ACTING PF president Given Lubinda says police told the opposition party that former president Edgar Lungu would not be allowed to attend a church service in Ndola because they had information that some people wanted to attack him.
Addressing the media, Monday, Lubinda said the police were insulting the intelligence of citizens by stating that they were protecting Lungu by stopping him from attending the church service.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has indeed started effecting his threats. He marshaled a battalion of police officers in riot gear to prevent people from worshiping in Ndola. At the same time that the police are saying they don’t have sufficient officers to safeguard the security of citizens, they are able to unleash battalions of police officers with riot gear to stop even prayer sessions. They wrote to the police well in advance, they invited the minister for the Copperbelt well in advance, they informed the public well in advance and there was no reason for the police whatsoever, one day before the event, to say to them that they should not proceed with their thanksgiving prayers,” Lubinda said.
“They went to them and said they had information that there were some people who were planning to attack them while they were praying and because of that, that prayer session must be put off. Isn’t it insulting the intelligence of citizens for the police to say that we have heard that people want to attack you and therefore don’t proceed? However, to bring a battalion of police officers, not to prevent the incidence of others being attacked, but to stop people from praying?”
Lubinda wondered why the police did not channel their resources towards preventing havoc rather than interrupting prayers.
“Why didn’t they use all that force to stop those whose intention was to disrupt a peaceful prayer? Who is it who the police should use force against? Peaceful people or those who are intending to go and raise havoc? Is that now the new standard under Hakainde Hichilema that when people are told in advance by informers that there are thieves who are intending to come and break in this house, you go to the owners of the house and say because there are thieves who are intending to come and break into this house, can you leave your house, go away?” Lubinda wondered.
“What is the police for? The police are there to ensure that people conduct their peaceful existence without any undue harassment by troublemakers. The police are meant to stop troublemakers from causing havoc. It’s not the other way round, what kind of policing are you introducing in Zambia? So, next time when we hear that at a football match there are some zealots who have come and they want to start pelting footballers, you’re going to surround the stadium with police to stop people from going to the stadium, is that policing”.
He asked President Hakainde Hichilema to let go of the hate which he harboured against Lungu.
“As far as we are concerned, that act was motivated by two things; one is hate, real hate, and I want to advise Hakainde Hichilema, the hate you carry against ECL shall torment you for many years to come. I’ve advised you before, and I want to reiterate my advice to you, let Edgar Lungu go, don’t carry him in your heart all the time. He’s a citizen like any other citizen. When Edgar Lun stays at home, it hurts you. He goes jogging, it hurts you, he goes shopping, it hurts you, he goes to church, it hurts you. For your stability of mind, I beseech you, let Edgar Chagwa Lungu go. Simply because you heard that he was invited by the pastors in Ndola, the hate in you, the rage in you grew so much that you had to instruct police to stop the thanksgiving prayers,” Lubinda said.
Meanwhile, Lubinda said it was too late for President Hichilema to successfully engage China on debt.
“HH was bragging that I’ve now gotten debt relief yet the major creditors have not even agreed to your debt relief. We told him to look at what is happening globally with regards the international finance systems. He was forced to go to the BRICS meeting purely because he was chairman of COMESA and SADC, not as President of Zambia. When his friends were applying to join BRICS, he came back to Zambia without even mentioning the position of Zambia on the alternative international finance system. And now belatedly, he jumps on a plane like a headless chicken ‘I’m going to China’. It’s too late, your friends engaged China a long time ago. Kenneth Kaunda aligned himself with the non-aligned movement of the world, he led this country and all the other presidents after him followed suit by saying we shall not look west or East alone,” said Lubinda.
