IG ‘overrules’ Minister Mwiimbu, attempts to cancel PF rally

By NATION REPORTER 

THE Zambia Police has cancelled the Patriotic Front (PF) mass rally which should have been held tomorrow, a day after Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu ordered   that the mass political gathering should go ahead.

But the PF has accused Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba of attempting to frustrate the former ruling party of holding its mass rally despite the Minister, Mr Mwiimbu having ordered that the political gathering should go ahead.

Rae Hamoonga, the Zambia Police spokesperson announced last evening that the PF political gathering in Matero’s Zingalume area would not go ahead despite Mr Mwiimbu having allowed the opposition party to proceed.

The former ruling party has expressed displeasure that Mr Musamba, whose decision to reject a notification by the PF to hold its political gathering had been overturned by Mr Mwiimbu had enganged another gear in efforts to derail the party mass rally.

PF information and publicity chairperson, Raphael Nakacinda said Mr Musamba was suggesting that the mass political gathering be postponed to the end of September, a proposal that was outside the Public Order Act (POA).

Mr Nakacinda said after the appeal to the Home Affairs Minister was successful, the PF had decided to give a notice to the police so that they could provide additional security but that Mr Musamba was unwilling to adhere to the decision of Mr Mwiimbu.

“The IG (Musamba) seems to be suggesting some security concerns that he could not articulate himself and giving the proposals that are totally outside the Public Order Act,” Mr Nakacinda said. 

He said as far as the PF was concerned, the party was proceeding with the mass rally tomorrow and any suggestion to the contrary by Mr Musamba should be within the confines of the law of a seven days’ notice.

Mr Nakacinda said the meeting with the Inspector General of Police lasted for close to two hours to iron out issues that were not within the law which the police chief was suggesting.

He said the police were not supposed to get involved in political discourse their job was just to maintain law and order.

Mr Nakacinda said by trying to stop the PF mass rally the police were trying to suggest that the UPND were the only ones who had the right to have public gatherings because they have been trotting all over  the country without the police saying anything.

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