Wed, 10 May 2017 10:48:36 +0000
By SANDRA MACHIMA
THE opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema must go through the court process and people should not use politics to get people out of the judicial process before justice is done, MMD national secretary Raphael
Nakacinda has charged.
Mr Nakacinda said Mr Hichilema’s arrest did not mean that he was a criminal until he was proven guilty.
He said the people of Zambia must understand that the fundamental basis of multi-partyism that accorded people the freedom of speech did not mean that people should break the law with impunity.
Mr Nakacinda explained that the rule of law was what equalised the citizens, including politicians and also those that were serving in
government.
There is nothing strange with the arrest of Mr Hichilema because he abrogated the law and his arrest does not mean he is a criminal until he is proven guilty,” he said. He said the UPND leader should pass through the judicial process and no one should
interfere with the process.
Mr Nakacinda said as much as the republican President had powers through the prerogative of mercy to pardon, he was limited to do so because Mr Hichilema was not yet proven guilty.
He said it was unconstitutional for anyone, including the opposition UPND to politicise the process by demanding for the release of Mr Hichilema as such was just exposing their ignorance to the principles of the rule of law.
“Each one of us is subject to law and should confine to the laws of the land, including politicians. No one who is above the law, so Mr Hichilema should not be an issue, but people must leave the law to take its course,” he said.
Mr Nakacinda said the opposition MMD would continue to promote democracy and ensure citizens abide by the principles of the rule of law.
