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IG REJECTS PF RALLY

…as the former ruling party contemplates engaging Jack Mwiimbu to intervene and allow the rally to proceed 

…as the former ruling party contemplates engaging Jack Mwiimbu to intervene and allow the rally to proceed 

By NATION REPORTER 

INSPECTOR General of Police Graphael Musamba has rejected the Patriotic Front (PF) notification to hold a rally in Matero’s Zingalume area next week.

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The rejection of the notification has enraged PF leadership who are now planning to engage Jack Mwiimbu, the Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister to intervene.

This come a day after Dr F. Chilongo, the deputy officer commanding for Lusaka urban district rejected the notification by the PF to haol their rally in Zingalume citing security concerns.

Given Lubinda, the PF vice president has expressed disappointment that Musamba could deny his party to hold its rally to launch its strategic plan and accused President Hakainde Hichilema and Mr Musamba of curtailing their constitutional right to assemble.

Mr Lubinda said the UPND government was defeated, weak and lost at sea as they thought governance was a walk in the park only to discover that this was a task for tough-tested men and women who understood and appreciated the contours of the public policy terrain.

“Following our meeting with the Inspector General of Police, we wish to remind Zambians that the process of repealing and replacing the Public Order Act with the proposed Public Assemblies Bill is underway. The government of President Hakainde Hichilema wants to demonstrate that it is committed to improving political rights and freedoms of the Zambians along with the freeing of the democratic space,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said the PF decided to give Mr. Hichilema the benefit of doubt believing that for once he might mean what he said but that it had become clear that the head of State was but a man who never meant his word.  Mr Lubinda said similarly, they had given the Zambia Police, and this IG in particular, the benefit of doubt believing that he was truly committed to advancing the cause of democracy in Zambia. 

“However, their decision to cancel our democratic right to address the Zambian people and for them to hear alternative public policies has confirmed what we always knew…that Mr. Hichilema and the Zambia Police under the current Inspector General of Police do not have the political and moral courage to truly democratize Zambia,” Mr Lubinda said.

According to a letter dated August 15 2023 addressed to Lusaka Province Chairperson Christopher Shakafuswa, the Police declined to allow the rally raising security concerns.

The police said the party should not go ahead with the launch because security was compromised.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Musamba failed as all the calls placed on his mobile phone were truncated. 

Meanwhile,  Mr Lubinda challenged President Hakainde Hichilema to come out clean over the recent Gold bust that was conducted at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA).

Mr Lubinda said there was no way a presidential jet could be allowed to park at the presidential pavilion without the president’s knowledge.

He said that it was clear that the people involved were closely linked to the head of state.

“I want to challenge the President to clear his name because what happened is more like a person coming into your bedroom,” he said.

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