Tonse Alliance Accuses President of Weaponizing Police to Protect Political Allies
The arrest of former State House Political Advisor Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba has ignited political outrage, with the opposition Tonse Alliance accusing President Hakainde Hichilema of using state machinery to settle personal scores and shield political allies from scrutiny.
In a strongly worded statement issued by Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) President and Tonse Alliance spokesperson Sean E. Tembo, the coalition described the arrest of Dr. Zimba as a deliberate act of political persecution and a “gross abuse of presidential power.”
According to the Alliance, the arrest was orchestrated following a widely known and long-standing personal feud between Dr. Zimba and former Vice President Dr. Nevers Mumba. The duo has for years exchanged barbs through media platforms and legal threats, with neither side ever formally initiating civil proceedings in court.
“What we are witnessing is not justice but a calculated attempt to silence a political adversary under the guise of law enforcement,” read part of the Tonse Alliance statement. “The arrest is not about the law it’s about President Hichilema protecting his friend and punishing his enemy.”
Dr. Zimba was arrested and charged on July 21, 2025, with two counts of electronic harassment and one count of criminal libel under the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act and the Penal Code. The charges stem from publications made in May 2024, one on his personal Facebook page and another in The Mast Newspaper, allegedly targeting Dr. Mumba.
The Alliance questioned the timing and motivation behind the arrest, stating that both men had ample opportunity to settle their differences through civil litigation, but neither had the courage to pursue it. “Instead of allowing the law to take its natural course, President Hichilema chose to use the police to fight his friend’s personal battle,” Tembo said.
Tonse Alliance further reminded the public that this was not the first time Dr. Zimba had been on the receiving end of politically motivated charges. In 2022, he was detained for over eight months on terrorism-related accusations, which the Lusaka High Court later dismissed as frivolous and malicious.
“President Hichilema is developing a worrying pattern of targeting individuals who were once close to former President Edgar Lungu,” the Alliance warned. “We see a clear attempt to erase political opposition through criminalization.”
The statement also raised serious concerns over what it called the dual-track justice system under the UPND administration. It cited the delayed appeal process of Dr. Nevers Mumba, who was convicted of corruption over four years ago but remains free on bail, while opposition figures like Dr. Chishimba Kambwili have seen their appeals fast-tracked and dismissed.
“How can a convicted felon like Dr. Mumba still roam the streets on a pending appeal, while others are rushed to prison?” Tembo asked. “The judiciary must explain this blatant double standard.”
According to the Alliance, the continued freedom of President Hichilema’s allies, despite pending criminal judgments, raises troubling questions about judicial independence and selective application of justice.
As pressure mounts on the presidency, Tonse Alliance has called on Hichilema to uphold not only the rule of law but also the moral decency expected of a national leader. “If the President cannot govern with integrity, the least he can do is behave with basic human decency,” Tembo charged.
©️ KUMWESU | July 22, 2025