President Hakainde Hichilema has called his fierce critic and Patriotic Front (PF) member of the Central Committee Raphael Nakacinda a lunatic.
President Hichilema has charged that Mr. Nakacinda was spreading hate speech that can put the nation on fire. The Head of State predicted that Mr. Nakacinda may get beaten for issuing statements bordering on tribal. Mr. Nakacinda was recently quoted in the media issuing tribal remarks against the Tongas. President Hichilema said Mr. Nakacinda’s tribal remarks are injuring many people.
“Lying is lying by any means. It must be stopped. It is illegal. It can inflame a country. I can tell you what Nakacinda is trying to do. Nakacinda want to pit one section of Zambians against another. That is what he wants to do. That is what he wants to do but we should not allow him to do that. We shouldn’t. If we fall in his trap then we are like him, I am not like him, you should not be like him. That is why he is trying to do what they did before the elections. ‘Oh a Tonga will never rule’. It is not a Tonga we want, it is a citizen we want who will work for the people of Zambia,” he said.
“Now what he wants is for people to rise, I have listened to an audio of someone called him, called Nakacinda and this guy says I am from Bweengwa, why are you insulting us from Bwengwa? Now, I am sure you can read what is going on in the minds of people. One day they will find him and attack him. We should not allow that to happen those who are injured to calm down. He is a lunatic trying to destroy a country. He is just a lunatic; we are bigger than that so Jonah (Journalist) let’s talk away from the press conference,” President Hichilema remarked.
Meanwhile, Police have arrested Mr. Nakacinda in connection with a complaint from Bruce Kanema against him on allegations that he promoted hate speech against the Tonga speaking people.
“Police have apprehended Raphael Nakachinda aged 43.This is in connection to a matter where we received a complaint from Bruce Kanema against him on allegations that he promoted hate speech against the Tonga speaking people and is further alleged to have defamed the Republican President in a video that has been widely circulated. Two dockets of the case have since been opened,” Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed in a media statement.
Meanwhile, PF acting Secretary General Nickson Chilangwa has condemned the arrest of Mr. Nakacinda, whom police have transferred from Kafue where he was picked to Solwezi.
“The arrest of Hon. Raphael Nakacinda for merely expressing himself is an assault on Zambia’s democracy and a wanton abuse of power by Mr. Hakainde Hichilema and his Government.This draconian abuse of power must be condemned by all well meaning Zambians who love and cherish our hard-fought democracy. Since coming into office, the UPND have been using the police and other law enforcement agencies to silence all opposing voices. They want to turn this country into a one-party dictatorship were all Zambians must be turned into praise singers for Mr. Hichilema,” Mr. Chilangwa stated.
“It is ironic that such intolerant behaviour is coming from a man who spent all his time insulting and demeaning heads of state while in opposition.We are calling upon the Church, Civil Society Organisations, Human Rights Groups as well as regional and international governance bodies to take this government to task before Zambia is lost into total dictatorship,” he said.