The announcement that Inspector-General of Police Stella Libongani had issued orders refusing to grant permission for a joint opposition rally represents an unlawful violation of the Zambian peoples’ right to free and fair assembly, said the Coalition for the Defence of Democratic Rights (CDDR).

The combined opposition rally, which is planned take place in the Mtendere township in Lusaka and will address the issues of the arrest of opposition leaders and the current spate of food shortages, was jointly proposed by members from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), United Party for National Development (UPND), Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD), United Liberal Party (ULP), and the Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM). The opposition parties notified the police of their intention to hold the rally together in response to repeated refusals to grant permission for individual rallies.

“There is absolutely no basis under the Zambian constitution or international law for the police to arbitrarily and preemptively ban peaceful political gatherings for no reason,” said Robert Amsterdam, counsel to the CDDR. “The Patriotic Front administration is in violation of several international agreements that guarantee basic rights to its citizens, such as free and fair association and the right to public assembly.”

Reports of the denial of the permit to the opposition parties follows upon controversial statements by Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba, who recently stated that Zambian people “want a one-party state,” and that the government would seek to “close down” certain Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

“The international community and donor institutions must remind the Zambian leadership of its international commitments, and ask them to instruct Inspector-General Libongani to reverse the order to ban the Mtendere rally,” said Amsterdam. “There is a clear pattern of abuse to these recent events in Zambia, as basic principles of democracy appear to be under attack.”

Representing a broad array of opposition parties, political figures, and private citizens, Coalition for the Defence of Democratic Rights (CDDR) is a legal defence alliance formed in Zambia in the fall of 2012 in response to increasing harassment and interference by the authorities and related parties. More information on the CDDR’s activities can be read at http://cddr-zambia.org.

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Wynter Kabimba has said that the PF never promised to abolish the Public Order Act. Reacting to accusations in an Interview on ZNBC yesterday that the PF had u-turned on its earlier stance to amend the Public Order Act, Mr Kabimba said the party was merely concerned with the manner it was being applied.

“We were critical of the enforcement of the Public Order Act and not its content. We never said that we would abolish it but its application was not credible,” Mr Kabimba said.

Mr Kabimba further said that it was important for security wings to continue familiarising themselves with the application of the Act to avoid political misunderstandings.

And Mr Kabimba maintained that there is no room for party members that compromise loyalty and discipline as this can derail developmental focus.

In an apparent reference to Foreign Affairs Minister Given Lubinda who facing charges of treachery, Mr Kabimba said it was important for the PF to have a strong and disciplined membership and not allow elements of disloyalty.

[pullquote]“We were critical of the enforcement of the Public Order Act and not its content. We never said that we would abolish it but its application was not credible,” Mr Kabimba said.[/pullquote]

“The party monitors the operations of Government and Government can only deliver on development if it has a disciplined and loyal membership, the two elements are co-related and there is no compromise on these principles.

“The party has to protect itself from members that are divided because they threaten the existence of the party and its vision. Just the way the human body acts, when there is an intrusion, the white cells come out to fight and protect it so that it continues to function properly,” Mr Kabimba said.

Mr Kabimba, who is Justice Minister, dispelled reports of infighting in the ruling party but that it was the issue of ensuring that discipline and loyalty were maintained.

“If people are singing a hymn in Church, you cannot be saying Amen, you have to follow procedure and as a party, we have a procedure which members must follow,” he said.

He said the survival of the party was paramount and cases such as that facing Mr Lubinda should not be judged politically.

Mr Kabimba cited the expulsion of outspoken South African youth leader, Julius Malema, from the ruling Africa National Congress, as a case study that political parties should emulate to avoid being derailed from focusing on development.

Commenting on the defections from the crisis-hit MMD, Mr Kabimba said the PF should not be accused of causing the problems in the former ruling party but on a failed leadership.

“The defections cannot be attributed to the PF, even the troubles that any opposition party is experiencing. If members want to leave, it is not us (PF) to blame but it’s the failed leadership of that party that should be blamed,” he said.

He added that the PF would not accept any member without scrutinising them especially those in the MMD that were alleged to have been corrupt.

MMD President Dr. Nevers Mumba has said that the recent expulsion of Major Richard Kachingwe from the party cannot be overturned.

Dr. Mumba said the decision to expel Major Kachingwe was done by the National Executive Committee in accordance with the party’s constitution.

“That is now water under the bridge,” Dr. Mumba said.

“We are focused on moving forward and we will not be distracted.”

He said no individual is bigger than the NEC as it is the supreme organ of the party outside the convention.

The MMD leader also cautioned senior party members to desist from discussing party affairs in the media.

He was referring on Saturday’s statement issued by Vice President for Administration Brian Chituwo that an urgent NEC meeting shall be held to discuss the expulsion of Major Kachingwe and the invalidation of his presidency of the party.

