South UPND planned demo condemned

Fri, 19 May 2017 10:17:13 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA and OLIVER SAMBOKO

PLANNED demonstration by Choma UPND next Monday to offer solidarity to the incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is meant to influence the outcome of the court process, says PF media director Sunday Chanda.

Mr Chanda said apart from that the demo was meant to place undue pressure on the magistrate.

On Wednesday, UPND Choma Central Member of Parliament Cornelius Mweetwa notified the police of the party’s intention to hold a peaceful demonstration next Monday.

In a notice, Mr. Mweetwa explained that the peaceful demonstration was meant to offer solidarity to Mr. Hichilema.

He said the peaceful demonstration would be used as an opportunity to air the party’s displeasure for the alleged inhumane treatment Mr. Hichilema who was allegedly being ferried in a police vehicle littered with dog feaces.

But Mr. Chanda said the demonstration was meant to influence the outcome of the court process and place undue pressure on the magistrate.

He said it was also bordered on contempt of court proceedings

“We find it totally unacceptable and our message to the UPND is give the courts sufficient room to execute their duties and let Mr Hichilema have his day in court.

“What we are all expecting is that he going to have free and fair hearing as the rules of natural justice so determines,” Mr. Chanda said.

According the notification, the peaceful demonstration which was expected to start at 10:00 hours and would go up to 14:00 hours from Namwala Road through town to the Provincial Minister Edify Hamukale’s office where a petition on the matter and other related matters would be presented.

And Siavonga UPND district Chairman Ng’andu has said the party in the area would join their colleagues in Choma to demonstrate against what he termed as political incarceration of their party president.

Mr Ng’andu said UPND members countrywide were aggrieved by the continued detention of HH because he was being punished for doing nothing wrong.

He warned that very soon the people in PF who were using Government machinery to deal with their imaginary political enemies would be made to test their own poison.

Southern Province Bonnie Kapeso confirmed having received a letter but declined to disclose the feedback he gave to the UPND in Choma.