Maravi

Cops stop protest

Cops stop protest
By Joseph Mwenda and Namatama Mundia
Thu 07 June 2012, 13:25 CAT

ANTI-RIOT police officers in Lusaka yesterday clashed with UPND cadres who defied police advice not to hold demonstrations at the Lusaka High Court.

Over 100 UPND youths assembled at the party secretariat earlier in the morning to get blessings from senior party leaders to demonstrate against what they described as judicial interference by the Executive following the suspension of Supreme Court judge Philip Musonda and High Court judges Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna.

The protestors planned to walk from the party's secretariat located on Lagos Road in Rhodes Park to the Lusaka High Court.

The protesting cadres were however intercepted by police near Addis Ababa Drive.

Police blocked the road and persuaded them to go back to their secretariat and demonstrate on a different day, but the daring cadres relentlessly taunted police, forcing the officers to charge.

Using shot batons, the officers battered the banner carrying protestors leaving the weaker ones failing to walk because of multiple injuries.
Traffic built up on both sides of Addis Ababa Drive as motorists abandoned their errands to watch the unfolding daylight clash that lasted over 30 minutes.

Fearing the worst, the cadres retreated, some to the safety of their secretariat while other fled to nearby homes but police officers pursued them.
The situation later calmed down after Lusaka Province police commissioner Charity Katanga arrived on the scene and ordered a 'ceasefire'.

Katanga told journalists that she would not tolerate lawlessness in her division.

"This is not politically motivated. There is nothing political about this. But I will not tolerate such lawlessness in my division. We will not allow a group of people to do anything they want because they are a political party," Katanga said.

"This is just the beginning. If they think they can do this, they will meet us on the battlefield. We did not allow them to demonstrate."

Katanga said police officially only arrested five cadres and that more would be detained once identified from the video captured during the incident.

But UPND member Douglas Syakalima condemned police action.

"We are not going to allow President Sata to behave in this way because this is not a police state. This is nonsense of the highest order and this blood that has been shed today somebody is going to pay for it. If the police are saying this is the beginning of the battle, then the battle will begin. This is just UPND but very soon, we will mobilise and there will be mass demonstrations across the country," he said.

And UPND national youth spokesperson Ronald Mufungulwa said the party notified the police about their planned peaceful demonstration but they were denied a permit.

Mufungulwa said his party supported judicial reforms but added that it should not start with the suspension of three judges.

Labels: CADRES, UPND

posted by MrK @ 3:33 PM