Opposition Socialist Party (SP) President Fred M’membe has disclosed that Economic Equity Party (EEP) President Chilufya Tayali was badly beaten by the police.
Speaking to Journalists immediately after visiting Mr Tayali, Dr M’membe described the arrest of Mr Tayali and the brutality he has been subjected to as barbaric, adding that the same people who are mistreating Tayali today used to complain about police brutality when they were in opposition.
“The intention was to brutally beat him up. That is barbarism, this is not the way to police. The same people who are mistreating Tayali today were complaining about these things when they were in opposition,” he said.
“They wanted to be treated differently, they wanted to report themselves to the police instead of being picked at night. Instead of their homes being broken into. What was bad for them is also bad for anybody else. If Mr Tayali has committed an offence, arrest him properly.”
Dr M’membe said the offence which Mr Tayali is being detained for all night and all day is available.
“They have not formally charged him. He is not granted police bond, he has not been taken to the hospital, he needs to see the doctor definitely,” he said.
“I think we can be more humane with each other. Law enforcement was made for human beings. It was not meant for dogs, for animals. These police stations and police cells were meant for humans. No matter what offence a human being has committed, he’s still a human being and deserves to be treated as a human being.”
Meanwhile, the SP leader said Mr Tayali can be a little prickle but that does not take away his freedom and rights.
“If he crosses the line, there are laws for this country. There are laws of defamation, and other laws,” he said as he strongly opposed the beating of those in police custody.
Dr M’membe has also castigated the arrest of journalists who went to cover Mr Tayali’s arrest.
“The arrest of a prominent person like Tayali cannot be a private matter,” he said.
Dr M’membe also disclosed that Muvi TV journalist Innocent Phiri and the camera person Obvious Kapunda have been charged with obstruction of the police for filming the arrest of EEP leader Chilufya Tayali.
Dr M’membe wondered why the same people who when in opposition wanted the media coverage on such matters are now uncomfortable with others being covered in the media when being arrested.
The opposition leader said the police didn’t want the two media practitioners to cover the breaking in to Mr Tayali’s house.
“The journalists have been charged with obstruction of the police. They didn’t want comrade Innocent Phiri to cover their breaking into Tayali’s house and arresting Tayali. They wanted them out. But the same people who are sending them, when they used to arrest them, they wanted the media to cover,” he said.
“They wanted the media to tell people where they are, what is happening to them. They called for the media. Today the same people who used to call for the media don’t want the media to cover their friends when they are being arrested. What type of a society are we creating? Is this the democracy they promised our people? Is this the justice they promised our people? Is this the fairness they promised our people? Is this the media freedom they promised our people?”
Dr M’membe lamented that what is obtaining on the ground now is miles away from democracy. He said democracy requires a lot of tolerance and promotion of divergent views.
“Views clash, and what is important about democracy is to know how to manage disagreements, to know how to manage disputes. What we are seeing are kilometers or miles away from democracy. This is not the Zambia they promised our people,” he said.
No one will listen to you because of the approach you have taken. You command no respect. Even when you are saying the truth no one will believe you. At your age, you must be civil and level headed. Sometime it doesn’t pay to be antagonistic. We know Chilufya Tayali was one of those who never thought UPND would win. Its just that both of you including PF cannot stomach the fact that HH and UPND are in power. We expect you to offer proper checks and balances not this nonsense
relativism at its worsy
listening very carefully
I don’t like him but I will listen to him. What he is saying is highly embarrassing for UPND who just a year ago were the chief mourners at the hands of PF. In all banana Republics police are weapons for injuring political foes. Check out Egypt, Uganda Saudi Arabia North Korea and Zambia indeed and you see governments which think state machinery is for crushing opposing voices. This primitive tactic of governing happens because we vote into government people who have no idea about the use of various government institutions. They are unqualified politicians who act out the styupid actions they used to see
I called Chilufya, asked him “boyi are you..? He said “bwino fye bawishi..” I can’t ask him if he picked up a fight with ba buju again, it is embarrasing.
So I don’t think he was badly beaten.
Information comming through is that tiyali was beaten by fellow inmates because of his claim he knew who was gassing the nation and is with holding Information
Why do you always have to dream up foolish defences for UPND? Are you HH’s cousin?
That is a lie from UPND ‘s chief liar called Spaka
spaka uli mbwa
The PF rats above don’t like the truth……..
Anything to to support their cliques crusade to cause civil unrest is good gor them………..
We are here……….2031 is a long way off for you rats…….
PF has never been my party and will never be. Nor will upnd
Embarrassing
Tayali is one the most hated by upnd ,in all sphere
What type of reporting is this…tell us what led to his detention in the first place? Then give the third party witness statements from Fred.
Imagine! This is a dead profession in Zambia:
Dr M’membe said the offence which Mr Tayali is being detained for all night and all day is available.
Report poorly done…..bailable becomes available and other grammatic errors. On whole, there was no need to beat Tayali….it is like the police want t scare him off instead of letting the courts decide his fate. This is tantamount to torture. Arrest him and let the law take its course.
He was pannel beaten by fellow inmates after the video of him saying he knows who gassing Zambians………..
The irrate inmates took out their anger on him for not giving information to the police of who was responsible
There is a video of tiyali claiming to know who was responsible for gassing Zambians………leading to the lynching deaths of over 50 innocent people…….
Innocent citizens were being burned alive in our streets during the gassing……….
It is no surprise that irate inmates in prison cells beat up a person who claims he knows who done that gassing, yet……….
