We in the UPP have a very bad feeling about the consequences of the continued detention of Hakainde Hichilema, says party leader Saviour Chishimba.

In a statement, Saviour said the kind of conditions the UPND leader was being subjected to were dehumanising and could lead to fatal infections.

“The reported attempt by the police to put Mr Hakainde Hichilema in a police vehicle with dog fecal matter and urine during last week’s court appearance, is a deliberate ploy by the state to subject him to conditions that could lead to fatal diseases during incarceration. We, in the UPP have a very bad feeling about the consequences of the continued detention of Mr Hichilema under hostile and dehumanising conditions, which can potentially lead to fatal diseases stemming from psychogenic causes,” Saviour said.

Saviour noted that the death of any citizen while in police custody had the potential to put the security of the nation in jeopardy.

“The PF-MMD regime must learn from Egypt that the death of any citizen while in police custody has potential to put in jeopardy the security of the whole nation. On June 6, 2010, Khaled Mohamed Saeed died under police custody. His death, in face of the human rights abuses and police brutality under the Hosni Mubarak regime, sparked a revolution which eventually ended the reign of the powerful Mubarak in 2011. The people of Egypt united under the banner ‘We are All Khaled Saeed’ in order to call for an end to authoritarianism. Apart from the Hosni Mubarak regime, the police officers who murdered Saeed were arraigned and convicted over the atrocity,” he stated.

Saviour appealed to President Edgar Lungu to protect the UPND leader from harm because he was responsible for every citizen as Head State.

“The President of the Republic of Zambia is the number custodian of all the citizens and then, both prisoners and free citizens are Biblically entitled to mercy and without mercy the king’s throne cannot be established. As a Christian Nation, we urge President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to learn from the wisdom of Abigail in the Bible,” he said.

“In reply to Abigail, David said, ‘And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. (I Samuel‬ ‭25:33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)’ Apparently, King David and his troops were on their way to kill Nabal, but Abigail’s intervention prevented the death of her husband under the hands of David. Truly, unknown to David, Nabal’s death, for defying David, was already decreed by God – he died the following day,” Chishimba stated.

He insisted that the treason charge was ill conceived and needed to be dropped.

“We urgently urge the state to enter a nolle prosequi and free Mr Hakainde Hichilema. The crime he committed of obstructing the presidential motorcade, which is a bailable misdemeanor, is better placed to proceed than the ill conceived treason charge,” Chishimba stated.

Meanwhile, Chishimba advised government to concentrate on the problems which the country was facing.

“The current economic hardships and the rising unemployment in face of a Kwacha whose value has plummeted, are building discontent in Zambia. These are enough troubles that the PF-MMD regime must concentrate on and avoid any situations that can plunge the nation into chaos,” stated Chishimba.