By NATION REPORTER
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of using the police to gag the opposition in bid to stop them from mobilising and silence them.
Nickson Chilangwa, the PF secretary general says President Hichilema has been using the police to gag and intimidate the opposition using the archaic Public Order Act law.
On Tuesday, the police in Chipata stopped a PF indoor meeting despite the former ruling party having met all the conditions of an indoor meeting with its members.
He said that the action by the police was wrong and unacceptable and that it was clear that the head of State was the one who was instructing the Police to gag the opposition because of his perceived growing unpopularity.
Mr Chilangwa said the Police stormed the PF Eastern Province party structures audit meeting in Chipata despite having a permit.
“The police then asked some of the party officials to accompany them to the police station. The police later told the team led by acting president Given Lubinda that the meeting could only be held on the 14th of January 2023.
But Mr Chilangwa said the police were not supposed to determine when the opposition party could meet and interact with its members because the law was followed in obtaining the police permit. “The police should not determine what we do and as a party we are not going to just sit and watch this kind of intimidation,” Mr Chilangwa said.