Does not provide law inforcement with that information………….
Even , me , I would take out my anger on such a person……..
The gassing incidents were a serious threat to public security. Precious lives were lost but here was Chilufya Tayali treating the issue with flippancy. How do we live with Tayali? Zambia is a peaceful country but Tayali wants it to be like his wife’s Ethiopia.
Indeed , that period was the most serious threat to the security of the nation in recent times………..
Even the international community had to sit lungu down for him to deploy security forces , yet no arrests to date…………
Then We have tiyai saying he has all the information on who is responsible ??
He said he knows. Who are police trying cover. They should have just asked him to give names and arrest the gassers
Redo
Let tiyali tell the nation who was gassing people…………
Not the silly innuendos he is comming up with just for Internet click bait………..
Love Fred M’membe or loathe him, he has a point. Tayali has been brutalised and the truth about who did it won’t be hidden for long. The police, fellow detainees? Tayali knows the truth.
The family have expressed shock to learn that Dr Membe is alleging their man was beaten. They say no such things happened and he is just tired. His type of politics of always trying to capitalize on issues is bad. Tayali and finally himself, don’t have the license to insult the head of state or anybody for that matter. Read what has been posted on Zambian observer.
You read trash like Zambia observer? Zambia watchdog? You must be very starved. Starved of quality news
This is what happens when a country is ruled by evil people. They have forgotten where they came from. Political rule is not forever. You will be kicked out and you will answer to such atrocities. HH will be the worst tin pot dictator Zambia will ever have. Us, Blacks, are the worst dictators. Stop treating human beings like dogs. You are not too special not to be criticised. You have suddenly become DEMIGODS who are to be worshiped.
Correction: chilufya tayali was badly beaten by upnd thugs masquerading as zp at the direction of the ugly cow, hh.
This is what happens when a country is ruled by evil people. They have forgotten where they came from. Political rule is not forever. You will be kicked out and you will answer to such atrocities. HH will be the worst tin pot dictator Zambia will ever have. Us, Blacks, are the worst dictators. Stop treating human beings like dogs. You are not too special not to be criticised. You have suddenly become DEMIGODS who are to be worshiped.
Tayali dared you to take him instead you decided to beat… because you know he is telling the truth
Let him present the evidence for his accusations……….
Otherwise he will be a punching bag for fellow inmates………
When someone is in police custody it doesn’t matter who beat him the police have to answer. They brought him there so they are responsible for his safety.
Musole
Police can’t monitor inmates 24/7 and there is no capacity for solitary confinement………..
Fights and bullying happens amongst inmates……….
Expect tiyali to fear being locked up after he gets a good panel beating from fellow inmates……….
Current police behavior is for colonizers to beat the colonized back into line. It was legislated so that whenever it was presented before the colonial masters’ courts it would be permitted as constitutional and according to the penal code on corporal punishment. Suddenly, like George Orwell satirized, it is good enough for the liberated to subject one another to the same thing they fought off! Ndiye cani manje?
Liar! His brother denied these allegations.
There is no George Orwell here. Animal farm is long gone, but amalibu yakuilombela. All things have limits.
Mr.Membe.If you have noticed police brutality,you address the police brutality without involving the UPND.A professional police or any other professional entity is responsible for its own actions,In that way you solve a problem at source.Statements like”….The same poeple mistreatig Tayali today used to complain…..” is cheap politiking reminescent of the PF police of yesteryear.
When delinquents like Tayali are breaking the law I nver hear your ilk admonishing them to avoid breaking the law,Intead,you tacitly encourage him untill the chap is manhandled beofre you parade naked howling in front of State House…Civility begins with you respecting authority and instilling the same the young and inexperienced
Where is the change??
If the police were pro active in their invesitigation on this gassing issue there was not going to be all this. This is a serious matter and at leaset if the police can give updates . It takes away speculations and force accusations. Ba Kajoba please give us updates . Surely those gassers cannot just dissappear in thin air. The police must do their job,
It is not true that Tayali was beaten. I was in the same cell with him and other inmates. Tayali started to self-harm. Banging his face on wall and shouting obscenities to police and other people. Don’t argue. I was there!
There is a report on Zambian observer that the story of Tayali being beaten was fake. The family have issued a statement
Fred is natural liar
Only naivety of the greatest order would have made one to believe that “shi Anderson Junior” (Hakainde) would have behaved better than the previous regime in terms of police behaviour. It does appear that Hakainde may even be worse. Just one year on he appears to have been there for two terms. The same police he called “morons” when he was in opposition are lining up every morning and afternoon to protect him from his private home to work at state house.
Let them beat him
Repent, there is a creator and he is coming back. Stop the hate.
We are at loss why inmates have taken so long to make tiyali into a punching bag for telling lies likely to cause civil unrest in zambia………kadojopa you are too slow.
After his first session of being a human punch bag in cells , he won’t want to tell lies again that would likely take him back there………..
Tayali you need to survey and navigate accurately before saying anything of a senstive nature on line as the UPND looks desparate to do anything on your life and not ruling out disfigurement.Mwana wesu baka kusalipa ama bantustans and we cannot afford to loose you at this time.This tribal grouping are born with a DNA cell that repel Bembas and Easterners and would treat you in the same way they would handle asnake or a lion.Find one other safe way to expose their misdeeds and not openly on video media.They are a ruthless lot including the police.
Ask yourself if Tayali is a threat to UPND ? The boy is just an arrogant irritant who thinks he is making a political name by being cantankerous. Time will tell whether his Investments in politics will yield profits.