By Jackson Mapapayi
The Patriotic Front in North- Western Province says calls by some United Party for National Development (UPND ) members to lift the immunity of former President Edgar Lungu were uncalled for.
PF provincial chairperson Enoch Kapalu said in an interview that it is wrong for the ruling party to start calling for the removal of immunity of the former head of state.
He stated that even if the desire of the UPND is to silence the PF as an opposition party, which he said is against the tenets of democracy, it should not go as far as lifting the immunity of the former president.
He said it is appalling to see UPND cadres paraded in the name of civil society organisations championing the cause.
“It is very unfortunate that our colleagues in the UPND have taken that route of silencing the opposition, and we are saying this is total witch hunt and it is against the tenets of democracy, “said Mr Kapalu.
He said it is should not be a must that each time a head of state leaves office he or she should be stripped off their immunity because this is detrimental to development.
He cited previous incidences where the late president Fredrick Chiluba and Rupiah Banda had their immunity removed but the move yielded nothing.
“The two were taken to court but nothing came out instead it just derailed development, “he said.
He has advised the UPND to concentrate on developing the country because that’s why Zambians voted for them.
He said the ruling party made a lot of promises during the campaigns which needs to be fulfilled instead of diverting the attention of the Zambian people.
“What people want is development, let them fulfill their promises they made and not this witch hunt,” he said.
