PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lusaka 28th December 2020
EDGAR LUNGU’S IRRISPONSIBLE STATEMENT ON PRESENCE OF HH’S SUPPORTERS AT POLICE.
As UPND , we find Edgar Lungu’s statement in which he questioned why UPND supporters went to escort President Hakainde Hichilema to the Police as irrisponsible and a mockery to the spirit and integrity of the presidency.
He also demonstrates high levels of ignorance on what constitutes fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens.
We wonder whether Edgar Lungu really attended a law class because as far as we are concerned , every lawyer knows that citizens have freedom of movement and association. In a political context as the case may be, it is common sense a politician of HH’s prominence cannot come to the police with his driver alone.
Further, Mr Lungu does not seem to realize that even his own ministers who have appeared before the Anti-Corruption Commission have gone there with Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.
A case in point is when Chitalu Chilufya appeared at the Subordinate Court; cadres from PF appeared in mass at the Subordinate court to offer solidarity to Dr. Chilufya.
In another similar instance, scores of PF cadres accompanied Ronald Chitotela to court when he was appearing for some cases recently.
We wonder whether President Lungu has directed his mind to such aforementioned actitivies before releasing a statement on HH.
We are now left to wonder what kind of double standards and lopsided thinking Mr. Lungu is bringing to this country in times like these when lives have been lost.
We expect a lot of maturity from the Head of State and to first concede that he has militarised the country and those with dissenting views do not have freedoms anymore.
We also wish to express shock at the police who created unnecessary psychological harm on the mourners and our party members who gathered to pay their last respect to the late Joseph Kaunda.
Police dispersed all the mourners from St. Ann’s Funeral Parlour and took over the funeral procession up to the Memorial Park.
At the Memorial Park, heavily armed police tightly surrounded the mourners, a gesture which we strongly detest.
From Edgar Lungu’s statement, it is now clear that Edgar Lungu is the one behind the command of all the bloody shootings of citizens.
Mr. Lungu’s statement coincides with Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo’s arrogant statement in which she said police cannot be given instructions by a political party; yet she is getting illegal political orders from Edgar Lungu.
We are left to wonder why Edgar Lungu is creating a war- like atmosphere in the country.
We urge Edgar Lungu to concede that he has no capacity to govern this country and immediately announce his retirement.
Zambians have known peace and not the militarization of cadres we are seeing under Edgar Lungu’s leadership.
If his handlers are cheating him for their economic survival reasons, let him realize that they are ill-informed on how to make a non-saleable candidate like Mr.Lungu sale.
There is no magic that Edgar Lungu will create to win the 2021 polls.
Shooting innocent unarmed citizens won’t secure him power.
When we form government, we shall ensure caderism and militarization of the police is ameliorated.
Issued by:
Stephen Katuka
UPND Secretary General.