GOVERNANCE activist Brebner Changala has charged that the governing PF is nothing but a de facto criminal organisation.
Over the past week, PF cadres in Muchinga Province have been storming radio stations to curtail phone interviews featuring UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Recently, Mpika district commissioner Moses Katebe stopped Mpika Community Radio from interviewing Hichilema, via the phone.
Reacting to such, Changala said Zambians were living in very dangerous times, as they had tolerated mediocrity for too long.
“We have stopped being proactive and we neglect our personal values, liberties and freedoms which have been suspended by the PF government and the PF as a political party. The current violence that we are experiencing in the country has the blessing of the President of the Republic of Zambia,” Changala said in an interview.
“That is the only way he can remain perpetually in power – through intimidation and disadvantaging other political players in a constitutional democracy.”
Changala reiterated that with a violent governing party, Zambians shall see more blood in next year’s political campaigns.
He noted that there was need for change of political leadership.
“We need to re-set ourselves. PF, in its current form, has become inimical to national interest. PF is now a de facto criminal organisation, rather than a political party,” Changala said.
“It must be banned and removed from the electoral calendar. The entire leadership of the PF leadership must face the rule of law in competent courts of law.”
He indicated that the violence being unleashed on media houses by brutish PF supporters was not an accident or a coincidence.
“[It is] a well calculated and orchestrated PF agenda to silence everybody and ride on the backbone of tribalism. Why should it be that certain people cannot feature [on radio stations] in certain areas where PF thinks it’s their stronghold?” he asked. “But they have not taken any valuable development, in terms of human resource and socio-economic development. They want to stay in power when they know that they have literally nothing to offer.”
He cautioned that PF violence would consume Zambia, “if it’s left unchallenged.”
“I want to advise the people of Zambia that President Edgar Lungu and his entire administration cannot curb this violence because they are the financiers. They are the architects of this violence,” Changala said. “But I must hasten to say that madam Dora Siliya, Amos Malupenga and all those people at the Ministry of Information will stand trial one day. They cannot pay lip service when the institutions that they are mandated to manage are broken to pieces by a cadre that is violent, insolent and untouchable.”
Changala warned home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo and Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja, “who is a good friend of mine,” that they had no moral right to stay in their offices and pretend that all was well.
He regretted that Kampyongo and Kanganja “are looking elsewhere while people’s rights, liberties and property are being destroyed.”
Changala said the role of the police in any democratic society was to maintain law and order and to apply the law equally, without fear or favour.
“Now IG Kanganja and Kampyongo only act and react when a wrong is done by the opposition and indeed those who are not in good standing with the government,” Changala said. “When the PF thugs go on the loose to break the law, you’ll not hear their voices. They pretend like they are not aware. For Esther Mwaata Katongo (police spokesperson), I say shame on her. She pretends not to be aware when there are real issues which endanger the peace and security of the country. She disappears in thin air!”
He said PF cadres had become untouchable and the law unto themselves.
“PF cadres are superior to the police establishment and even Mwaata Katongo cannot deny that. The entire police establishment is now moribund. This brings me to my mantra that Zambia needs an early election; we cannot go to 2021 in this manner,” said Changala.