CITIZENS FIRST ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF VIOLATING FREEDOM OF WORSHIP
Citizens First Party President Harry Kalaba has condemned the decision by the Zambia Police Service to block Independence Eve overnight prayers at the OYDC in Lusaka.
Mr. Kalaba says the action, which stopped hundreds of worshippers led by Apostle Sunday Sinyangwe, was a clear violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of worship and assembly.
He dismissed a statement from State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka, who said President Hakainde Hichilema did not instruct the police to block the prayers, describing it as an afterthought meant to manage public backlash.
Mr. Kalaba said it was inconceivable that the police could move to stop such a significant Christian gathering without clearance from higher authorities, adding that the incident reflects what he termed a worrying state of governance under the UPND administration.
He further stated that the decision to block the prayers on the eve of Independence Day goes against the spirit of freedom and dishonors the sacrifices of Zambia’s founding fathers.
Mr. Kalaba noted that Apostle Sinyangwe’s “Standing in the Gap” overnight prayers have become an annual tradition, bringing Christians together to pray for the nation and seek solutions to challenges such as corruption, high cost of living, and unemployment.
He added that the President’s call for investigations into the incident was not enough, saying decisive action should have been taken, including suspending officers involved pending investigations.
Mr. Kalaba has since demanded that State House updates the nation on the outcome of the investigations and disciplinary measures taken against those responsible.
He has urged President Hichilema to demonstrate true Christian leadership by ensuring that citizens are allowed to worship freely without intimidation or interference from state agencies.
Now this is a good example of clean politics, issue based, no hate speech, no insults, no seditious practice and no evil plans. Just selling your manifesto. If you disagree with facts presented, then dispute them. Not those wrong doers in jail twist facts, deliberately alarming the nation, no real checks and balances, no alternatives of country policy in the unlikely event you ever formed government. Tell people what you would do differently if you want to rule the country. Who will blindly vote for you without knowing your agenda? Opposition, emulate Harry Kalaba. It is only him who has sometimes said what he will do, though vergely, apart from “Bally the great, HH7” who is focused despite people wanting to derail his good national agenda.