Former President Edgar Lungu has accused UPND government under President Hichilema of wanton abuses and a break down of the rule of law.In light of this, the Former President wondered under what criteria President Hichilema ranked among the top 5 Presidents in Africa.
Below is the Full Statement
Good morning fellow citizens,
Last Sunday a fellow Zambian named Martin Mbaya, a PF member and known associate of my family was forcefully ejected from a church service at Lusaka’s Bethel Christian Centre in Nyumba Yanga while praying.
The unfortunate incident occurred in full view of his wife, children and other congregants that remain shocked today at the action of unruly DEC officers. From the church they drove him to his house where they broke down doors, stormed into his house and commenced a search, which I understand was for money, that could belong to “Edgar Lungu.”
The search ensued from morning to midnight, but alas no money was found.
My point here is that what happened to Martin could easily happen to any Zambian under the current administration of President Hakainde Hichilema where the rule of law is breaking down fast right in front of our eyes.
You have seen good people like mama Edith Nawakwi and Geofrey Mwamba being frustrated at the airport whenever they attempt to travel out of the country for medical attention.
You have seen people like Dr Chris Zimba, Emmanuel Mwamba, Raphael Nakachinda, Chilufya Tayali being arrested on flimsy grounds while others like Hon Given Lubinda have been dragged to court without enough evidence for conviction.
Sadly, all these wanton abuses are occurring at a time President Hichilema is being ranked as a ´top five leader´on the continent, we wonder what criteria is being used in the light of all abuses in Zambia.
All we ask is that the government of President Hakainde Hichilema march their words with action regarding the rule of law and arrest wrong doers only after thorough investigations have been concluded.
That is what President Hichilema has publicly called for repeatedly after all.
Zambia is a democratic state not a DICTATORSHIP where law enforcement become the law unto themselves, its not the wild wild west.
The international community, the European Union group, Britain and the United States and fellow African embassies should take cognisance of these rising abuses under Mr Hichilema.
In a democratic country governed by the rule of law, how can law enforcement agencies disrupt church proceedings with impunity, forcefully pick out a suspect whom you haven’t established a case against and bundle him into a car and break into his house?
If law enforcement officers can break into houses and churches where will citizens seek protection?
I urge peace loving Zambians to speak out against rising abuses and shrinking democratic space because if we remain silent today it won’t be long before police start attacking people at funeral gatherings and hospitals.
Crimes must be probed but let us remember that everyone is presumed innocent in Zambia until tried and found guilty by a competent court of law. I pray with you that our country doesn’t slide into total dictatorship soon.
Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth Republican President of Zambia.
Look who is talking…
Certainly Lungu and respect for the rule of law can never be in the same sentence.
ELC needs a ward at chainama n throw away the key
Please parade Mr. Mbaya, the Priests and other church members to confirm whether ECL is saying the truth or he’s talking rubbish, simple
It’s shameful for Lungu, the greatest dictator Zambia shall ever have to start castigating HH7 and his ND government
SEE the praise singers above, so short-sighted and the sheer of hatred. The time is coming for some pipo to dance once they are out of power.. Zambian politics are too petty, pipo cannot air their own opinions otherwise they are deemed PF. You reap what you sow.. you praise singers & your masters must learn from the past make sure you do NOT abuse your opponents. benangu muzalila wait. You cannot have unforgiving bitter leaders in leadership & all is well.. noo. Whatever you throw in the universe always come back to you.
You LT are you praise singers too? Why are you not posting my opinions? Dictatorship really has power right?
LT you are typical backward too. Ubututu, i am not political affiliated to any political party just concerned about our nation. So you the moderator of LT must know that pipo will always have different opinions and you must not be partisan. Post what piop are saying not what you want your masters to see.
Now its Politics 24/7…..when are we going to develop Zambia…..its like Politicians are the ones stalling our development…just bickering day in day out…..Lungu wants HH to fail….and HH whilst in opposition he wanted Lungu to fail…thats why i hate Politicians…they’re all fake
Changwa, is President HH gassing his own citizens? You so called ECL needs to explain your PF gassing of Zambians.
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Lungu talking about GRZ abuses is like……..
a known wife beater talking against other wife beaters , without admitting and apologising he was a wife beater ……….
These ramblings by Lungu are utter nonsense and clearly untrue. No self-respecting politician you would publish such garbage.
As a foreigner, I have followed Zambian politics going all the way back to KK and Zambia has never had a president of the calibre of the current incumbent.
Lungu says he does not know why HH is rated among the top 5 in Africa, (I actually think he is number 1).
