HH BLOCKS PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE!

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 10:02:42 +0000

By Oscar Malipenga  and Chikumbi Katebe

IT was spectacularly foolish for Hakainde Hichilema and his minders to place themselves into that real and eminent danger, Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda has said.

Explaining how Mr. Hichilema’s vehicle found itself next to the Eagle One (Presidential motorcade), Mr. Chanda said route lining was done and Mr. Hichilema passed major check points in good time but slowed down so that Eagle One could find him on the way which is exactly what happened.

“We had two options: to slow down and allow him to reach Limulunga or to bump him off and create a scene of some sort which is what he wanted.

“A decision was made to by-pass him and in our mind we were clear no danger was posed to HE unless HH himself would ram his car into Eagle One,” he said.

He said a split second decision would be made to prevent that cause at that stage, any movable object in motion or stationery was constantly on target from some close range, which was why it was spectacularly foolish for HH and his minders to place themselves into that real and eminent danger.

“Secondly, as per established security and protocol orders, a  to bump off all strange objects was made but a quick consultation upwards resulted in a different option which was undertaken.

“Thirdly, as a result something happened that made HH and GBM and their entourage to remain outside the arena some 500 meters away instead of being in the VVIP shelter some 5 metres away from where the Litunga was disembarking from the royal barge, the harbour,” Mr. Chanda said.

He said the foolishness cost them the vantage point because as soon as Guest of honour passed Royal and State protocol did not allow anyone to pass.

“As a result two men hobbled away in shame even before the king could rise to enter his summer palace.

“As I write today (yesterday) a royal banquet is taking place and the two men left for Lusaka two hours ago, their seats empty notwithstanding the cows and mealie meal they donated,” Mr Chanda narrated. Meanwhile, Evangelical Youth Alliance president Moses Lungu has warned that they shall not sit back and allow anybody to disrespect the Institution of the Zambian President.

Reverend Lungu said it was quiet disheartening that opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and his cadres could disrespect the Head of State to such extent and disregard the security detail of the President as they did.

He said President Lungu was very tolerant, but that should not be expected of the Zambian people who voted him into office.

“As much as we appreciate that President Lungu has a good heart, people should not take him for granted.

“Mr Hichilema breached police security for the Head of State, and that is a direct insult to the Zambian People who voted him into office. That is not an office of an individual, but an institution which must be respected regardless of whether you like the person holding office or not,” he said.

He explained that to interfere with Presidential security was not a minor event that should be ignored, but that heads must roll starting with the Inspector General of Police who must explain to the Zambian people.

He charged that since the UPND have refused to recognise President Lungu, they should not be surprised if their presence is rejected in areas where the Head of State was highly recognised.

“This is a stern warning to HH and his party that we are not going to tolerate this anymore, and we can’t fail to put him in his rightful place.

“He must stop this nonsense because we are not going to stand back like the way the President did, we are going to react,” he said.

He has called on police to take charge and secure the life of the President, that they should never allow minions to undermine their authority in providing security for the Institution of the Republican President.