Wed, 14 Jun 2017 11:03:35 +0000
By CHARLES MUSONDA AND OSCAR MALIPENGA
THERE is nothing special about UPND president Hakainde Hichilema for him not to be remanded at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison, says Network of Young People against Violence (NYPV) president Moses Kalonde.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Kalonde said there was a precedent of past treason accused persons having been kept at the same detention and correctional facility.
“The general practice has been that when you are facing treason and you have been committed to the High Court, you are kept at Mukobeko as you are awaiting trial. It must be understood that Mr Hichilema is like any other person regardless of his status in society.
“In the past, we have had a good number of people who faced the similar charge. We had people like former President Kenneth Kaunda, the late Edward Shamwana, and the late General Christon Tembo who fell in the same trap and were kept at Mukobeko until their cases were disposed of,” Mr. Kalonde said.
He said the law knew no race, colour or social status and everybody must be treated in a similar manner before it.
He added that when one opted to break the law, one must stand trial and face consequences of their actions because they must have known what they were doing.
Mr. Kalonde said if Hichilema and his co-accused did not commit any offence, they would be cleared at the right time because the matter was in the hands of relevant authorities.
“It is important that all of us, including UPND members, wait for that right time and remain calm because we are all interested in seeing a fair trial. It will not help to begin speculating that he has been taken to Mukobeko to be killed. Inciting UPND members to begin to demonstrate is uncalled for because that is tantamount to plunging the country into chaos because of one person,” he said.
And Mr. Kalonde took a swipe at Nevers Mumba, Charles Milupi, and Mike Mulongoti for calling upon the donor community to withdraw aid to Zambia.
He said the trio’s statement was reckless and that the international community should not be drawn into Zambia’s internal politics.
“What is illegal about this case? If you break the law, you have yourself to blame. Let people not cry to the international community which has its own issues to handle,” he added.
AND Youth Network Zambia president Higriffs Chansa has urged Zambians to take keen interest in Hakainde Hichilema’s treason case to avoid issuing alarming and misleading statements to the international community, And Mr. Chansa has urged the general public to have confidence in the judiciary owing to the fact that a similar case (HH’s treason charge) had been tried before in the same court of laws.
“Youth Network Zambia, wishes to urge Zambians to take keen interest in the events surrounding the incarcerations and possible prosecution of HH’s treason case to form a better understanding of the case and avoid importation of salacious reporting currently dominating social media which is alarming to the nation and the international community at large.
“It is our strong considered view that Zambia as a constitutional democracy, should be judged upon its consistent ability to remain within the conceptual juristic practice of the standards that form part of the meaning of rule of law,” he said.
Mr. Chansa said Youth Network Zambia remained hopeful that the accused shall receive the most transparent process as provided for under Article 18 of chapter 1 of the laws of Zambia
“We wish to place it on record that the need to preserve the integrity of our nation as Zambia remains first priority while politics comes second.
“Our youth across the country should avoid the temptation of being used as tools of violence but as partners in development,” he said.
Mr. Chansa said there was only one Zambia and warned against dividing the nation.
