Maravi

Govt seems to underestimate people’s power – Lubinda

Govt seems to underestimate people’s power – Lubinda
Written by Ernest Chanda
Sunday, October 04, 2009 4:58:57 PM

THE Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) have said the quest to push the government into appealing against the acquittal of Frederick Chiluba is an unstoppable revolution. And the UPND has suspended Namwala member of parliament Major Robbie Chizyuka for alleged gross indiscipline.

In a joint briefing in Lusaka yesterday, PF spokesperson Given Lubinda who was flanked by his party's vice-president Guy Scott, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma and some other parliamentarians from the two parties said the arrest of nine people, including two PF parliamentarians had strengthened Zambians even more.

He said the MMD government should wait for more public action since they seemed to underestimate the power of the people.

"The arrest of our Honourable members of parliament, Mumbi Phiri and Jean Kapata, and all the other humble citizens of this country is the beginning of a big revolution. I want to tell [home affairs minister] Lameck Mangani that he hasn't seen anything yet. Next Friday we are all going to join in so that all the members of parliament that are against that dubious acquittal of Chiluba can be arrested," Lubinda said.

"And Mangani should know that it is illegal for police to arrest members of parliament while Parliament is in session, when they have not committed a crime. Let him read section 5 of the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act, CAP 12 of the Laws of Zambia. I challenge Mangani to tell us when honking became a crime in Zambia. It is a clear indication that this arrest was politically motivated so that these chaps can prove to their master Rupiah Bwezani ‘Nkongole’ Banda who is on holiday in Cuba that they are in control of things back home."

Lubinda said police had assigned 50 of its officers to guard Phiri and Kapata at Lusaka Central Police and wondered why the same officers could not be sent to fight crime in Chawama.

He said it was dehumanising to let people spend a night in the cold when they were not criminals.

"Last night [Friday night] I went to Lusaka Central Police Station to see all the people who were arrested for exercising their rights. And I was disturbed to witness a situation where Honourable Kapata was denied a chance to buy food for diabetic people like herself. And Honourable Phiri was denied access to a toilet all in the name of state machinery. This is the dictatorship Rupiah Banda has brought to this country and we shall not tolerate it. Fellow Zambians, a time has come for you to summon your inner souls and fight for your country," said Lubinda.

And Kakoma vowed to continue to honk, saying there would be a large turnout next Friday.

"These arrests have motivated us to join in large numbers and show MMD that we are not intimidated. We will continue to honk because it's our right. Intimidation won't work even this time because it didn't work during the third term debate in 2001. Chiluba thought state machinery was going to intimidate the people, but he got it all wrong. So even this time people will triumph and this government will succumb. We want them to build more prisons for the 12 million Zambians who are going to honk, so Friday here we come!" said Kakoma.

Kakoma also said the UPND had given Maj Chizyuka seven days within which to exculpate himself over several charges levelled against him.

"...Major Chizyuka has been charged with four counts of gross misconduct. In the first count Major Chizyuka has been charged for organising members of UPND to rebel against the decisions of the national management committee (NMC) and the extraordinary convention of the party held on the 27th of June, 2009 which endorsed the party's decision to enter into a pact with the Patriotic Front," Kakoma said.

"In the second count, Major Chizyuka has been charged for sending derogatory and insulting SMSs to party officials for trying to reorganise the party in Namwala constituency. In the last offence Major Chizyuka has been charged for issuing derogatory remarks against Mr Michael Sata, president of the Patriotic Front, an alliance partner. The remarks were injurious and inimical to the interests of UPND."

Labels: CHILUBA, DEMONSTRATION, GIVEN LUBINDA, PF-UPND

posted by MrK @ 4:00 PM