NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili says genuine opposition leaders and peace loving Zambians should turn up in numbers to show solidarity to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema at Ndola Police on Wednesday.
And Kambwili says accusations that HH caused Kitwe riots are proof that the PF is losing support in its strongholds.
In an interview, Sunday, Kambwili said it was time Zambians demonstrated that they were tired of bad governance by showing solidarity to Hichilema.
He observed that all opposition leaders were at risk of being arrested.
“Time has come for us to say enough is enough to this predetermined arrests. I think the administration that is being practiced by this PF government in terms of the Public Order Act, and how they want to run this country is very archaic and old fashioned. We all know that government has been planning to arrest Hakainde Hichilema, first and foremost, they started with the UNZA riots, at that point, they almost arrested him but I think they got scared because people realised that they were aiming at. Look, these riots about ZAFFICO started in Ndola, long before HH went on the Radio. The demonstration in Kalulushi started a day before HH went on the radio and the day HH went on Radio, the riots in Kitwe started at 7 O’Clock and I think HH was only re-empasising the complaints that the sawmillers were complaining about ZAFFICO being sold.
So how do you accuse somebody of inciting? Because these riots started days before he went on the radio. So I am calling upon all those who are genuine opposition that on Wednesday, we all have to be in Ndola to give solidarity to our friend. One thing we should realise is that today it will be HH, tomorrow it will be Nawakwi, the other day it’ll be Chipimo. So it is important that we show solidarity and tell this government that you can’t run a government where you are scared rats and you want to be arresting people for no apparent reason, I don’t think this is right, we should say no to this kind of nonsense and approach,” Kambwili said.
“This pending arrest of HH is predetermined. And I want to sound a warning to this woman on the Copperbelt and also the Inspector General, that please, for once, be professional. The PF had a meeting at their secretariat where they gathered people who were signing songs of insults against me. Insulting language is an offense but here is a man who insulted President Edgar Lungu, the following day he was arrested. What has happened to those PF cadres who were signing songs of insults?”
And Kambwili said accusations that HH caused Kitwe riots were proof that the PF was losing support in its strongholds.
“And how can they say HH caused the riot? They are the same people who say HH has got no support. That his support is only in Western Province and Southern Province, how come he is influencing people on the Copperbelt? It means PF has lost popularity on the Copperbelt. Because if people on the Copperbelt support PF, they will but accept to be influenced by an opposition leader who doesn’t have influence on them,” he said.
“The advice I can the police is don’t mess up Zambia. They are complaining that foreign investment will not come to a country where there is careless talk, but how do you expect foreign investment to come in a country where opposition parties are arrested at will and charges with trampled up charges? And the people of Zambia are not stupid, they are able to differentiate sense from nonsense. They know that the planning to arrest opposition leaders before general elections so that they can be jailed and they don’t participate in elections is something that the PF has planned a long time ago.”
Kambwili charged that Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga was a cadre disguised in a police uniform.
“Ms Katanga the way she is behaving, I think the reason why she is behaving like that is that when there is a change of government, these former officers are not taken to task for abuse of authority and I think this time there will be a change, anyone who has abused his authority in one way or another will be taken to task and the first person who will be used as an example is Katanga because this woman is the worst cadre whom I’ve ever seen in my whole life disguised in police uniform,” said Kambwili.
“So let me warn her that this Wednesday, if you dare try to arrest one of us, HH in particular, I think enough is enough and I am calling upon all Zambians to rise to the occasion and all those who care in Zambia should be at Ndola Police headquarters so that they can know that this is not how you run the country. People must not gag divergent views.”