[pullquote]We should avoid the attempt of dragging this party further in the mud. We should remain resolute as our enemy is vicious and wants to destroy this vibrant party.[/pullquote]

“We should avoid the attempt of dragging this party further in the mud. We should remain resolute as our enemy is vicious and wants to destroy this vibrant party. My appeal is to my friends in the NEC, please let’s avoid rushing to the media over these party affairs.”

Meanwhile, MMD vice president for administration Brain Chituwo has refused to further comment on the statement he issued over the weekend. Dr. Chituwo said that he would not make any further comments in addition to the comprehensive statement he issued on Saturday.

“My brother… I have just told myself that I will not say or issue more comments from what I said. I think I already said something so I, can’t comment more,” Dr Chituwo said

And MMD Vubwi MP Eustarkio Kazonga refused to make any comment regarding the current party affairs issues. He said, “I think for now, there is no comment from me”

Government has said that it has credible information on a Rwandese national Abdul Simwaya that guarantees his deportation to the country of his origin.

Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu said that the government is aware that Mr. Simwaya has been an agent of the Rwandese government and that he is wondering why Mr. Simwaya has been rejected.

Mr. Lungu has told a media briefing that the government is also aware that Mr. Simwaya had been issuing death threats to a refugee resident in Zambia adding that the deportee in question is inimical to the state.

Mr. Lungu added that as Minister of Home Affairs, he is duty bound to ensure that foreign nationals resident in Zambia abide by the laws.

The Minister noted that government will not hesitate to deport foreigners that breach the Zambian laws adding that prosecuting them locally will just further strain the country’s judicial system.

The children of Mr. Simwaya have challenged the government to explain to the nation the charges that led to the deportation of their father.

QFM

Some Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Members of Parliament have rebutted a Zambia Daily Mail story of yesterday that quoted party President Nevers Mumba as having admitted that 30 of his MPs were planning to defect to the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).

Speaking at a press briefing at the MMD secretariat in Lusaka today, MMD Solwezi Central Member of parliamentary Lucky Mulusa claimed Dr. Mumba was misquoted saying the 30 MPs will not cross over to the PF.

He said the former ruling party has since written a letter to the management of the Zambia Daily Mail to retract the story.

Mr. Mulusa said the party’s MPs are not so irresponsible as to defeat the aims of democracy and disappoint the people to whom they campaigned and convinced to send them to parliament on the MMD ticket by resigning from the party to join the PF.

He claimed that there was something peculiar about the MPs who have so far resigned from the MMD to join the PF saying most of them were facing criminal charges in the courts of law and that their crossing to the ruling party was a desperate effort to have their criminal cases dropped.

Mr. Mulusa said the resignation of such MPs was therefore an assault and a mockery on the country’s justice system.

He further stated that the excuses that the MMD was dictatorial and that they would not remain in a troubled party does not hold water alleging that there were more dictatorial tendencies and problems in the PF.

Mr. Mulusa said MMD MPs will ensure the party survives by making sure that there was order and unquestioned support to a democratically elected party leadership and also to a democratically instituted National Executive Committee (NEC).

He alleged that the appointment of MMD MPs as Deputy Ministers in Government was just a ploy by the PF to destroy democracy in the country.

Mr. Mulusa said PF only wants to increase their numbers in parliament and that was why they were appointing opposition MMD MPs in Government, saying there were many qualified and competitive PF MPs in parliament who should serve in Government as ministers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mulusa said the party membership and the nation at large are tired of the recent squabbles that have rocked the party.

Asked to state whether the party was also going to expel party Vice President Brian Chituwo for seeming to support expelled National Secretary Richard Kachingwe, Mr. Mulusa said the party would deal with that issue internally.

And the Solwezi Parliamentarian has dismissed claims that camps have emerged in the former ruling party, saying there were absolutely no divisions in the party.

And Sinda MP Levy Ngoma stated that should the leadership of the party decide to bring back expelled Secretary General Richard Kachingwe, the MPs would halt their contribution to the party.

Mr. Ngoma said the MPs cannot continue funding a Secretary General who was inimical to the interest and principles of the party.

Speaking at the same occasion, MMD Chitambo MP Mushili Malama said the MMD MPs were strongly behind the leadership of the party President Dr. Mumba and also stands by the expulsion of Major Kachingwe as National Secretary of the party.

Mr. Malama said the expulsion of Maj. Kachingwe was sanctioned by MPs who petitioned his expulsion following his utterances which clearly showed that he was no longer serving the interests of the party.

Five MMD MPs who claimed to represent the 30 members alleged to be planning to defect to the PF attended the briefing and these included Mr. Mulusa, Mr. Ngoma, Mr. Malama, Christopher Malila of Lukulu East and Anne Chungu of Lufwanyama constituency.

ZANIS