SEAN TEMBO’S DETENTION WAS ILLEGAL
…and Bally is to blame – Frank Bwalya
Lusaka…. Wednesday, September 7, 2022 (Smart Eagles)
I am tempted to think that President Hakainde Hichilema does not believe in what he read in his inaugural speech, Socialist Party (SP) Member of the National Council Management Committee Frank Bwalya has said.
During the Millennium Radio’s ‘The Interview’ earlier today, Mr Bwalya said if the President does believe – he needs to defend the Constitution by upholding, protecting Constitutional rights and freedom of expression.
Following the detention of Patriots for Economic Progress -PEP president Sean Tembo, Mr Bwalya accused the New Dawn Administration of trying to muzzle citizens from expressing themselves.
He said the detention of the opposition leader was illegal adding that the Head of State is responsible.
“Zeroing in on the case of our friend Sean Tembo, that (the detention) was an illegality and the police should be ashamed. It was an abuse of power and when the police abuse power, the back ends at the President’s desk. It is the President who is responsible,” he said.
“The decision by the police to charge him with hate speech instead of defamation of the President is a way to save face. It is an act of damage control….I think there has been some panic because no sane development partner, no sane judge would say to the President that what happened to the case of Sean Tembo is good and the President should be commended…..and that he should continue to allow the police to abuse the law like that, I don’t think so.”
Mr Bwalya said the U-turn on the part of the police can send two messages to the Zambian people.
“The first message could be that the conscious of President Hakainde Hichilema is not yet totally depleted. There is still at the back of his mind the realization, kalya ka mwenso, and I am not using the term umwenso in a negative way……like the fear of the Lord. Emo kali kalya ka buntu panono, nakashalamo, he still has that conscious,” he said.
He suggested that the Head of State might have told the police not to charge Mr Tembo with defamation of the President “because my name will be dragged, just charge him with hate speech.”
Mr Bwalya said the other message is that of disappointment.
“The other message of course is the disappointment that they didn’t go the right way of simply apologizing and saying to our brother Sean Tembo, go home, tukakwita but nishi nomwina aishiba ati tabakanjite,” he said.
“Let’s show that we are Christian. Let’s show that we are human beings who respect one another. The police should have called Sean Tembo on Thursday, I don’t think Sean Tembo would have refused……they were supposed to say because of this and this, we are going to charge you……”