Highlights from the media engagement held by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson

Highlights from the media engagement held by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson.

COMMENTS ON PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’S STATEMENT THAT HE WAS ON A DEATH ROW

✅ Government has noted with concern statements from certain sectors of society disputing the statement made by President Hichilema that he was on death row when he was in opposition as mere politics.

✅ The President’s statement is informed by law contrary to the said assertions.

✅ In terms of section 43 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia before it was amended by the New Dawn Administration, the law provided that a person who is guilty of treason is liable to suffer death.

✅ While in opposition, the President was charged with the offence of treason and as the law stated, the punishment for treason was capital punishment (death).

✅ In this regard, the President was highlighting the penalties of treason before the law was amended.

✅ Government acknowledges the President’s declaration against thuggery, hooliganism, and political caderism.

✅ It is the expectation of government that Zambia Police Service did hear the position of government regarding cadres who recently caused chaos in the streets of Lusaka.

ALLEGATIONS BY FORMER PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU THAT HE IS UNDER HOUSE ARREST

✅ The former President Edgar Lungu is fully enjoying his human rights contrary to assertions he made to the international media that he is practically under house arrest.

✅ Mr. Edgar Lungu has been seen on the streets, police stations contrary to the assertion he made to the international media.

✅ Government is urging the former President to promote the country’s good image to the international community, rather than spreading falsehoods.

✅ Meanwhile, Government is concerned that at a critical time when the police and investigative wings are busy trying to put together other relevant pieces of evidence pertaining to the alleged abduction of Emmanuel Jay Banda, various unsubstantiated comments keep popping up from his lawyer Sakwiba Sikota.

✅ Government would like to urge Mr. Sikota to differentiate between his role of being a lawyer of Emmanuel Banda and that of a political commentator or participant of the United Liberal Party.

✅ Government awaits investigation from the police about Emmanuel Banda’s disappearance to put together pieces of evidence to show who would have been behind his alleged abduction and be brought to book.

✅ Her Honour, the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Madam Mutale Nalumango is scheduled to travel to Dushanbe, Tajikistan to attend the 3rd High Level International Conference on International Decade for Action “Water on Sustainable Development 2018-2028 scheduled to take place from 10th June to 13th June, 2024.

✅ The Dushanbe Water Process is a Tajikistan-led initiative in cooperation with the United Nations and other development partners who support the goals of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018 -2028.

✅ Through a series of biannual conferences, the organisers bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments international organisations, civil society and the private sector, to discuss and advance solutions for global water challenges.

✅ At a time when Zambia is grappling with the drought, Government finds the high-level international conference on water to be an opportune moment for Zambia through her Honour the Vice President to interact with global partners, stakeholders and players in the water sector and be able to create opportunities for cooperation as the country responds to the drought situation.

✅ The Vice President is also scheduled to have a number of bilateral meetings scheduled on the sidelines of the main conference that may include issues beyond the call conference.