Here are some reasons, HH provides strong leadership and other African leaders want to be associated with him, for the past two and half years Zambians are experiencing freedoms unseen anywhere else in Africa, Zambia has credibility in the world, there is job creation and business deals.
Mr Lungu, it is “match their words with action”, not “march their words with action”. However, even this typographic correction doesn’t make your statement factual. Litumezi aahulu.
I would rather you keep quiet sir and if possible repent and reconcile with HH as a way of uniting our nation instead of bickering which should be left to mare cadres. You are a former president for crying out loud.
It is a very mediocre way of thinking that, if ECL abused power during his tenure any other president must not be condemned if he/she does the same. People condemned All bad things under PF and voted PF out. We are not relatives of HH or Lungu. If Hakainde continues at this rate coupled with his failure to tame the economy but blame everyone except himself we must vote him out. He is not a gold he needs to be told that he is just the 7th president whose national development plan is only known to himself. The blame game shows he has nothing else to say to defend his lamentable failure.
From some surnames above mmmm. you can tell that ECL can never get any credit. All the modern hospitals, police houses, roads, airports etc where done by the new dawn.. wowwww ubututu & tribalism bubi sana. When you hate someone so much you cannot see even a bit of good they have done. There is too much hatred & tribalism in the nation currently. What dis Zambians do to deserve this really? Pipo are crying of njala
Ati…….”All the modern hospitals, police houses, roads, airports …..”
Any one can do that with borrowed money.
Especially when you over price things and indebt you country for decades……. even a grade 7 can mange that task………
You give lungu credit for foing a job any one could have done.
If all those things were built with out such a hudge debt , then yes………
Why did Lungu/Kaiza refuse President Sata in Isreal Hospital to be on drip before operation and instead chose to fly to London and sent Kaseba to India. Does this really make sense to any sensible people, especially our Zambian Doctors?
What Lungu is saying is true only that it’s coming from him. The Bembas say Ba Kole balaiseka ifipato. ECL is not different from HH. Unfortunately HH will go the same way ECL did, very foolish that the UPND can not see it coming, unless they are banking on Rigging the elections in 2026.
The useful working experience of an MP or Minister is his or her employment profile before becoming MP. A minister who has never been in management or senior position before will exhibit hilarious and injurious mistakes to governance . This is the case with inexperienced Nkombo, Mweetwa, Chikote, Kakubo, Kasanda, Kawana, Hamasaka and the whole cohort who cant advise the president accordingly. CHECK THEIR CV before parliament. You can see the good quality that came out of pre parliament experienced people like musokotwane, Magande, Hamukale, Ernest Mwansa, Mwiimbu and others
These ramblings by Lungu are utter nonsense and clearly untrue. No self-respecting politician you would publish such garbage.
As one from abroad, I have been following Zambian politics going all the way back to your first president and I can truly say Zambia has never had a president of the calibre of the current incumbent.
Lungu says he does not know why HH is rated among the top 5 in Africa, (I actually think he is number 1).
Here are some reasons, HH provides strong leadership and other African leaders want to be associated with him, for the past two and half years Zambians are experiencing freedoms unseen anywhere else in Africa, Zambia has credibility in the world, there is job creation and the business climate is improving.
The most cruel leader to have ruled Zambia. Shame on him. What a terrible mistake we made
President Sata fired Kaiza, but Kaiza was always entering State House illegally to meet Lungu the nephew of Sata.
President Sata had complained why, fired people was found at State House Edgar Lungu and that was during the swearing in of a Minister of Health, I think.
ECL – let the Law Enforcement Agencies do their job, period.
He went to visit their own. when someone is embarrassed like that from church as though he is a fugitive who has run away from prison, then you can do things like that. What has that got to do with law enforcement when people spew such hatred on suspects then you know the police has lost credibility. Such cowardly acts are not from without. ECL was a president but under his rule we never saw the “miracles” we are witnessing to day. HH who blocked ECl’s motor cade was let scot free on account that he was an opposition. They only broke the doors because he ran away to hide in his bankers. No one has ever blocked Hakainde’s motor cade on unnecessary trips to and from State house to his private home.
I wish HH would arrest and lock up this animal in a cell filled with feaces for months, and send UPND supporter to beat it up routinely- the way it did to him. I wish the UPND supporters would fit a large flat head screw driver between its teeth and twist it a couple of times…. US $33 billion in debt, which has completely neutralised and paralysed Zambia from now until all of us die, is what this dog and his uncle Michael Satan got us into. I hate this thing will all the energy I have
From miss opposition to mess /messrs electri.
Stick to the economy which is not performing as expected.
Who said ‘Ubomba mwibala, alya mwibala’? What does it even mean?