For Immediate Release
03:10:2020
NDC/ UPND YOUTH NATIONAL LEADERSHIP HOLDS MEETING WITH DEPUTY IG – OPERATIONS
Yesterday 2nd October 2020, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and their Alliance partners the United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth leadership hold a meeting with Mr Bonny Kapeso the Deputy Inspector General Of Police Operations.
The meeting was held at Police Service Headquarters in Lusaka which lasted for over three hours.
This followed the notification by both parties to the police on the intentions to hold a peaceful demonstration in regards to the Online Voter Registration.
The UPND was represented by Gilbert Liswaniso UPND National Youth Chairperson and Dean Mwanaga their Media Team member. The NDC was represented by Charles Kabwita NDC National Youth Chairperson, Nachama Shimulinda NDC Lusaka Provincial Youth Chairperson, Christopher Kangwa Dr Chishimba Kambwili’s ADC and Kirby Kaoma Musonda NDC Deputy Media Director. Present from the police was Mr Bonny Kapeso DIG, Miss Banda and a Mr Lwanga.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Bonny Kapeso who called for it.
Mr Kapeso explained to the team that he was instructed by the Inspector General of Police Mr Kakoma Kankanja to call the two political parties Youth representatives so that he could have a meeting with them before police could respond to the letter officially.
Mr Kapeso mentioned that the tone in the letter created a different scenario hence he had to call for this meeting to get clarity. He further said the call for two most powerful opposition political parties in Zambia the NDC and UPND protesting the whole country was too strong.
The DIG also raised concerns to why the two political parties had to copy the embassy’s when writing their letters which he called as internal matter and it was not necessary at that time to involve the International community.
Mr Kapeso thanked representatives from both parties for turning up for the meeting and said, it’s good today you have come and this is what we want as the police, we thank you and let’s continue this dialogue as we approach the 2021 general elections.
Mr Kapeso who further said we as the police we are servants of the public and we cannot be 100% perfect, Just the same as you politicians we don’t expect you to be the same as you have different kind of people and personality, our God almighty has made each person different.
Mr Kapeso who expressed concerns to why the two parties had to write directly to the Inspector General of Police whom he said he was not the controlling Officer of the police, but there were people in the police were the letter could have been directed to.
The DIG reminded both parties on the new equipment bought for the police, to which he said that equipment was bought to be used on law breakers and should be used as a last option hence we first need to dialogue as one people.
Mr Kapeso further said National Demonstrations if allowed are a sign of failed government hence his office could not agree to grant such permission to hold demonstrations country wide. But the police were open to negotiations on how best the concerns of the two parties can be heard.
Mr Kapeso further said his office is not Incharge of the Electoral Commission of Zambia as he was pointing to one of the reasons the two parties wrote the letter to have Mr Esau Chulu, Patrick Nshindano and Emerlyn Sikazwe resign. Mr Kapeso further advised that his office can only work as intermediate between the two. He said the call by the two parties for the trio to resign shouldn’t take the whole country to demonstrate but just engage the ECZ as an institution.
The DIG was however disappointed with ECZ as he saw a meeting which was called by the ECZ to dialogue over Online Voter registration with opposition political parties called off. He further advised the ECZ to call on the political players in the country to dialogue when ever issues arises as lack of dialogue only builds up unnecessarily tensions in the country.
The NDC National Youth Chairperson responded to Mr Kapeso and said, our letter to you is not in any way to undermine your office and the letter sent to the Inspector General of Police Mr Kakoma Kankanja was just to let him know what the two parties intentions were, but the two parties had already written letters to various police commands country wide.
Mr Kabwita further said as NDC and UPND are law abiding citizens that is why they took the route to inform the police and follow the laid down procedures of the public order act. But wondered why the colleagues in the Patriotic Front don’t inform the police when having demonstrations and go ahead any time they want. Mr Kabwita expressed disappointed why we should have two sets of laws in the country for the ruling and the opposition political parties.
Mr Kabwita further told the DIG that it was not up to the police to tell the two political parties on how to handle the issue with ECZ but their job as police was just to provide law and order in the country. Our demands to have the dual removed from ECZ are not meant to undermine the organization but a call for genuine Zambians to run the affairs at ECZ.
If you see from 2016 general elections we have been requesting meetings with ECZ with an example with the recent meeting which was called off by ECZ. The ECZ are too stubborn and their stubbornness if left unchecked will only put this country on fire which even the police will fail to control as youths out their are upset on how the affairs at ECZ are being conducted, said Kabwita.
Mr Kabwita in his concluding remarks said the two parties will not take no as an answer as their youths country wide were more than ready for these demonstrations.
UPND National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso said, we respect you so much as police and we understand how you are intimidated by the PF, as the UPND and NDC Youths we are very peaceful hence our coming to this office as we regard this office as a public office. The PF are on record to have beaten up police officers on several occasions and even stagged robberys at police stations and as we form government next year we want this trend to stop, our men and women in uniform must be respected.
Gilbert further told the DIG that the youths in UPND and NDC country wide can never listen to the police but to their leaders only, hence Gilbert’s call to the police to let the both parties leadership handle them.
Mr Gilbert mentioned on the issue of copying Embassy’s in the letter and said this was done because in the past as opposition political parties we have been humiliated a lot by the ruling hence involving the international community. As the opposition our only aim is to make things right in this country hence our call for the trio to resign. Why should Zambians be denied the right to acquire a voters card this is their right. And why does the ECZ want to get rid of the old voters register this is suspicious, Gilbert said.
Gilbert further said the PF and ruling Party aligned are being allowed to hold demonstrations with an example with the Youth lead by Ntewewe who recently took a petition to state house and the President addressed them, but why are the oppositions not being allowed when ever they apply and follow the procedures.
The UPND National Youth Chairperson has since appealed to Mr Kapeso to allow them speak to their youths and leadership on concerns raised by the police in regards to the country wide demonstrations and are ready to come back for another meeting on Monday 5th October 2020. Before the Police could respond back officially.
The UPND Media Team member Dean Mwanaga said If the police could allow even the opposition political parties to hold peaceful demonstrations it will only send a signal out that Zambia was a democratic country, but if the police deny the opposition a chance to demonstrate like their colleagues in the PF are doing even President Edgar Lungu will differ with the police as yesterday he allowed the PF youths lead by Ntewewe to present a petition at state house and President Lungu was a President for all Zambians and we are sure he calls for fair play amongst all Zambians.
The NDC Lusaka Provincial Youth Chairperson Nachama Shimulinda mentioned to the DIG that our friends in the ruling are untouchable, but as the opposition political parties is to protect the country from this corrupt regime and also protect the women and men in uniform. And us youths we want to do it in a sober manner hence our approach to your office.
The NDC Christopher Kangwa said the only problem with ECZ is that they like doing things without consulting stakeholders. ECZ was put in place by an act of parliament and are here on behalf of the people of Zambia so why should they do things alone when they use tax payers monies.
All we want is the ECZ is to dialogue with all players in the elections, Kangwa said.
Issued by: NDC Media Department party HQ