Thu, 06 Jul 2017 08:39:02 +0000
By JUSTINA MULENGA
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday evening declared and signed statutory instrument proclaiming that a situation exists which, if allowed to continue may lead to public emergency.
This means that a number of rights may be suspended but the extent will be known after the statutory instrument is released today.
The declaration follows a spate of sabotage and arson incidents involving public institutions and installations including ZESCO power pylons and powerlines that have been sabotaged.
“This is not an easy decision to make, but in order to preserve peace, tranquillity, safety of our citizens and national security, we had no choice but to take this decision given the events that have occurred in the recent past,” he said.
The Head of State said government’s primary responsibility is to protect life and property in the nation.
The President emphasized that law abiding citizens would not be impacted by that decision and should continue to go about their daily routines normally.
“I will ensure that measures to be taken under this proclamation will not inconvenience law abiding citizens. Therefore, this proclamation should not instil fear among our citizens but instead provide a sense of comfort and security,’ he said.
The Head of State further appealed to all citizens and the business community to corporate with government as the proclamation took effect.
“We will continue to evaluate issues on surrounding national security on a regular basis,’ he said.
The declaration will now be debated by parliament for ratification and may last up to three months after.
Addressing the nation last night, the President said it was saddening that the peace and tranquillity that the nation has cherished for so long was slowly being eroded because of a few unpatriotic citizens who had decided to involve themselves in criminal activities thereby endangering the lives and properties of many citizens.
The President recalled that in August, 2016, Tambalala market in Bauleni in Lusaka was gutted which was followed by the gutting of the Mongu local court in early 2017.
He further recalled that in April, 2017, Luburma market was set ablaze, and in the same month, a person was apprehended for attempting to set ablaze the intercity bus terminus in Lusaka.
He said in a related event, four (4) youths were arrested outside the Lusaka Central Correctional Facility with substances capable of causing a fire.
On May 1, 2017, Kafue District Education Board offices were gutted and two containers of petrol were found at the scene.
And also on June 1, 2017, 10, 000 households were affected in Ndola following the destruction of the ZESCO electrical pylons.
The Head of State said this was followed by a similar act were citizens and industries serviced by the Kafue west-Lusaka west line were affected by the destruction of the ZESCO pylons.
He further said the recently Lusaka City Market was gutted and properties worth millions of kwacha was destroyed and, simultaneously a fire erupted at Lusaka’s Misisi Township market whose target it would seem was to damage the ZESCO pylons.
