Maravi

C/belt to protest Rupiah’s victory

C/belt to protest Rupiah’s victory
Written by Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe and Mwala Kalaluka in Lusaka
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:40:44 AM

OPPOSITION PF on the Copperbelt is this Saturday scheduled to hold a peaceful demonstration to register their displeasure over Rupiah Banda's election as President.

And Copperbelt Police commanding officer Antoneil Mutentwa has said the PF were given a permit, which will allow them to go ahead with their peaceful demonstration because it is their constitutional right.

Meanwhile, PF chairman for information and publicity Given Lubinda said his party was happy that Zambians were learning to use their rights.

Copperbelt Patriotic Front (PF) secretary Elias Kamanga yesterday said the PF would demonstrate to express their displeasure over the outcome of the October 30 presidential polls.

Kamanga said the demonstrations slated for Saturday were also aimed at forcing Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) director Dan Kalale to step down for allegedly conducting fraudulent elections.

"All the three elections that Kalale has conducted have fraudulently been conducted and have divided the country. We are going to stage peaceful demonstrations starting this Saturday and we have notified the police and they have given us a go ahead. We are very thankful to the police," he said.

Kamanga said all PF members on the Copperbelt would converge in Kitwe on Saturday where the demonstration would take place.

He said after the peaceful protest on Saturday, the PF members would then carry out demonstrations in their respective towns at a later date.

"We're calling on all the voters, churches and members of non-governmental organisations to join these public demonstrations," he said.

Kamanga said Zambians had a right to stage peaceful demonstrations to register their displeasure over certain issues.

"We just want people to register their displeasure over the just-ended elections. We want ECZ and government to conduct a recount of the October 30 election results," he said.

He further said PF members on the Copperbelt would never in any way become violent.

Kamanga disputed allegations by MMD Copperbelt Province chairperson Joseph Chilambwe that PF members were beating members of the ruling party.

Kitwe district police officer-in-charge Andrew Litwayi said police had been notified and had allowed the PF to hold a peaceful demonstration.

Litwayi, however, said they had not agreed on the venue of the demonstration.

"Initially the PF wanted the demonstrations to be at Freedom Park but we asked them to pick another venue and they picked on City Square which police have also said no. We are still trying to finalise the issue," he said.

Litwayi said the PF had chosen a place across the railway line in Nkana West but police had not yet confirmed.

But Mutentwa said the demonstrators would not have to confine themselves to one place.

"Yes, we gave them a permit," Mutentwa said. "It is their constitutional right, except that they must remain peaceful. As long as they remain within what they applied for, we will be there to protect them and we also urge others not to interfere with their peaceful demonstrations, because sometimes interference can come from non-participants. So others must not disturb because that will be a breach of the law."

Meanwhile, Lubinda said although PF leader Michael Sata recently called on his supporters not to go on the streets in protest of the outcome of the presidential election, the opposition party had no power to infringe upon individuals' rights of expression.

"When he called for peace and calm in the country, he said he cannot entertain any act of violence in the country because violence will hurt the vulnerable. It will hurt the same people we want to serve. As such we can't encourage anyone to engage in violence. Nonetheless, we have no right to infringe upon any individual's rights of expression," Lubinda said. "The Human Rights Charter of 1948 and the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia both provide the freedom of expression as a human right and if citizens of Zambian feel aggrieved by the conduct of the ECZ over the October 30 presidential election they are free as individuals or groups or organisations and institutions to express their grievances within the confines of the law and conducting of demonstrations is one such legal avenue and the PF will not stand in the way of such demonstrations."

Lubinda emphasised that the permit granted to the party leadership on the Copperbelt was for holding a peaceful demonstration and nothing else.

The just-ended presidential election saw MMD's Rupiah Banda declared winner but the PF has disputed the results.

Sata has indicated that his party would petition the Supreme Court to allow for a recount of the presidential election. Sata said recently that he would only concede defeat if a recount by the Supreme Court confirms that President Banda won the election.

Thirty-five thousand (35,000) votes separated Sata and Banda in the poll, which has been criticised for lack of transparency and fairness.

Labels: COPPERBELT PROVINCE, DEMONSTRATION, GIVEN LUBINDA, PF

posted by MrK @ 8:42 AM