ON THE ARREST OF JASON MWANZA:
By Rev Chilekwa Mulenga
Disclaimer:
We have no personal relationship with Jason Mwanza and have never met him but find his arrest today an injustice and annoyance.
No Zambian citizen should be arrested for exercising their right to protest within the confines of the law.
We write to call upon H.E the President Mr Hakainde Hichilema to take interest in the arrest of a youth activist Jason Mwanza a Zambian citizen who was picked by the Police from the freedom statue in Lusaka today where he staged a lone protest having notified the police.
The arrest of Jason Mwanza confirms the injustice happening under the watch of H.E President Hichilema. It’s your duty Mr President to ensure that the Zambia Police who act in your “name” does the right thing and learn to respect the rights of all citizens. Mr President you promised that your administration would respect human rights. Jason Mwanza has not committed any crime for the Police to detain or arrest him today. May God touch your heart tonight Mr President.
On the 24th of August, 2021 during your inauguration Mr President you promised as follows;
“We said Bally and team will fix our economy, but we will do more than that. We will grow our economy so we can lift more people out of poverty than ever before. We will promote unity in diversity and ensure respect for the fundamental human rights and freedoms for all. We will restore the rule of law, general order in our public places and communities, and return our country back to normalcy,” President Hichilema told a packed National Heroes Stadium.
Jason Mwanza must be released within 48 hours or be taken before a court of competent jurisdiction. This nonsense by some within the Zambia Police to intimidate citizens with dissenting view should be kept in check or may continue compromising the freedoms of citizens. Some actions taken by the Police in recent past has continued to dent the image of President Hichilema who promised to respect rights of all citizens.
RELEASE JASON MWANZA.
Ndola, Copperbelt, Zambia.
Rev Chilekwa Mulenga, you had enough time to advise Jason Mwanza over his un reasonable protest against the President.He fixed the portrait of the President on a visible material indicating conditions he wants to be attained within two months or else.How can a young man Jason Mwanza give an altimatum to the head of state in such a manner and says or else.You as a Clergy man is expected to impart good manners and respect for elders to young ones but you decided to let him threaten the President and when he is arrested you are the first one to cry for his release.And you are talking about rights of that individual surely to protest and threatening the president by giving the condition of two months.Load shading has not come by someone’s deliberate desire to cause drought so that we have a challenge with hydro electric power.This is a natural occurance.How can one end it within specified time of two months.The government has taken a number of stapes to reduce the cost of living it is very evident that the Minister of commerce inganged retail stores on reductions of commodities like sugar.The cost of fuel is hinged on a number of factors which the government may not manage to control within his prescribed time frame.The fight against corruption is everyone else’s responsibility and the President has done a lot on that one.The UPND has broken the record by employing a huge number of youths in government sectors.The opposition was not even happy suggesting it is the responsibility of the private sector to employ like that.Threatening any person is an offence in Zambia and one can be sent to prison.You Rev Chilekwa Mulenga you were myopic because you had enough time to stop the young man from breaking the law.
Typical UPND stance !!