By NATION REPORTER
THE Zambia Police has denied ever plotting to conduct a nocturnal ambush against Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe with the aim of effecting a surprise arrest for some undisclosed offence.
Dr M’membe is claiming that he has been reliably informed that President Hakainde Hichilema has ordered his arrest before returning home from Ukraine and Russia where the head of State is on a peace mission meant to end the Ukraine-Russia war.
But Godfrey Chalabi, the Zambia Police spokesperson has rubbished claims by Dr M’membe, stating that the police had no intentions of arresting the Socialist Party leader and that his assertions were but a figment of his imagination.
Mr Chilabi said the Zambia Police did not know anything about instructions from President Hichilema nor the purported plans to have the opposition leader arrested at any time.
Mr Chilabi expressed ignorance over the alleged plot to have Dr M’membe arrested and that the Zambia Police had no instruction from State House to arrest him. Mr Chilabi said he was hearing about the information for the first time and was shocked that the police could be linked to the imaginations of Dr M’membe. “I’m hearing this from you because as far as we are concerned there is nothing like that from the police and to be honest I’m ignorant,” Mr Chilabi said.
Dr Mmembe has claimed that he has been reliably informed that President Hichilema had issued an instruction that he should be arrested before he returned from Europe.
According to Dr Mmembe, the plan to have him arrested was meant to insulate President Hichilema from what he termed as the gestapo style of policing which was being executed through abductions.
He stated that the police had resorted to abducting citizens, especially opposition political party leaders and that the arrests were being carried out under the orders and supervision of President Hichilema’s trusted lieutenants.
Dr M’membe has accused some high-ranking police officials Mr Fanwell Siandenge allegedly working with some well-known UPND cadres drafted into Stately security wing of planning to have him arrested.
He claimed that he had also been tipped that the police were uncomfortable to pick him up during the day because of the publicity that it would attract hence the plan to conduct the operation under the cover of darkness.
“It’s clear that we are in the middle of a very repressive, cruel and tyrannical regime of Mr Hichilema. A regime that is shameless, hypocritical and sadistic. We are dealing with a group that will stop at nothing to inflict pain on those opposed to their wrongdoings. My appeal to the Zambian people is to remain strong and not be intimidated by this state orchestrated violence because throughout history such evil acts have never yielded anything. The ending of tyrants is well known,” Dr M’membe said.
