MASS ACTION AND NATIONAL SHUTDOWN
…processions, protests, demonstrations are legal in this country…
Lusaka-Sunday, 5th November 2023
We have noted statements from State House and from the Zambia Police responding to our call for mass actions and promoting a day of national shut-down in order for Zambians to protect the Constitution, Democracy and the Rule of Law.
It must be stated that the conduct of both mass actions and proposed day of national shut-down are legally sound and are practices within the democratic space of our country.
These calls also form part of freedom of expression and association practices to raise awareness and attention to a particular national matter(s).
Processions, protests and demonstrations are all legal and provided for in the laws of Zambia.
WHY MASS ACTION AND A DAY OF NATIONAL SHUTDOWN
We have over the last two years, noted a deep erosion of our democracy and total disregard for the rule of law in our country by the Executive.
These violations span from wide-ranging issues such as abuse of public tender processes to the police actions that involves torturing, killing and meting out inhuman treatment to citizens and those perceived to be political opponents of those in power.
Of serious concerns are the recent state actions against the Patriotic Front.
There is concerted effort to decimate the Opposition party from the political scene and remove its leadership.
Besides the numerous arrests against its leaders, the seizure of the party’s vehicles and assets, recent actions and utterances have exposed President Hakainde Hichilema as one at the centre of this plot and is determined to abuse state institutions and public resources to destroy Zambia’s largest Opposition party.
KABUSHI AND KWACHA BY-ELECTIONS
The conduct of State House to unfairly abuse the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Zambia Police, with the sole purpose to exclude Patriotic Front candidates from participating in the Kwacha and Kabushi by-elections held in October 2022 were orchestrated by the State.
Later the Constitution Court on 10th March 2023( in the case 2022/CCZ/0018), ruled that the actions of the state and ECZ to defrenchise Hon. Joe Malanji and Hon. Bowman Lusambo were unlawful as the duo was eligible to participate and contest in those by-elections election.
Sadly despite this ruling bybthe Constitutional Court, both Hon. Malanji and Hon. Lusambo remain outside Parliament and the seats have subsequently gone to the UPND.
RECENT ACTIONS AGAINST THE PATRIOTIC FRONT
Recently, there have been concerted attempts to deregister the Patriotic Front despite the party fulfilling and meeting all lawful and procedural obligations.
Warning letters were issued by the Registrar of Societies giving notice of the intention to deregister the party.
On 9th May 2023, a gazette notice no 592 was issued illegally giving powers to the Chief Registrar of Societies. With this gazette notice, The Chief Regsitrar proceeded to give a 60-day ultimatum for political parties to hold internal elections and fill vacancies.
The Statutory Instrument was clearly designed and aimed at the Patriotic Front party.
STATE PREPARES AND FACILITATES MILES SAMPA’S ILLEGAL EXTRA-ORDINARY CONFERENCE
It must be made very clear that the attempt to steal, kill and destroy the Patriotic Front has been mooted and implemented by President Hakainde Hichilema and his officials at State House and Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.
Below are some reasons making our claims credible;
- Despite several reports spanning several days from the Patriotic Front to the Zambia Police, informing and demanding action from them, that a known person, a Mr. Morgan Ngona, who was NOT a member of the Patriotic Front was planning and attempting to hold and host an illegal Conference to be held at Mulungushi University and later moved to Mulungushi International Conference Center, the Police refused to act and prevent an illegal and criminal action.
We informed the Police that this was being done in cohoots, with a suspended official, Matero Member of Parliament, Hon. Miles Sampa, but the Police blatantly ignored the reports as demonstrated by a public statement from the Inspector General of Police who said that he had no intention of arresting Mr. Miles Sampa or those perpetrating the illegality.
- Instead the State provided a heavy police presence which moved in to protect and ensure that such an illegal meeting actually took place.
- The action by the Police led by Deputy Inspector General, Milner Muyambago to clear fingerprints and security checks on 24th October 2023, the day of the so-called Conference and to facilitate the submission of a Notice of Change of Office Bearers to the Registrar of Societies, exposed the plot and the involvement of the State at such a high level.
- The subsequent actions and occurrences witnessed at Parliament and the Judiciary, that exposes deep interference from State House.
- The pressure exerted on the Registrar of Societies to attempt to change Office Bearers despite the Conference held by Miles Sampa being clearly illegal and failed to meet any of the procedures and provisions of the Patriotic Front Party Constitution.
- Affording Mr. Miles Sampa state security, sometimes bigger than the security detail of the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia.
- The abuse of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), a public broadcaster, from the day when the illegal Conference was held to date, where a narrative is being pushed that Miles Sampa held a legitimate and lawful process that resulted in him being elected as so-called PF party president.
ZNBC has also been abused to a great extent, to plant a false narrative that activities in the Patriotic Front were an internal matter of conflict and were NOT as a result of a now known and established agenda that this is state orchestrated, state sponsored and state-driven process to impose a UPND stooge or sympathizer, as leader of the Patriotic Front.
- Despite the Patriotic Front not making any changes to the party leadership in Parliament as provided for under Article 74(2) which elects leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Speaker of the National Asembly Nellie as proceeded to effect changes on the request of Miles Sampa. It must be noted that the Party has sued Mr. Sampa for holding an illegal Conference and holding himself out as Patriotic Front Party President and this matter has not been resolved or determined.
