I have no power to release HH –Lungu

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:40:31 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA

 PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says he will not interfere with the other arms of government by ordering the release of incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema until justice has run its course.

President Lungu said he had been receiving calls, including from the UPND, to release the opposition leader and quash the treason charges slapped on him but said he could not do so because he did not want to interfere in the work of other arms of the State.

And President Lungu yesterday reconciled Kasama Central member of Parliament Kelvin Sampa and mayor Fredrick Chisanga who had been at loggerheads for a long time.

He emplored the two leaders to resolve their differences and work together to bring development.

President Lungu thanked the people of Kasama for voting for PF and said would deliver promised development.  The Head of State said he did not have powers to order the police to drop a case against anyone.

He said the UPND were ‘‘double dealers’’ because they have been calling him to drop the treason charge against their leader while knowing that he had no powers to do so. “The police are there to maintain law and order and the courts have a role to play.

I cannot just wake up in the morning and say arrest this one. By calling me it just shows that they are double dealers and if they are learned they should wait for the due process of the law.

‘‘We are all below the law. I cannot instruct the police. My job is well defined as a President,” he said.

And President Lungu said he was disappointed over the antagonism among the PF leadership in Kasama.

Speaking on arrival at Kasama airport yesterday, President Lungu told the mayor, the area Member of Parliament and the district commissioner to mind their boundaries.

“I don’t want to hear that acrimony has increased here in Kasama. Zambia is governed by laws and everyone should stick to their duties and I do not want to hear any crossing of boundaries,” he said. President Lungu said there could never be development if there was antagonism among the leadership.

President Lungu said he knows those that were working and those that merely reported lies to him.

He said each one of the officials should know what they were supposed to do as leaders of the party or Government.

President Lungu said he was in the area to see the works that being done in Northern Province. “We are not going to wait for 2020 or 2021 because we were elected to work,” he said.

Provincial minister Brian Mundubile said people were excited to have him in the province so that he could give guidance on infrastructure development and other governance issues.