By NATION REPORTER
CHISHIMBA Kambwili should have been given a call-out rather than being driven in the dead of night to Kasama like a common criminal, PF National Chairperson Davis Chama has said.
Mr Chama said it was illogical and unfortunate that the police humiliated Mr Kambwili by denying him bond when the matter was bondable and had they presented a call-out he would have presented himself
He said the arrest of Mr Kambwili was political and aimed at fixing him after being co-opted in the party’s Central Committee,.
Mr Chama that Mr Kambwili’s consequent detention and charging in Kasama was politically motivated because people wanted to silence him.
“We expect such maneuvers which started immediately it was announced that Mr Kambwili was a member of the MCC,” he said.
On Monday Mr Kambwili was detained in Lusaka before being whisked to Kasama where he was officially charged him with the offence of Expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race, tribe contrary to Section 70 (i) and (ii) Chapter 87 as read with Act No. 2 of 2021 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes of the Laws of Zambia.
But Mr Chama said the vocal opposition member was whisked off to Kasama where he was later slapped with the charge.
“This is a clear case of political persecution because the flimsy charges were only slapped at Mr Kambwili after he was appointed member of the Central Committee of the party,” he said.
He said what was shocking was that Mr Kambwili was bundled to Kasama like a criminal instead of just giving him a call out.
He said that his colleague was not a criminal and had the police served him with a formal call out he would have presented himself in Kasama not the way they did.
Mr Chama said in the recent past the opposition leader once travelled to Nakonde where it was rumoured that some people wanted to report him over similar charges.
He said that it had now become a normal trend because he and other PF members were in similar predicament as they were bundled to far flung areas.
Mr Chama said this was unfortunate and an infringement on human rights as people who were not flight risks were being treated like criminals.
He urged Mr Kambwili not to despair and continue being strong as this was just a passing phase that would soon be over.
“This is just a waste of resources. How can the police waste fuel like that ferrying people to areas over flimsy charges,” he said.
According to the police Mr Kambwili during a radio programme on Radio Mano between May 2021 and August 2021 uttered words that expressed hatred towards a certain tribe.
And police are yet to react to public demands that Kafue Town Council chairperson, Buumba Malambo, be arrested for uttering tribal remarks during campaigns last year.
