By ROGERS KALERO
WE were arrested and detained at Kitwe Central Police Station Police on September 20, 2021 for staging a peaceful protest over the UPND government’s failure to fulfil its campaign promise of free education,” opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Secretary General Changala Siame has said.
Mr Siame said he and Party President Kasonde Mwenda were detained in Police cells for five hours and were charged with Breach of Peace and misconduct before they were released after paying a fine of K50.
Mr Siame, who was Mr Mwenda’s running mate in the August 12 election was reacting to Copperbelt Deputy Police Commissioner Chrispin Chaambwa who said Mr Mwenda was not arrested but that police merely went to give him protection in case some people descended on him to beat him up.
Mr Siame said the Copperbelt Deputy Police Commissioner had decided to tell lies about the whole thing to create an impression that the UPND was not harassing people.
“The Copperbelt Deputy Police Commissioner was not being honest when he said police did not arrest us, he was merely trying to save the face of the UPND government. We were arrested, detained and charged with Breach of Peace and misconduct before we were released after paying a fine of K50,” Mr Siame said.
Mr Siame said he was very disappointed that council police officers also assumed the role of State Police when they grabbed their placards and told them that what they were doing was foolish.
“Honestly, why should council police officers grab our placards and ridicule us like that? That was lack of professionalism and a clear indication that they were UPND cadres,” he said
Last week, Police in Kitwe picked up EFF President Kasonde Mwenda for staging a protest over the UPND government’s failure to fulfil its campaign promise of free education.
But, Copperbelt Deputy Police Commissioner Chrispin Chaambwa said police did not arrest Mr Mwenda but merely went to give him protection in case some people descended on him to beat him up.
Mr Mwenda, who chained himself and stood at the Kitwe City Centre (KCC) freedom statute, attracted attention from on-lookers with other supporting him , while others saying it was too early to make such demands from the Hakainde Hichilema government.
In one of the placards, which he was carrying during his lone protest, Mr Mwenda wanted to know when free education was coming and that he was tired of waiting.
In the midst of his protest, police pounded on him and took him to Kitwe Central Police Station for questioning and other relevant issues.
