THE abuse of authority by police in Eastern Province is a threat to democracy and rule of law.
The provincial deputy commissioner of police has vowed not to allow the Patriotic Front to hold any meetings in the region.
Mr Nickson Chilangwa, the PF acting secretary-general wonders what power Ms Munkondya using to issue unconstitutional statements.
At first, police showed their high handedness when they disrupted an indoor meeting of the PF senior leaders at a lodge in Chipata called to meet provincial leaders and strategise for the planned March 2023 general conference.
According to Mr Chilangwa, on Friday, January 6, 2023 they received instructions from an officer only identified as J, Ngoma that the meeting could not be held on January 9 but instead on January 14
It is clear that the Zambia Police Service is hell bent on creating tension with the former ruling party by stopping its officials from holding meetings.
We find this growing tension unnecessary as it only serves to create uncalled for animosity and acrimony between the two sides.
But it is the new dawn administration that actually stands to lose face if this continues for it goes against its dictated promise to allow opposition parties to thrive by adhering to the rule of law.
That is a pledge that President Hakainde Hichilema made after winning the August 12, 2021 tripartite elections that the country was entering a new dawn that spelt political freedom for all parties to operate freely.
Like Mr Chilangwa, we find the comments attributed to the Eastern Province deputy commanding officer that the PF was bent on inciting people to rise against the government without any proof unacceptable.
The recent goings on in the Eastern Province are indeed a cause for worry when the police chiefs in the region do not want to allow the opposition to hold meetings on flimsy reasons.
It is important though that the Police Service and the Patriotic Front reach a compromise before matters come to head – which neither sides fathom.
At the centre of the misunderstanding appears to be the reluctance by the police to allow the former ruling party to hold any form of meeting.
This has infuriated the PF acting secretary-general Mr Nickson Chilangwa who has written a protest letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Lemmy Kajoba informing that that they will go ahead with their planned meetings.
Mr Chilangwa said the PF obliged and dispersed its members after heeding the police’s advice but was shocked that the police had rescinded its decision for them to hold the meeting on January 14.
“Following this, I wrote to your office, informing you that we would go ahead with our meeting on the 10th of January, 2023 as police cannot dictate to us when to hold meetings. To our surprise and dismay the meeting of the 10th was disrupted by the police,” he said.
He said the move by the officer to cancel the meeting was illegal and unconstitutional and there is no provision in the constitution of the Republic of Zambia or the Public Order Act that gives power to the police.
But as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says, “Ordinarily, when you want to assemble as a political party, all you need to do is to notify the police and not necessarily get a permit,” he said.
Mr. Mundubile, who is also one of the PF’s presidential candidates said he was surprised that the meeting was disrupted even after notifying the police in advance.
