JAY JAY’S ABDUCTION: THE COLLAPSE OF THE RULE OF LAW, ORDER AND SAFETY
We strongly condemn the enforced abduction and disappearance of Petauke independent lawmaker Hon. Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda in Lusaka in the early hours of yesterday.
Regrettably, Hon. Banda’s scandalous and enforced abduction and disappearance forms part of a pattern or series of events that have occurred in a similar way under the leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema regime.
We say this because we have been victims of the UPND’s long history of these ugly and barbaric politics. We have seen how violence and all other forms of political repression and criminality are being committed by the UPND cadres led by identifiable individuals, some of the serving Cabinet Ministers and senior party officials with full protection of the police.
Well-known and armed UPND cadres have been abducting or kidnapping, knifing, assaulting, beating and publicly threatening to “slaughter” opposition political leaders and other critical voices in the name of protecting Mr Hichilema with the police paying a blind eye. Identifiable UPND cadres have held press briefings, appeared on radio and television aggressively threatening to physically harm and “kill” opposition leaders of this country.
Our experience has been that our numerous complaints and reports to the police on these incidences have been ignored. It’s now a trend that whenever a report is made to the police, its us, the victims of Mr Hichilema’s cadres’ violence who get locked up and are prosecuted. This is the impunity that the perpetrators of such crimes are enjoying for their crimes with the help and support of the police.
The abduction and disappearance of Hon. Banda is tragic, alarming and signifies an evil turn in the country’s politics. It indicates an extremely dangerous and nerve-wracking trajectory.
This country has always guaranteed freedom of expression, association and movement to political, traditional and religious stakeholders without fear of abduction or harm. Why is this happening under Mr Hichilema’s leadership or watch? Why is Mr Hichilema and his corrupt, tribal and violent regime failing protect, respect and guarantee the right of everybody to physical security and safety? Why is Mr Hichilema quiet amidst all this chaos and violence?
Mr Hichilema must be very careful with the dangerous path he has chosen to set this country on – especially the senseless violence and impunity of his party cadres and some Cabinet Ministers. If he has not realized it, we are here to warn him that he is rapidly losing control of the situation. The heavy-handedness of the police and other law enforcement agencies, and the desperation and insanity of his party cadres are increasing exponentially, and before he knows it, the most cruel crimes in history will be committed under his name and the state of affairs will spiral out of control.
Let Mr Hichilema know that history has shown that leaders who lack empathy, tolerance and a sense of justice for others, especially critics in tough situations, invite the wrath of frustration, anger and resentment from citizens. He must also know that failed states are never an accidental occurrence, they’re a product of systematic and similar chaos, confusion, desperation, leadership indiscipline and brutish handling of affairs of the state.
We demand that Mr Hichilema and his league treat the abduction and disappearance of Hon Banda and other reported cases as serious crimes, and ensure that that justice prevails. Bring back Hon Banda back to his family!
Otherwise, this country is collapsing before our eyes and it will not be good for anyone of us to live in if its not good for us all to live in.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party