This matter remain in yhe Lusaka high court.
PRESIDENT HICHILEMA MUST BE CALLED OUT FOR ABUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION
Therefore the abuse of state institutions and flagrant disregard for the Rule of Law and the damage done to democratic institutions and wings of Government, as exposed during this process, requires that we engage in civic, civil and political actions to rescue and restore our democracy.
We are calling upon NGOs, the Church, Labour movement, sister political parties to join us in bringing political pressure to bear onto the government of President Hichilema so that he is encouraged to respect the Republican Constitution and democratic norms.
What has happened is not a PF affair but an attack and affront on our democracy.
It must be stated that the protest actions will remain peaceful and within the confines and sanctity of the law and order.
The attempt by President Hichilema to steal, kill and destroy the Patriotic Front is a betrayal and an affront to the multi-party democracy status of our country.
Issued by;
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Chairperson of Information and Publicity
Member of the Patriotic Front
Wasted efforts. I don’t see the citizens you brutalized, gassed and whose natural resources you looted, support what you’re planning. Just address your remaining pf cadres( since some are on the other side)maybe they will buy in your views, otherwise you’re alone baba.
Zambians know what they want.
They cannot be forced to do what they do not
Want.
Your government used to kill people, also alot of citizens died due to gassing pepetrated by your government and you remained quiet together with your leader. You sponsored gassing in order to frame HH! Now you want demonstrations and a shut down! What for you criminals. You thrive under chaos. You want to gather so your cadres can come and loot and damage property in the chaos. NO MORE IT WONT HAPPEN. IN FACT MRS LUNGU POLICE BOND SHOULD BE CANCELLED BECAUSE MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT IS NOT BENDABLE.
Mwamba drill it in your head that using your pf constitution as toilet tissue is not an illegality. Ecl did it to takeover pf presidency and now Miles has done the same. An illegality is an act breaking the Laws of Zambia not the pf tissue constitution.
Furthermore from Miles’ actions, it is now apparently clear that of the 9 candidates that paid k200,000 non refundable fee to the pf, only he used his money. The rest of you got money from Lungu hence can’t be bothered with losing it!
And from the logic you’re using in your article, it explains why Gunyu could even remind you in your face that you can not overrule him. Just mind your lane and ensure you’re in the fronline when conducting your mass actions and protests not other people!!
You are right, demonstrations are allowed in this country on national matters and not on PF internal wrangles. Moreover you are not even an opposition and you don’t represent any of the citizens you are trying to incite. Even your own wife and children in their capacity as Zambian citizens, you don’t represent them, at least if you had gone for PF convention, may be you could have been chosen as a party leader. But as for now you are nothing, you just an ordinary citizen like everybody else leave alone being an ambassador or former ambassador. So which normal person can receive instructions from a fellow ordinary citizen? That cannot happen and it will not happen, you are just inviting troubles to yourself. Peace is our priority number one in our peaceful country. There is no issue here which is worth demonstrating, you did the same to MMD and embraced the Mutati led group through late RB, you even gave Mutati a Ministerial position. And when he saw that you were going to lose, he left you and joined UPND alliance and landed on a ministerial position again and he is comfortable. Nevers Mumba never called for demonstrations because he knew that it was not going to help him anything. In politics, you just need courage, be fast in making decisions, with correct timing of course and you will always be on the success side.
Tulamyeba ba HH ati uluse lwalile inkwale. These idiots would not be daring you if your institution of the law enforcement had moved at an expected speed to prosecute and secure convictions of these thieves, gassers, looters, plunderers and murderers.
You now make them look like they are innocent and the people of Zambia are guilty. This is nonsense. STUPID IDIOTS.
Mwamba will always lie. The headline of his article is specific to the law allowing mass protests and national shutdown and yet he fails to cite the laws on which he is basing his urgument instead we are needing treated to PF lamentations. Mwamba cite which law provides for the anarchy you are proposing. In Zambia we have a unique set of laws totally different from South Africa. Don’t mislead yourself . Try what you are proposing and you will regret for the rest of your life.
Siakainde’s Banana Republic of Zambia is born!!.All institutions have captured and populated with humanoids!!
“.. have been captured..” and populated with humanoids.
Tell your children to go protest after all it’s your ka useless party gasping for breath. You want people to stop working and fending for their families only to protest over your infighting ? You paid 200pin for nominations, you have money and you want people without money to join your fight? Malabish .
Ba Mwamba is totally shameless! Were mass protests illegal in the PF days? Did you allow such protests as PF? And you are saying we want to reclaim our democracy and constitutionalism?
You can gather together your PF hordes for the protests since you have nothing better to do. We will spend our time in more productive activities.
PF is the true representation of hypocrisy, lies and lawlessness.
We say NO to PF thuggery and lawlessness.
The police are up to the task. This matter is in court. It follows there’s no need to allow mass protests.
ARE YOU SURE THIS PF GROUP OF IS NOT A TERRORIST GROUP???
It all seems that this country has been cursed. How can people continue defending illegality being perpetuated by by one Sampa? God help this country b4 it’s completely destroyed by people with evil intentions.
The court is yet to pronounce itself on matters that have been brought before it. Please attend court on 21st November and listen to both sides.