poll.
he is a guy who pays taxes to queen elizabeth of england. and the us government. we know him and fair enough
he is a rich guy who has made $$ millions of money in investment banking and he now runs an american hedge fund
in london. hh is on the ground fighting for the poor people while this guy sits remotely. sir go to zambia and form a
political party and let’s see how far you can go with it.
PF IS GOING TO FALL READ THE SIGNS ON THE GROUND
LET PF BLOGGERS REMAIN IT IS THEIR RIGHT
ANYONE WITH HALF A BRAIN CAN SEE THROUGH THE FALSHOODS
THEY PRESUMABLY UNMPLOYED AND GET PAID TO BLOG
AND THEY TOO HAVE TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES
PF and lungu should not even be campaigning and instead let the development campaign for them if what they are saying is true regarding development……….
But the corrupt theives are instead blocking others from campaigning….
It is simple. The police looked at the little crowd around Lungu and the big crowd around HH and they realised that their contracts are over come September 2021. Kanganja, Katanga etc have seen their retirement papers and they are quaking in their Chinese boots. They have enjoyed so much power to abuse and now they cannot stomach the idea of Wakunguma as Inspector General, Nchito as DPP (nafuti), Mwenye as Chief Justice and Percy Chato as minister of Home Affairs. They are now having diarrhoea and vomiting. Mmmm, you can see why the cabal and tandem of thieves is fighting hard to survive.
TIKKI ( The angry baboon)
SINCE YOU ARE ON LUSAKATIMES ALMOST EVERYDAY, WOULD IT BE RIGHT TO SAY YOU ARE PAID BY HH TO BLOG. THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH YOU UPND CHAPS. IF ANYONE CRITICS HH, YOU SAY THEY ARE PAID TO BLOG. HONESLY DO YOU EXPECT HH TO HAVE A FREE RIDE WITHOUT BEING LOOKED AT DEEPLY. THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING. THEERE WILL BE A LOT OF HEART ATTACKS NEXT MONTH BY UPND BLOGGERS.
IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT PF PAYS PEOPLE TO BLOG
ZAMBIA CANNOT CONTINUE IN THE STATE IT IS IN SO THE SOLUTION IS PF MUST FALL
CAN UPND DO ANY BETTER YOU MAY ASK ?? TO MY WAY OF THINKING THEY CANNOT DO ANY WORSE SO FOR MOST THATS AN IMPROVEMENT NO MATTER HOW SMALL
TALKING OF ANGRY BABOONS I WOULD CERTAINLY VOTE FOR ONE INSTEAD OF PF
THERES YOUR ANSWER NOW !!!!!!!!!!
Having disagreements is health. The English dictionary has a lot of words that one can use to express oneself.
You don’t reduce yourself by using vulgar language on another person. Its self defeating. This is about finding what works and what does not work for Zambia. Its not about becoming enemies. There is good and bad in both PF and UPND.
Enjoy the day everyone.
Convid-19 new Cases and deaths are going down, here comes HH going against health guidelines, HH as a leader you should have taken an opportunity to ensure your supporters observe social distance while you are issuing masks. HH it is good to put yourself first, but as a leader, you have to put people first not yourself, What is observed, in the photos above, is that you are issuing masks to earn votes and not that you care about the people. Here, you have lost big. To me ECL is caring and he is a better candidate. Vote ECL to achieve a caring society
WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ROMANS DO
THE BOOK ALSO SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE
INSULTS ARE THE ORDER OF THE DAY ON THIS AND MOST MEDIA SITES
BY NO MEANS IS IT RIGHT AND CLEARLY SHOWS THE LACK OF VOCABULARY AND UNDERSTANDING
BUT UNFORTUNATELY ONE IS LEFT NO OPTION BUT TO FIGH%T FIRE WITH FIRE
I am sure the days are going too fast for PF n it’s the opposite for the Opposition. 23 days mamama.
ECL and PF are dead scared of HH Campaigns becoz he is attracting large crowds. They want to restrict HH’s Campaign Movements hoping to constrain his Popularity. What ECL and PF don’t know is that People have already made up their minds to vote for HH and UPND Alliance on August 12. Unless ECL and PF massively rig the 2021 Elections kuyabele. Meantime UPND Alliance and the Voters are determined to protect the vote. Unless ECL,ECZ and PF respect the wishes of the People we are going to see violence at most Polling Stations where PF will try and rig the Elections. The writing is on the wall.
Had it been Lungu doing that. Everyone here could have been yapping “are people going to eat masks?”.
The freem.ason at it again,I have said it before no sata.nist will govern me i don’t care whether you are popular or not as long as you are a freem.ason forget it…No state house for you…You want to come and bring homosexuality, lesbianism and gay rights in Zambia a condition given by your sponsors.. mmm
iam very sure Jehovah God will send fire upon Zambia, if he did that during Sodom and Gomorrah..
12-8-2021
Do it right
The thuggery PF thinking of arresting HH with 23 days b4 the August 12 Elections is extremely dangerous. In South Africa the jailing of Jacob Zuma triggered crippling riots. ECL and PF should be careful what they wish for. Tempers are very high in Zambia and the arrest of HH who is our only Hope will ignite unrest. To Hungry and Angry Zambians the August 12 Elections are a matter of life and death. People are prepared to put their lives on the line. They want Change and Change they will get whether ECL and PF want it or not.The writing is on the wall.
But this looks like a well organised rally
You cannot equate HH with the Republic President. The UPND members and supporters lack objectivity and facing the reality. I am non-partisan, but looking at how things are going on, and how the PF performed in the prevoius bye-elections, Lungu will bounce back as the President. Kindly, let us be sober and analyse the political situation with objectivity. May God bless our beloved nation.