UPND SCHEMES ONE PARTY STATE….. and seven year presidential term, charges PF

UPND SCHEMES ONE PARTY STATE

….. and seven year presidential term, charges PF

Lusaka… Friday November 3, 2023 (SMART EAGLES)

The former ruling party, Patriotic Front (PF) has charged that the planned brutal removal of PF from Zambia’s political dispensation is aimed at amending the presidential term limit from five to seven years and from two five -year terms to unlimited.

And the party has observed that abductions and secret detentions of political opponents have become the order of the day for the entire period that Hakainde Hichilema has been President.

PF Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda says these developments have now led to a state of insecurity in the country owing to the heightened political tensions in the country.

This is contained in a letter dated 2nd November, 2023 addressed to His Excellency Joao Lorenzo President of Angola and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Chairperson.

“Since he can’t call himself to order as Troika Chairman, we therefore call upon Your Excellency, to assume this responsibility personally or delegate to the deputy chairperson of the Organ to call a special session on Zambia to forestall the possible escalation of the situation into full-scale chaos that can destabilize the country and undermine regional security. For the past 26 months since the UPND party was elected into government, President Hakainde has relied on heavy-handed political methods and has not hesitated to deploy the police to brutalize innocent citizens’ especially political opponents,” he submitted in a letter.

“The Registrar of Societies, a government agency that regulates political parties has been directed to remove office bearers of the PF and replace them with members of the ruling UPND party so that the main opposition party, the PF is officially controlled by the government. The Zambian Parliament has two major parties, the ruling UPND party with 82 seats, and the main opposition PF with 60 seats, 13 independents and 01 from PNUP. To transfer ownership of the 60 seats to the ruling party will not only kill Zambian democracy, but has the potential to plunge this country into civil strife. This coupled with the deliberate tribal and regional abuse of the Zambian society may equally steer genocide or heightened tribal hatred thereby destabilizing and threatening region stability and security.”

The letter is copied to….

All SADC Heads of Missions in Lusaka
UK High Commissioner
USA Ambassador
Chinese Ambassador
Russian Ambassador
EU Ambassador
UN Agencies
COMESA

The PF Secretary General has also attached to the letter references:

1. MPs petition to the Speaker on Leader of the Opposition.
2. Police Occupation of the PF Secretariat.
3. Police pictures shooting PF members.
4. Police pictures preventing PF and SP rallies in Lusaka and Kitwe.
5. Pictures of sick Sean Tembo in detention.
6. Pictures of events at parliament.
7. Pictures of the torture of Shebby Chilekwa.
8. Events at the KK International airport UPND carders clad in PF regalia to receive Mr. Miles Sampa with state security.
9. OCiDA statement.
10. Law Association of Zambia statement