Thu, 13 Apr 2017 09:07:02 +0000
By SIMON MUNTEMBA and MUKOSELA KASALWE
IT was treasonous to undermine the authority of the Republican President, and the UPND leadership should acknowledge President Lungu because he was duly elected by Zambians, former UPND vice president for politics Canisius Banda has advised.
Dr. Banda has urged UPND senior members not to undermine the authority of the legitimately elected Republican President so as to avoid finding themselves in conflict with the law.
“The truth is that UPND lost the August 11 Presidential election and PF’s Edgar Lungu won. So, it is wrong to undermine President Lungu’s authority,” Dr. Banda said.
He said blocking the presidential motorcade was not only putting the life of the President in danger but also that of the nation.
Dr. Banda said it was wrong for Mr. Hichilema to drive side by side with Eagle One, adding that the Police were also to blame over what happened in Mongu where the presidential motorcade was almost blocked because the did not clear the road in advance.
“Much as HH was wrong not to park and give way, there was also some serious security lapses on the part of the police and the intelligence officers. Just why didn’t they clear the road in advance?” he wondered.
And Dr. Banda has appealed to President Lungu, using executive powers vested in him by the Republican Constitution, to pardon UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema who was charged with treason on Tuesday.
“My earnest appeal to President Lungu is to exercise executive powers vested in him by the Republican Constitution to pardon UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema who was charged with treason on Tuesday,” Dr. Banda pleaded.
Meanwhile, speaking when he featured on Radio Christian Voice programme dubbed “Chat Back”, Dr. Banda said the UPND mistrusted the one man who held the key to open the door to State House.
“They tapped my phone and alleged that I was a spy who was divulging classified party information to the Daily Nation which is a blatant lie,” he said.
Dr. Banda said UPND had a lot of work to do if it was to attain a national character and called on citizens to be law abiding, saying the constant refusal by the UPND to recognise the legitimacy of President Edgar Lungu as having been duly elected was utter folly, baseless, treasonable and misleading.
He said unscrupulous party members had allegedly tapped his mobile device on assumptions that he was divulging classified information to the Daily Nation newspaper which he described as a blatant lie and urged the relevant authority ZICTA to bring such lawbreakers to book.
Dr. Banda said the Mongu incident on the presidential motorcade was avoidable and stated he would not have allowed Mr Hichilema to conduct himself in such a manner had he been with him.
