Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:44:34 +0000
National Restoration Party (NAREP) aspiring candidate in the Mpongwe Constituency by-elections Reegan Ndhlovu was yesterday arrested on a charge of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace when he lodged a complaint against vandalism of his campaign material.
NAREP secretary-general Mike Muyawala said the aspiring MP was arrested after he went to the Mpongwe Police station to report that some PF cadres were seen removing campaign posters in the forthcoming by-elections.
“We believe it is purely political victimisation that they should arrest our official for reporting a criminal act, but it won’t work on us,” Mr Muyawala said.
In an interview with the Daily Nation yesterday, Mr Muyawala said the arrest was a PF political gimmick aimed at destabilising the party’s campaign programme in the area.
He said they had been trying to seek the intervention of senior police personnel including the Copperbelt Commissioner who was not responding to NAREP’s calls.
He said it was unfortunate that the Police on the Copperbelt were not responsive to the NAREP problem despite efforts to contact them for official advice.
“He went to the Police to report some PF cadres who were found removing NAREP campaign posters but the charge was reversed and he was instead arrested and charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace, in fact, the charge he had gone to report,” Mr Muyawala said.
But the NAREP secretary general said his party’s campaign programme would not be moved by the arrest of their candidate, that “our campaign still goes on. We will not bow to political intimidation by the ruling party,” Mr Muyawala said.
