PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, 19th August, 2023
UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT OF THE POLICE AND THE UPND YOUTH IN MALAMBO CONSTITUENCY AT A TRADITIONAL CEREMONY
I want to start by condemning both, the officers from Zambia Police Service (ZP) and the United Party for National Development ( UPND) Youth for attempting to prevent the 6th Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu from attending a traditional ceremony today in Malambo Constituency of Eastern Province.
I wish to remind the Zambia Police Service that their main mandate is to promote and preserve law and order in the country, and what we witnessed today is truly disheartening and very unpatriotic behavior from the service. Blocking the movement of the 6th President and his delegation who were attending an event at the invitation of His Royal Highness Chief Nsefu of the Kunda people was uncalled for and leaves much to be desired.
I further wish to remind the UPND Youth who physically stood to block the vehicle carrying a former President from proceeding to the main arena, that Former President Lungu is not under any house arrest and when he is invited to such events he is at liberty to honor such invitation. President Lungu just like any other Zambian has rights and privileges that cannot be taken away by members of a ruling party.
Further, UPND members should understand that they are not the first political party to be given the rare honour of governing a country and must therefore not behave in a manner that has potential to divide the country.
In a civilized society like ours with democratic tenets, what happened today in Malambo in the presence of Cabinet Ministers and senior officers from Zambia Police should be condemned by all well meaning Zambians. I am therefore calling on the UPND leadership to put their youths in order and allow other political parties and leaders to participate in national activities without fear of intimidation from its members.
Zambia belongs to all of us and ones political affiliation should not divide us.
Christopher Kang’ombe
Patriotic Front National Youth Chairman
19.08.2023